34 THE ROSE-COLOURED STARLING. 



evening some thousands arrived, and at dusk dis- 

 persed in flocks over the country. The next day 

 the numbers increased to about fourteen thousand ; 

 and they soon ejected the Common StarUngs, 

 Swallows, Sparrows and Pigeons from the holes 

 in the battlements in the Castle. The following 

 day these holes were cleaned out, and nest -build- 

 ing began on the 5th of June. It was not until the 

 17th that it was ascertained for certain that eggs 

 had been laid ; but by the 14th of July the young 

 were seen migrating with their pajents, and soon 

 afterwards the birds had all disappeared. The 

 nests were described as roughly composed of 

 small sticks, little branches, straws, hay, grasses, 

 and other dry herbs disposed in a shapeless mass, 

 with a limited hollow space in the middle to 

 contain the eggs, and irregularly lined with 

 herbaceous fibres, leaves, mosses and feathers. 

 The males went out to feed in small parties, 

 returning together. 



