STURNUS VULGARIS, Linn. 
Slarlins’. 
o 
Sturmis vulgaris, Linn. Faun. Suec., p. 77. 
mrius. Wolf & Meyer, Taschenb. Deutschl. Vog., torn. i. p. 208. 
solitariiis, Leach, Syst. Cat. of Indig. Maram. and Birds in Brit. Mus., p. 18 (young). 
guttatus, Macgill. Flist. Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 595. 
Turdns soUtarms, Gmel. edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 834 (young). 
The distribution of the Starling over the British Islands is very general, but it is more plentiful in some 
counties than in others. The northern position of the Orkneys and Hebrides does not deter it from breed- 
ing there almost as abundantly as in some parts of Scotland, England, and Ireland. In selecting a site for the 
purpose of incubation it confides in the poor as well as the rich for protection during the performance of 
that important duty, making itself equally at home among the castellated towers of the Sovereign and on 
the tiled roof of the humblest cottager. It also builds its carelessly constructed nest under the eaves of 
churches, in the rain-pipes of the wayside inn and other country-houses, in decayed walnut-trees, in the 
deserted holes of Woodpeckers, or in the precipitous sides of a chalk-pit. On a summer morning, Starlings 
may often be seen perched, sentinel-like, on the crown of a weather-cock or on the letters indicating the 
points of the compass ; later in the day they may be found among the cattle in the field, or sitting on the backs 
of sheep in the pasture. In winter such situations are partially, if not wholly, deserted, and both old and 
young are flocked together and engaged in seeking their daily food in the field, the meadow, and on the sea- 
shore; in the evening these flocks form assemblages so vast that, were I to attempt to estimate the number 
of birds comprised in any one of them, I should be considered to be dealing in the marvellous ; I therefore 
leave such assertions as will be found hereafter to others, remarking at the same time that I fully believe 
them to be correct. In England many wonderful sights in connexion with the congregating of birds may 
be seen by visiting their places of incubation, their banquetings and evening meetings. The number of 
Rooks at Tregothnan, spoken of in my history of that bird, of Rock-birds at Handa and St. Kilda, of Gannets 
on the Bass Rock, or the Crag of Ailsa, are as nothing compared to the prodigious assemblages of Starlings 
at their roosting-places on a December evening in many parts of England. These social gatherings have 
been very fully described by many British authors ; and some of tlieir accounts are given below. Besides 
being generally dispersed over the British Islands, the Starling is also found in all parts of Europe, from 
Lapland to the shores of the Mediterranean, but is more numerous in Holland and similar low countries 
than in mountainous ones. I question if it be not an inhabitant of Africa, from north to south ; of its 
northern half it certainly is, and also of Madeira, the Canaries, and the Azores. I believe that it also fre- 
quents many parts of India. In the temperate pqrtions of Russia, in Amoorland, China, and Japan our 
veritable Starling is likewise said to occur. A lengthy chapter might be written on the changes of plumage 
which the bird undergoes between youth and maturity. The transformations may be termed wonderful ; for 
so different is the youthful state from that of the adult that the young bird has been described as distinct 
under the name of the Solitary Thrush {Turdus solitarius). The uniform brown plumage which led to this 
error, however, is retained but for a short period, a month or so at furthest from the time it leaves the nest. 
The second moult, which is complete before autumn arrives, is characterized by the feathers being spotted 
with white on a blackish ground ; and truly beautiful are the birds at this period. This plumage, with a 
purplish black beak, is carried over the ensuing year, as I have had abundant proofs from numerous speci- 
mens I have killed in the second summer of their existence, when they certainly do not breed, and frequently 
remain flocked together when the old yellow-billed and brilliantly coloured birds are carrying on the task of’ 
incubation. 
The flight of the Starling is straight and vigorous ; and when a flock is sporting in the air, they perform 
many graceful evolutions, SAveeping, dipping, and turning with rapidity and ease. These movements would 
appear to be preconcerted ; for otherwise a clash of Avings, and the utmost confusion would be the result, Avhile, 
on the contrary, they are performed Avith the utmost regularity — the dark cloud of birds instantly changing their 
position by a concerted plan, only known to themselves. On the ground the Starling is quick and nimble 
in all its actions ; pert and inquisitiA^e, it turns its bead and pries into every tuft of grass and every crevice 
or hole in which insects or their larvm are likely to be found. When a flock visits the mead or waste, it 
moves quickly from one part of the field to another ; those foremost in the van finding abundance of food, and 
leaving little behind them, the hinder birds are constantly rising, and pitching in front, until the Avhole field 
has heen examined; and the amount of good they must do the farmer, the husbandman, and the country at 
