STARLING.— ROSE-COLOURED STARLING. 143 



holes in trees and chalk-pits, often in sea-clifiFs, building a 

 rude nest of straws and hay, or any rough materials, with 

 many feathers, bits of worsted, &c. 



The Starling has a very chattering note, as well as a pleasant 

 warble, and readily imitates the songs of other birds, or the 

 mewing of a cat, or sound of a saw, and it is easily taught 

 to speak many words and sentences. 



EOSE-COLOURED STARLING. 



Pastor roseus. 



Very rarely, and at long intervals, this species has appeared 

 in the county. In its general habits and notes it much re- 

 sembles the Common Starling. 



In its native country. South Russia, Turkey, Greece, &c., 

 it assembles in large flocks, following, or sometimes preceding, 

 as if they expected their arrival, the flights of locusts, and 

 feeding on them, as well as on beetles and fruit. It nests in 

 large companies in holes of buildings and in quarries. 



I have in my collection a beautiful adult male, which was 

 shot from the back of a sheep, near Brighton on August 20th, 

 1870. Another was in its company, and was shot at the 

 same time, but of which sex I have no information : they are 

 recorded in the ' Field,' and in the ' Zoologist,' p. 2344, s. s. 

 Another adult male was shot by Mr. Massie, of Warnham, 

 near Horsham, where it was shown me soon after by a bird- 

 stuffier. 



Mr. Dennis, then Rector of East Blatchington, informed 

 me that two specimens were shot in that neighbourhood in 

 August 1855, one, a male in full adult plumage, the other, in 

 moult. They were shown him by Mr. Potter, formerly a 



