THE STARLING. 



83 



sheltered from the storm ; and, on the other, when 

 we look around us, and see how many old houses 

 have been pulled down, where these birds found a 

 refuge ; and when we reflect how modern luxury, 

 and the still more baneful turf, have forced many a 

 country squire to fell his aged oaks, his ash trees, 

 and his sycamores, which afforded the starling a 

 retreat; it will not require the eyes of Argus to 

 enable naturalists to discern the true cause why 

 such numbers of assembled starlings take their leave 

 of us in early spring. 



This year, seven pairs of jackdaws, twenty-four 

 pairs of starlings, four pairs of ringdoves, the barn 

 owl, the blackbird, the robin, the redstart, the house 

 sparrow, and chaflinch, have had their nests in 

 the old ivy tower. The barn owl has had two 

 broods ; and, while I am writing this^ there are half- 

 fledged young ones in the nest. As far as I can 

 learn, there has been no plundering of the eggs of 

 this community, on the part of the starlings. 



Now that autumn has set in, the movements of 

 this delightful assemblage of birds already warn us 

 to prepare for winter's chilling blasts. The redstart 

 is gone to Africa : the chaffinch has retired to the 

 hawthorn hedges: the ringdoves, having lost half 

 of their notes by the first week in October, became 

 mute about ten days ago ; and have left the ivy 

 tower, to join their congregated associates, which 

 now chiefly feed in the turnip fields ; and will re- 

 turn no more to the ivy tower until the middle of 

 February. The jackdaws are here, morning and 

 evening, and often at noon ; and at nightfall they 

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