NOTES AND QUERIES. 425 



even then two broods will be reared. When a nest and eggs are destroyed, 

 it takes but ten days before another nest is built, and five more eggs are 

 deposited. The number of young reared would not average much beyond 

 three to a brood.— J. Steele-Elliott (Clent, Worcestershire). 



Nesting of the Starling (Sturnus vulgaris). — March 29th. Starling 

 clearing out some of the old materials from last year's nesting-site. April 

 28th. Two eggsin nest. April 30th, 6.30 p.m. Four eggs ; old bird within 

 the nest, and eggs seemed slightly warm, but possibly she had not actually 

 started incubation, as many birds nesting in holes roost on the side of the 

 nest at night. May 1st. Sitting on five eggs. May Ilth, 6.30 p.m. Five 

 eggs still in nest. May 12th, 7.30 p.m. Four young hatched ; other egg 

 infertile. May 25th. Feeding young seems to average about fifteen times 

 to the hour, and this I think almost regularly throughout the day of some 

 fourteen hours' duration ; at least, whenever I was watching, the old birds 

 never seemed to cease their labours. Being able to conceal myself close to 

 the nest, I gained the full advantage of watching the young being fed within 

 a foot of me. The food (which at this period seemed to consist almost 

 entirely of a large white larva, but, owing to the rapidity with which the 

 food was given, it was impossible to identify it), when brought to the nest, 

 was given to whichever young one clamoured most, and held a foremost 

 position at the entrance to nest, the one frequently taking several feeds in 

 succession, until pushed aside by another which by now had become still 

 more eager in its hunger. Almost invariably after the food had been taken 

 the old bird would wait a moment to allow of that particular young one 

 turning round and voiding any excrement ; if this failed, then a rapid 

 search of the nest, and other excrement, if any, removed ; in the brief 

 meautime the old bird probably having undergone a severe course of pecking 

 from the insatiable and impatient young. June 1st. All the young left 

 nest. June 11th. The old ones again back at nest, but no further indica- 

 tion of a second brood took place. Reckoning from May 1st, the incubation 

 lasted eleven days ; but if such commenced on the evening of April 30th, 

 and the last was the infertile egg, then incubation in this instance covered 

 twelve days, and the young remained iu the nest twenty days. 



Particulars of another pair slightly vary : — May 6th, 7 p.m. Three eggs ; 

 old bird flew from nest. May 7th, 8 a.m. Three eggs in nest and cold ; 

 7 p.m., four eggs and bird within nest. May 12th. Probably owing to my 

 too frequent visits, the eggs had previously been forsaken, and this day I 

 find the birds have removed them from the nest. May 12th. A Starling's 

 egg placed by myself within the nest was also removed. May 18th, 7 p.m. 

 Another three eggs in nest. May 19th, 10 a.m. Four eggs; bird flew out 

 of nest, the eggs being warm. May 30th, 7.30 p.m. Four eggs remain in 

 nest. May 31st, 8 a.m. One young and three eggs ; 7 p.m., three young 



Zool. 4th ser. vol. IV., September, 1900. ^ <* 



