BLACK BIRDS.. 9 



a bandy-legged person. It builds in holes in trees, 

 banks, walls, and beneath the eaves of houses, and is 

 frequently to be seen perching on chimney-pots and 

 gables, emitting eccentric notes more varied than those 

 of almost any other bird. It has no song properly 

 so called, but gives vent by turns to a long-drawn 

 whistle, hard cracking sounds^ and other wheezy, 

 wiry, chuckling, and gurgling notes. When the bird 

 perches, the wings often droop low at its sides. The 

 Starling is highly gregarious, and after breeding cares 

 are over the birds pack, consorting with Eooks and 

 Jackdaws or Lapwings to grub the fields. The flight 

 is marked by alternate spells of rapid vibration of the 

 wings and of sustained skimming^ during which the 

 wings are laid out flat. When in packs Starlings use 

 an orderly wheeling flight, especially in their evening 

 exercises in the air ere resorting to the general roost- 

 ing - place. A common winter visitor to gardens, 

 where it renders itself conspicuous by ceaseless spar- 

 ring with its fellows over the scraps. In autumn 

 Starlings may be seen catching flies on the wing, 

 reminding one of Swallows. Their winter concerts 

 at the tops of bare trees are of common note. 



BLACKBIRD — 10 jnches ; a hoppiijg bird ; tail 3| inches, 

 against a Starling's 2J, and frequently elevated. 



CORMORANT.— Plate 5. Length, 3 feet. En- 

 tirely black, except the back, which is bronze-brown 

 and has black edges to the feathers ; white throat 

 (and, during the breeding season only, white patch 

 on thigh and white filamentous feathers on the 

 head) ; feet black, webbed, and, being set far back. 



