STARE. 13 



on the belly faint, and tinged with yellow ; the legs pale red ; the 

 tail is long. 



Inhabits China. — Osbeck. 



12— BLACK STARE. 



SIZE of our Stare, but instead of the plumage being glossy and 

 variable, it is rusty, or soot-coloured black, as in the Swift; the legs 

 are yellow. 



One of these was shot in Barbary, in the District of Tetuan, 

 where it is said not to be an uncommon species ; they build the nest 

 among those of the Storks, on the tops of houses, and have the 

 character of being good song birds. Mr. White informed me, that 

 he had not observed them about Gibraltar, though now and then a 

 straggler of the Common Species was seen about the rock ; but was 

 told, that immense flocks of these birds have been seen near Mequinez, 

 insomuch as to darken the sky. Stares of the Common sort also 

 unite into large flocks in the open country about Gibraltar, in the 

 winter, though in the Promontory itself, rarely more than a single 

 straggler is ever seen. 



13.— SARDINIAN STARE. 



Sturnus unicolor, Etoumeau unicolore, Tern. Man. Ed. ii. p. 133. 



LENGTH eight inches. Bill dusky at the base, and yellow at 

 the point; general colour of the plumage uniform bright black, with 

 a gloss of purple in some lights, but the under parts dull black ; the 

 legs yellowish brown. 



The female like the male, but the colours less bright. 



