146 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Stomach Contents of Starlings. 



Nov. 14th, 1909, a field of wheat was sown; Nov. 16th it 

 was visited by a flock of between two and three hundred Star- 

 lings, which busily commenced feeding. A shot fired into them 

 accounted for seven. One of these contained 37 grains of wheat 

 (I think this amount excessive), one shell of Helicella caperata, 

 one shell of Paludestrina ventrosa, a triturated mass which 

 appeared to consist almost entirely of wheat ; this mass weighed 

 46 grains, the separate grains of wheat, 32 grains ; total weight 

 of contents in one stomach, 78 grains. 



Of the whole seven Starlings, the contents were 112 separate 

 grains of wheat ; excluding the two small molluscs in the first 

 Starling mentioned, the rest contained four shells of Hygromia 

 hispida, five shells of Helicella caperata, one shell of Cochlicopa 

 lubrica, a few small beetles and elytra, and a mass of triturated 

 material apparently almost entirely wheat. This triturated 

 mass, the few molluscs and beetles, weighed 112 grains, the 

 separate wheat-grains, 95 grains ; total, 207 grains. The 

 112 grains, or rather separate grains of wheat, consumed by 

 the seven Starlings give an average of sixteen grains apiece, but 

 this takes no account of the large amount in the triturated 

 material found, which amount, I believe, represents far more 

 wheat than the 112 separate grains. 



Sown wheat lies at an average depth of one and a half to two 

 inches, but the Starling finds no difficulty in reaching it so long 

 as there is no frost. 



Dec. 29th, a single Starling, shot among Sparrows on a 

 barley- stubble, contained fourteen barley- and three wheat- 

 grains, a shell of Helicella caperata, four leather-jackets, and 

 three red ants ; also five seeds of a weed, either dock or 

 plantain. This wheat-eating on the part of the Starling may 

 be accounted for by its vastly increased numbers of late years. 

 On Hayling since 1898 the Starling has increased enormously. 

 Strange to relate, these birds rarely attack oats or barley. How- 

 ever, taking the whole year round, the Starling does more good 

 than harm, I believe ; but will this continue if he increases at 

 the rate he is doing at present ? 



When studying the food of birds, one must take into con- 

 sideration that the trituration of animal matter will be a 



