152 
BEAUTIFUL BIEBS. 
signals of command, wliile the whole troop hears 
onward to some chosen place of rest and repose. The 
locality thus made choice of is usually a thick spinet 
or coppice, or extensive reed-bed, and over this the 
mass of birds w'heels about in varying figures, at one 
time sinking, at another rising, again suddenly turning, 
until at length the entire flock settles down for the 
night, keeping up a long, noisy, chattering concert. 
Mr. AV. Thompson states that in Ireland the Starling 
is a migratory bird, and that their southward movement 
begins about the end of September. In our island 
the Starling is undoubtedly partially migratory, leaving 
one part of the coimtry and going to another ; and 
we cannot hesitate to conclude that flocks of them do 
quit our shores and take up their abode in more 
southern climes. 
This bird passes through several stages before it 
attains its permanent plumage. Throughout the first 
autunui the young are of a uniform ashy brown. In 
the month of October they put on a plumage of black, 
Muth bronze, violet, and green reflections in each 
feather, except the quill and tail-feathers, being tipped 
with a spot of yellowish white. This state of their 
plumage lasts tiU the third year ; then the bill becomes 
yellow, and the throat and chest are covered with 
loose lanceolate feathers, of a rich black, with purple 
and golden-green reflections. The head and under- 
parts are of this hue also. The back is greenish- 
black, with small triangular spots of reddish- white. 
This is the permanent condition of the plumage. 
