BRITISH BIRDS. 
89 
lowilh brown ; the quill and tail feathers dulky, 
with light edges ; the legs are of a reddilh brown. 
From the linking fimilarity, both in form and 
manners, ohfervable in this bird and thofe more 
immediately preceding, we have no fcruple in re- 
moving it from its ufual place, as it evidently 
forms a connecting link between them, and in a 
variety of points feems equally allied to both.— 
Few birds are more generally known than the 
Stare, being an inhabitant of almoft every cli- 
mate ; and as it is. a familiar bird, and eafily train- 
ed in a Hate of captivity, its habits have been more 
frequently obferved than thofe of moll other birds. 
The female makes an artlefs neft, in the hollows of 
trees, rocks, or old walls, and fometimes in cliffs 
overhanging the fea ; lhe lays four or live eggs, of 
a pale greenilh alh colour ; the young birds are of 
a dulky brown colour till the firft moult. In the 
winter feafon thefe birds fly in vail flocks, and 
may be known at a great diliance by their whirl- 
ing mode of flight, which Buffon compares to a fort 
of vortex, in which the collective body performs ait 
uniform circular revolution, and at the fame time 
continues to make a progreffive advance. The e- 
veiling is the time when the Stares affemble in the 
greatefl numbers, and betake themfelves to the fens 
and marfhes, where they roolt among the reeds: 
They chatter much in the evening and morning, 
both when they affemble and difperfe. So attach- 
ed are they to fociety, that they not only join 
