HOME BIRDS 51 



ous. In the summer, which means also late spring, 

 his bill is yellow ; in the fall and winter it is brown- 

 ish. 



Like our Purple Crackle or Crow Blackbird, Star- 

 ling is a walker, and he seeks his food on the ground. 

 But the Crackle's tail is noticeably long while Star- 

 ling's is conspicuously short, reaching only a little 

 beyond his sharply pointed wings. When flying he 

 reminds me of a large spear-head. 



When the young Starlings leave the nest they are 

 dull gray in color, but they soon lose this plumage 

 and acquire one similar to that worn by their parents 

 in winter. 



Starling's most characteristic note is a high, clear, 

 long-drawn whistle. It is so much like the one we 

 sometimes use when we wish to attract another per- 

 son's attention that when we hear Starling's call we 

 cannot be sure at first whether we are listening to 

 a bird or a man. 



This whistle also forms part of Starling's song, 

 a kind of choking, gasping, guttural soliloquy, which 

 can be heard only when you are quite near the singer. 

 Occasionally one hears him utter a plaintive call so 

 exactly like that of the Wood Pewee that for some 

 years I believed he was imitating that bird; but I 

 have since concluded that the notes are his own. 



Starling's four to six pale blue eggs are laid in 



