THE MOVEMENTS OF STABLINGS. 133 



Ludlow. — Moor Park. In a small plantation the birds roost 

 in tens of thousands. — J. Palmer. 



Wooferton. — In an immense hawthorn hedge twenty to thirty 

 feet high. — J. Palmer. 



Many interesting details have been furnished by the various 

 observers, but want of space prevents our giving anything beyond 

 a summary. 



In the great majority of cases the roosts have been occupied 

 by the Starlings regularly for upwards of twenty years. In only 

 a few cases have the established roosts been deserted, and then 

 probably the birds have only gone to a neighbouring roost. In 

 no instance has an entirely new roosting -place been started. It 

 will be noticed that the roosts are of three classes — (1) on reeds, 

 (2) on trees or underwoods, (3) on osiers. We shall see later on 

 that the nature of the roost has an important bearing on the 

 duration of its occupancy by the Starlings. Lastly, it will be 

 seen by a reference to a map that the distance between one 

 roost and another varies from less than two miles to about 

 thirteen miles. There are considerable tracts of country from 

 which no reports have been sent in, and it would be safe to 

 assume that there are a few roosts in these districts which are 

 not recorded in the above list. On this ground the average 

 distance of the roosts from one another can scarcely exceed eight 

 miles. 



Before quitting this part of the subject a few details may be 

 given regarding some of the roosts. 



Mr. W. H. Parry resides at Shawbury, close to the Moreton 

 Corbet roost. He says that there is an enormous pear tree in 

 his orchard, used by the Starlings as an outpost. They alight 

 on it in great masses, so that it quite bends beneath their weight, 

 and, upon their quitting it, the tree rebounds with such force that 

 it continues to oscillate for some time. This and a few other 

 trees in the surrounding fields are only used as outposts; the birds 

 do not roost there, but in the coppice farther on. When alighting 

 on the pear tree the birds generally make a loud chatter, but not 

 always — sometimes there is no noise but the rushing sound of 

 their wings. The ground and hazel underwood in the coppice 

 are covered with the birds' droppings, and the fetid odour arising 

 from these and the massed birds is perceptible at a considerable 



