HABITg OF THE STARLING. 
early dawn till about ten, there they remain, carolling away 
their communications ; at that hour, however, off they go, and 
till four or five o’clock are seen little more throughout 
the day, being absent in the fields, where they may be seen 
chattering in company with the inhabitants of a neighbouring 
rookery, or a noisy set of jackdaws, who have, for time out of 
mind, been the undisputed tenants of a certain portion of an 
ancient beech-wood, at no great distance. 
“ About the third week the plot begins to thicken still more. 
* * * Detachments may be now seen prowling busily over 
the roof, cautiously creeping in and out from under the pro- 
jecting eaves, and by the end of the month, the regular esta- 
blishment, amounting to about thirty, has assembled, and the 
grand work of the year fairly commences. From this time all. 
is bustle ; straws and nest-furniture are seen flying through the 
ah* in beaks, contriving, nevertheless, to announce their comings 
and goings by particular harsh or low muttering cries, accord- 
ing as they think they are watched or not. They are cunning- 
birds, and discover, in an instant, whether a passer-by has an 
eye to their movements, and . perfectly aware whether he is fol- 
lowing his own business or theirs. If he steps onwards, without 
troubling himself about them, they go in and out with perfect 
unconcern ; but if a glance of curiosity or observation is directed 
to their motions, they are all upon the alert; the bearer of a 
tuffc to the nest wheels to the right-about, and perching on the 
naked upper twig of a small beech-tree, or the projecting point 
of a gable end, sits there uttering a particular note, which seems 
to give, as well as words could do, intimation to a mate to be 
on its guard, as a spy is at hand. * # # # At length 
the nests are built, the eggs laid, and the young ones hatched. 
Then a new scene of noise and activity and bustle commences, 
increasing, of course, as the nestlings become older and more 
voracious. Then it is that the lawn becomes a favourite resort; 
hitherto, a few idlers may have hopped and picked up a stray 
worm or two, but now the search is a matter of serious occu- 
pation. Down they come, the sober-coloured hen, and the 
cock with the sun ghttering on its spangled feathers, with claws 
and beaks as busily employed as if their very existence depended 
upon it. * * * The noise and the bustle go on incessantly, 
till the young ones are fledged, when for a day or two they 
may be seen fluttering about the building, or taking short 
flights. At length their strength matured, old and young 
collect on the tower, and then wheel away to the neighbouring 
55 
