//' 



The Starling Sturnus^ 

 /iLUUj^^^ Numb. XL. 



Id 



IT S length from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tall is nine Inches ; Breadth, 

 when the Wings are extended, one Foot three Inches 5 it weigh'd three Ounces. It is 

 of the Bignefs and Shape of the common Blackbird. Its Bill from the Tip to the Angles 

 of the Mouth is an Inch and a quarter long, in the Cock of a pale yellow, in the Hen 

 dusky, broader and more depreffed than in Thrufhes or Blackbirds, by which Mark ic 

 differs from them. The upper Mandible is equal to the nether ; the Tongue is hard, 

 horny and cloven : the Irides of the Eyes are of a hazel-colour, white on the upper part. 

 It hath the nictating Membrane ; the Legs and Feet are of a yellowifli brown or flefh 

 polour ; the Claws are blackifh ; the outer and inner Fore-Toe are equal to each other, 

 and the outer joined to the middle Toe as far as the firft Articulation. The Legs are 

 feathered down to the Knees. 



The Tips of the Feathers on the Neck and Back are yellowifli, the Feathers under 

 the Tail cinereous, elfe they are black all over the Body, with a blue and purple Glofs, 

 varying as it is varioufly expofed to the Light. In the Hen the Tips of the Feathers on 

 the Breaft and Belly to the very Throat are white in the Cock j the Back participates 

 more of purple, the Rvimp of green, but the lower Belly is more fpotted. 



All the quill Feathers are duiky ; but the Edges from the third to the tenth, and from 

 the fifteenth to the laft, are more dark. The covert Feathers of the Wings glifter, and 

 the Tips of the leffer covert Feathers are yellow j the Feathers covering the underlide 

 of the Wings are dufky, having pale yellow Edges. 



The Tail is three Inches long, made up of twelve duiky Feathers with pale yellow 

 Edges. It lays four or five Eggs lightly tindlured with a greenifli blue. 



The blind Guts as in the relt of this Kind are very fliort and fmall, nearer to the Funda- 

 ment than in others. The Mufcle of the Gizzard is not very thick; the Guts are 

 thirteen Inches long. It feeds oh Beetles, Worms, and other InJeSls. It hath a Gall- 

 Bladder. They are gregarious Birds, living and flying together in great Flocks. They 

 company alfo with Redwings and Fieldfares ; yet they do not fly away with them, but 

 abide with us. all Summer,, breeding in the Holes of 'Towers, Houfes and Trees, &c. 

 Starlings are not eaten in England, by reafon of the Bitternefs of their Flefli. The 

 Italians, and other Foreigners are lefs dainty ; but they are not very bitter when their 

 Skins are flripped olE It is a notable Bird in imitating Man's Voice^ and fpeakiag ar- 

 ticulately. 



tbt 



