PLATE XCVIII. 
The Male Starling, 
Of this plate, is a bird well known, and very numerous ; and, as I have obferved in a former 
plate of the female, they are a deftrudive bird among pigeons. It is totally imptaaicable to do 
juftice to the brilliancy of it, as it exhibits fuch a variety of changeable colours. The male bird is 
capable of receiving inftruaions, in either talking or finging, and will fo imitate the human voice as 
to deceive the niceft ear. There is a method to be obferved in teaching them, which muft be ad- 
hered to :-whilft young, the bird intended to be taught muft be kept almoft m darknefs, and never 
Ihifted from one place to another. 
Like other young birds, they do not attain to a clearnefs of voice until the fpring following. 
The Starling is of a ftrong and hardy nature, and does not require any particular tendemefs in the 
treatment of it. The food they are generally fed upon is fig-duft, mixed with water. Barley- 
flower may anfwer equally the fame with feme fmall pieces of raw meat put in it. 
