106 NATURAL HISTORY. 
andin others a beautiful purple. The feathers ot 
the head, neck and upper part of the breaft are black, 
inter{perfed with feathers of different colours, which 
caufes it to vary, as above defcribed. : 
Starlings affemble im vaft flocks during winter, and 
feed upon worms and infects; but, on the approach 
of fpring, they meet in the fields, as if to confult; 
during this time, which lafts feveral days, they feem 
to ab{tain from all kind of nourifhment.") + 
Such is the capacity of this bird to receive initrue- 
tion, that it will imitate the human voice to ‘he great- 
eit nicety. Sterne, in his Sentimental Journey, gives 
a very entertaining account of one of thefe bards 
which he met with on his travels. beg te AE A 
If a ftarling is taken when about ten days old, and 
roperly taught, itisa very valuable bird, and will 
tch frequently five or fix guineas. i 
POE DEDE RS HH 
‘GREAT TITMOUSE. 
"Turs bird, which is alfo called the oxeye, is a- 
bour fix inches in length, nine inches broad, and in 
weight half an ounce. The bill is black, ftraight 
_and about half an inch long; the tongue is broad, 
ending in four filaments; the head and throat are 
black, cheeks white, back and coverts of the wings, 
green; quill feathers dufky, tipped* with blue and_ 
white; the leffer coverts are blue, the greater ones 
tipped with white ; the tail, which is about two inches 
and a half in length, is black, edged with blue. — 
Aithough thefe birds orcafionally vifit our gardens, 
yet they chiefly inhabit the woods, where they build 
their nefts. in hollow trees, laying nine orteneggs. - 
“Their food confifts, principally, of infects, which they ~ 
find in great numbers in the trees. Thus we perceive, 
