50 BULLETIN 868, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
for roosting places. Whenever a lantern was brought into the build- 
ing at night the starlings flew about in great commotion and, fright- 
ening the pigeons, caused some of the setting birds to leave their eges. 
Starlings were reported on occasions to have driven pigeons even from 
church towers. At Norwalk, Conn., and Newburgh, N. Y., however, 
towers were found where pigeons wore successfully raising young in 
the immediate presence of roosting starlings. 
To determine whether a mere scarcity of nesting sites is the cause 
of the antagonism between starlings and other species, 24 nest boxes 
were erected, 12 in the vicinity of Closter, N..J., and 12 about Nor- 
walk, Conn. These boxes were of a size commonly provided for 
flickers, measuring approximately 43? by 53 by 16 inches (interior 
dimensions) and fitted with a 24-inch hole, and so constructed that the 
nests could be readily inspected by means of a removable front. 
In some of these boxes the size of the hole was reduced by tacking 
on the front small boards contaming circular openings, sone 13 
inches and some 12 inches in diameter. These were used to determine 
the smallest opening through which a starling can pass. The boxes 
were occupied readily both by starlings and bluebirds; in most cases 
this was not due to a lack of natural nesting sites, as there were many 
to be had. In one orchard a pair of starlings showed such a marked 
preference for a natural cavity that they raised two broods therein, 
although 3 boxes were in the immediate vicinity, unoccupied at the 
time their nest was started. Following is a summary of what trans- 
pired at the 24 boxes: 
Four boxes failed to have any bird activity connected with them; 
18 had starling nests started; 14 had starling nests completed; 10 
had starling eggs hatched Gn 3 other instances the eggs were removed); 
8 had bluebird nests started, four of which produced young; and 1 
had a completed nest of house wrens. 
None of the 6 boxes with 13-inch opening was occupied by star- 
lings; 5 of 7 boxes with 13-inch opening were occupied by starlings; 
10 of 13 boxes with 24-inch opening were similarly occupied; and at 
3 boxes bluebirds were driven away by starlings. 
In summarizing the evidence bearing on the relation between the 
starling and our native birds during the breeding season, it is apparent 
that the bluebird and flicker suffer most. Both have no doubt to a 
certain extent been driven away from the vicinity of the dooryard. 
Regarding the seriousness of these attacks and the ultimate conse- 
quences to the population of the species it is believed the fears of many 
bird lovers are exaggerated. While instances such as those cited 
are numerous and often have resulted fatally to the birds attacked 
it must be borne in mind that this information is the compilation 
of more than six months’ constant investigation, during which time 
