716 
BIRD-LIFE. 
after another, out of the door of their habitation, until 
they become so pleased with the prospect outside, that 
from looking they proceed to flying. The parent birds 
take the greatest of pains with the instruction of their 
children, and these latter are such apt scholars that 
their education may he regarded as complete in another 
fortnight, when the old birds take steps towards rearing 
a second brood. As soon as the flyers—who pass the first 
days of their emancipation amongst the thick branches in 
the neighbourhood of the nest—are considered by their 
parents as capable of looking after themselves, they con¬ 
gregate together, with other youngsters, in large flocks, 
and scour the country round all day long until the 
evening, when they betake themselves to the reed-beds 
amongst the ponds and swamps, where they roost, 
chattering and jabbering for hours, however, before their 
glib tongues find it necessary to take some rest from their 
labours. In the meantime the parent birds have cleaned 
out the nest, and lined it afresh with straw. The female 
now lays the four eggs, of which the second batch is 
composed, in the freshly-prepared cradle. By the middle, 
or at the latest the end, of July, the members of the second 
brood are able with their parents to seek the first family. 
Now moulting commences,—a singular period for our 
Starling, which may almost be called a holiday time. In 
company with Kooks, Jackdaws, and other birds, old and 
young wander about the country, hither and thither, in 
large bands,—here to-day, gone to-morrow. At this 
season Starlings are as shy as though they had never 
associated with man. All of a sudden, generally about 
the beginning of October, they return again in pairs to 
their old home, and the male commences singing as if 
it were spring : they do not, however, roost in or near the 
