THE STARLING. 
79 
THE STARLING. 
"I can't get out, I can't get out/' said the star- 
ling. I know not any thing, except Gay's "Hare 
and many Friends," that made so much impression 
on me, when a boy, as Sterne's description of the 
captive starling in its cage. His attempt to relieve 
the prisoner bird, — its pressing its breast against 
the wires, — its telling every body who came down 
the passage that it could not get out, — its remain- 
ing in hopeless captivity, — all tended to make this 
pretty bird particularly interesting to me; and, in 
days long past, I have spent many an hour in listen- 
ing to its morning warblings, and in admiring its 
aerial evolutions towards the close of day. 
I wish I could do it a friendly turn, for the plea- 
sure it has so often afforded me ; but, in taking up 
the pen to clear its character, my heart misgives 
me, on account of the strong public prejudice 
against it. 
There is not a bird in all Great Britain more 
harmless than the starling : still it has to suffer per- 
secution, and is too often doomed to see its num- 
bers thinned by the hand of wantonness or error. 
The farmer complains that it sucks his pigeons' 
eggs ; and, when the gunner and his assembled party 
wish to try their new percussion locks, the keeper 
is ordered to close the holes of entrance into the 
dovecot overnight ; and the next morning three or 
four dozen of starlings are captured to be shot : 
