STARE. OMNIVORI, ORIOLUS. 91 
This bird migrates from Europe about September, and 1s 
supposed to winter in the warmer regions of Asia and 
Africa. 
PiateE 35. Fig. Ist. The adult male, natural size. 
Bill orange-red. Between the eye and bill is a black General 
streak. Irides reddish-brown. Head, neck, back andj. 
descrip- 
under parts yellow. Wings black, having the outer Male Bird. 
webs margined with white. Greater-wing coverts tipped 
with yellow. The two middle tail-feathers black, the 
rest half-black half-yellow. Legs and toes black. 
Fig. 2d. The female; also of the natural size. 
Upper parts olive-green. Throat and breast greyish- General 
white, with dusky streaks. Belly and vent white, tinged cee 
more or less with yellow, and streaked dusky. Wings Female. 
brownish-black, edged with pale oil-green. ‘Tail deep 
oil-green, with the tips of all the feathers, except the two 
middle ones, yellowish-white. 
The young birds are similar to the female. 
yy Genus IX. STARE. STURNUS, Linn. 
GENERIC CHARACTERS. 
Bul strait, depressed, rather obtuse, and slightly subulated, 
the base of the superior mandible advancing upon the front, 
the point depressed. Nostrils basal, lateral, and partly closed 
by a prominent rim. Wings long, the first feather very 
short, the second and third the longest in the wing, and of 
nearly equal length. Feet with three toes before and one 
behind ; the middle toe being united to the outer one, as far 
as the first joint. 
Stares commonly associate and travel in societies. Insects 
form their chief food, but they also eat grain and other seeds. 
In addition to the general moult in autumn, they are subject 
to a change in the colour of the bill and legs, and in the 
lustre of their plumage, on the approach of spriug, or the 
