Maurice Amsler—The Breeding of the Amethyst Starling 297


not recognize, it was much like a Bullfinch’s, of which I have two pairs

of the Siberian variety, but it looked too large for these birds—and

I thought the Amethyst Starlings would lay eggs of “ Starling blue ”,

but I must admit that my suspicions and hopes were aroused.


On 29th July I have a note that the hen had spent most of two days

in the nest-box. I did not like to disturb her: moreover these

boxes have an oak lid fastened down by four screws, which take time

to undo.


Finally, on 2nd August, I drove and shut the birds into the shelter

and inspected the box ; it contained three eggs of a grey-blue shade,

mottled with small rufous spots, especially thick at the blunt end.

The nest was very low down, an extremely neat structure, built entirely

of leaves. At this date the hen was extremely nervous and came

off at the slightest sound. Repeatedly I crept up on tip-toe only to

find her peeping at me from the nest hole.


In shape, colour, and movements she often reminded me of a Wry¬

neck at this period. I reckoned that she had been sitting since

27th July and that she might hatch about two weeks later, viz. on

10th August, when I should be away from home. My man, who knew

what to look out for, noticed both birds carrying food to the nest on

8th August so one must presume that the hen began to sit before

27th July, or that the incubation is twelve days only.


On 12th August an ominous smell of dead bird was noticed near

the nest, which was promptly inspected. The nest was quite sweet

and clean and contained one chick covered with black down, and one

clear egg—the other chick was never traced.


On the 13th and 14th both parents were carrying more leaves into

the log and on further inspection the youngster was found with a sort

of quilt of leaves surrounding him, and only his head sticking out.


On my return to Eton on 17th August I looked into the nest myself

and found the chick about the size of a plucked Sparrow—he appeared

to have climbed on top of the leaves recently added. The skin was

dark pink, with well marked black quill areas on the back, wings, etc.

On 20th August the quills were bursting and showing the feathers to

be much the same colour as the hen bird, and the striation on the

head was clearly visible.



