84 



THE STARLING. 



never fail to join the passing flocks of rooks in their 

 evening flight to their eastern roosting-plaee at Nos- 

 tell Priory, and return with them after daybreak. 

 The starlings retire to a dense plantation of spi^uce 

 fir and beech trees, and in the morning come to the 

 ivy tower to warble their wild notes, even when the 

 frosts set in. These birds are now in their winter 

 garb, which they assumed at the autumnal equinox, 

 much duller, and of a more greyish white appearance, 

 than that which they had in the summer. I cannot 

 find that naturalists have noticed this change. 



The starling seems to be well aware of the peace- 

 ful and inoffensive manners of the windhover. This 

 hawk rears its young in a crow's old nest, within 

 two hundred yards of the ivy tower. Still, the 

 starlings betray no fears when the windhover passes 

 to and fro ; but they become terribly agitated on 

 the approach of the sparrowhawk. I often see this 

 bold destroyer glide in lowly flight across the lake, 

 and strike a starling and carry it off*, amid the shrieks 

 and uproar of the inhabitants of the tower and sy- 

 camore trees. 



The starling shall always have a friend in me. I 

 admire it for its fine shape and lovely plumage; I 

 protect it for its wild and varied song ; and I defend 

 it for its innocence. 



