122 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 
of an evening ... by millions, from the low grounds about the Severn, where their noise and 
stench are something altogether unusual. By packing in such myriads upon evergreens, they 
have stripped them of their leaves, except just at the tops, and have driven the pheasants, 
for whom the plantation was intended, quite away from the ground. In the daytime, when 
the birds are not there, the stench is still excessive. Mr. Miles was about to cut the whole 
plantation down, to get rid of them, two years ago, but I begged him not to do so, on account 
of the curiosity of the scene, and he has since been well pleased that he abstained.” 
A similar but still larger congregation has been described; in this, about the year 1845, 
from 150,000 to 200,000 starlings were computed to rest every night, between the end of 
October and the end of March, in certain trees in the gardens of the Zoological Society in 
Dublin. The roof of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, in the heart of Dublin, has from time to time 
been resorted to, as many as 
2,000 seeking shelter there. 
“Possessing very considerable 
powers of wing,” observes 
Yarrell, “ these are turned to 
account in an e.xtraordinary 
manner by the birds composing 
the flock. They wheel, close, 
open out, rise and descend, as 
if each were obeying a com- 
mander, and all this is done 
with the utmost marvellous 
precision while the flock is 
proceeding at a rapid pace 
through the air. At times it 
may e.xtend in a long and 
nearly straight thread; 
suddenly an undulation is visi- 
ble along the line, and in a 
moment it takes the form of 
a thin and smoke-like cloud; 
another moment, and it is 
a dense and almost perfect 
globe; then possibly, having 
preserved this appearance for 
a perceptibly longer time, it 
becomes pear-shaped, and in 
another instant has assumed 
a spiral figure ; an instant after 
it has spread out like a sheet, and its members are streaming softly along the ground, 
perhaps to alight, or perhaps once more to mount aloft and circle as before.” There are 
few more magnificent sights in the world than a flock of starlings when performing evolutions 
of this kind. 
Differing much, not only in general appearance, but also in coloration, from the common 
starling is the Rose-COLOURED STARLING, so called from the beautiful rose-pink colour of the 
back and breast, set off by the rest of the plumage, which is black, glossed with violet, blue, 
and green reflections. This handsome bird occasionally visits Biitain. Feeding largely upon 
locusts, these birds are much affected in their movements by the peregrinations of these 
pests ; and this accounts for the sporadic appearance of the rose-coloured starling in huge 
flocks in places where it is generally seldom seen. 
Dull in appearance, ungraceful in flight, and with a harsh, unmusical note, the starling 
Pholo by C. Rtidi \_Wishaw, N. B. 
YOUNG STARLINGS 
Starlings, if taken ivhen young, are easily tamed and make excellent pets 
