THE STARLING. 
715 
to favour the world at large with something wonderful in 
the shape of a song; but the whole performance, as we have 
already remarked, more resembles a cosy sort of chatter, 
in which snapping of the mandibles and strange notes 
and sounds, stolen from other birds, seem to form the 
principal constituents; whilst the remainder only consist 
of an endless twittering, coupled with a sound resembling 
a smacking of the lips. After sunset the pairs again 
separate and make for the woods, where they roost safely 
amongst the thick branches of the firs. 
In March, love-making commences, and the male 
begins to chatter cheerily to his partner, his song con¬ 
sisting of a thousand different variations. Now, the pair 
diligently carry materials to the nest, namely, straw, hay 
and feathers, with which they thoroughly line the 
natural or artificial abode destined to hold their eggs. 
By the end of April the nest contains from five to six 
large, elongated eggs, of a clear, light blue colour, which 
are hatched out by the female in from thirteen to sixteen 
days. The male continues to feed and serenade his mate 
until the young break the shell, returning home along 
with his fellows regularly every evening. As soon, how¬ 
ever, as the young are hatched he no longer has time for 
more singing, as the little screamers require feeding. He 
and his mate are now amply employed in collecting all 
the caterpillars, beetles, butterflies, worms, &c., necessary 
to fill the capacious throats of their offspring; yet let 
the parents work as hard as they will, the little wretches 
are scarcely a moment silent with their clamour. The 
old birds, however, manage to overcome all difficulties, 
and succeed in furnishing the young Starlings with their 
daily food. In from fourteen to sixteen days later the 
nestlings become big enough to peep inquisitively, one 
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