2 STARLING,
harbouring round the outbuildings of a shooting-lodge on the shores of a salt-water loch. These birds spent
the greater pact of their lime picking about on the seaweed on the loch-side, retiring invariably when
alarmed to the shelter of the buildings. I was unable to ascortain the nature of the food procured,
but, from their actions, it appeared to consist of small marine insects. Though constantly observed till
the second week in May, the members of the flock had not evinced any signs of separating.
About many of tin' collections of miserable and dilapidated shealiugs termed villages in this remote district,
Starlings were to be seen in considerable numbers searching over the adjacent ground and paying but slight
regard to the natives or the few passers by.
There is a general outcry against Ibis species by the owners of cherry-orchards; antl from repealed
observations in various parts of the country, I have no doubt their complaints are well founded. To credit the
quantity of fruit that one of these gluftons can put away it is necessary to walch the operation.
Immense flocks of Starlings collect and roost in the reed-beds on the broads in the eastern counties;
here they cause at times greet damage, their weight breaking down the stems and rendering the crop almost
useless*. As early as June small parlies of young may be seen gathering towards the marshes. From many
parts of the surrounding country these birds, as evening draws near, make their way to the chalk-pits on the
Susses Downs, and pass the night in any sheltered niches in the face of the cliff ; in the neighbourhood of
Brighton large Hocks may be seen crossing the hills in November shortly after three o'clock, holdiug a straight
course tu their accustomed quarters.
Though Starlings occasionally fall victims to the Falcon, T have repeatedly watched them persisting for
some time in following a Kestrel. No attack was ever attempted, the birds simply wheeling round the Hawk,
who seemed utterly Unmindful of their attentions, though forced occasionally for a moment to check his flight
as the flock dashed past. On the 3rd of October, 1882, while driving along the coast of West Sussex, I
remarked three or four different Kestrels mobbed in this manner.
The nest of the Starling is placed in a variety of situations, holes or apertures in the masonry or under
the roofs of buildings being perhaps most frequently chosen. Decayed trees and crevices in rocky cliffs
or chalk-pits are also resorted to ; and the borings of the Woodpecker and the Pigeon-cole arc at times invaded
and the rightful owners displaced. In a plantation on the banks of the Eden, in Cumberland, I found, in
dune 187(5, tho nest of a Pied Flycatcher in the cavity of a rotten branch ; this was subsequently destroyed,
and the spot appropriated by a pair of Starlings.
In the south of England large numbers of this species are captured early in the autumn by professional
bird-catchers and sold for trap-shooting, for which purpose they fetch two shillings a dozen. As many as
seventeen dozen have been taken by one pull of the nets, the men asserting that at least ten dozen more
escaped before the whole of the struggling captives could be secured t . The slaughter of this useful bird is
much to be regretted, and tho farmer who grants liberty to the poaching rascals to set their nets on his land
will doubtless find cause to regret his indiscretion.
It is well known that immense flocks of Starlings arrive on our eastern coast during the autumn from tho
north of Europe. At what date the earliest flights make their appearance, I have had no means of ascertaining.
The following is from my notes for 1870, when shooting in the east of Norfolk :—" October Hi, strong wind
from the north, weather cold and stormy. Numliers of Grey Crows and Rooks landing, also flocks of Larks
and Starlings. The flight was continued till dark, and possibly still later." These observations were made
* [• the SStt of HorMk the r«d i. n«d instead of l.lhs fur ptafS-od waits; ¡1 is also enqiluvri for hm-iug round mniill yards and a mitt)
m dalon referred W ns secured at one haul prove] the
larBe»l day'' eil.h in Ihe 11 Jill HI
B T A R L I N G . 3
on the broads four miles inland. While steaming in company will) the herring-fleet in Ihe North Sea, during
the autumn of 1872, for the purpose or taking notes on Gulls and also watching the migration, large flocks of
Starlings were encountered, making straight for the Norfolk and Suffolk coasl, on many occasions between
the 7th of October and the 9th of November. Tho birds usually kept in compact bodies of from one to three
or four hundred, Hying strongly, with few, if any, stragglers. I cannot call to mind an instance of noticing
a single Starling that showed signs of fatigue. .1 can oiler no opinion concerning the course followed by these
migrants after reaching our coasts. During protracted winter storms Starlings in thousands may occasionally
be observed making their way along the coast of Sussex from east to west : at times numbers are passed
at sea heading towards Ihe west ; hut I have no personal knowledge of their attempting to cross the channel.
Early in spring Starlings again return towards the east, coast. While on lliekling Broad, on the 27th
of March, 1873, I noticed that immense flocks of Starlings continued flying east during the whole of the
morning op till midday, the wind at the lime being light and easterly. It is, however, evident that these
birds cross the North Sea earlier in the season, as several in company with Larks wen taken on board tho
'Newarp' and 'Hasbro" light-ships during the last week in February, a couple also being secured on the
' Lynn Well' previous to the Sth of March". Throughout March numbers fell disabled on the floating lights
off the east coast, t i c migration appearing to cease about the end of the month.
The young Starling in his first feathers is clad in a particularly unpretending suit of sober grey. The
more conspicuous plumage, which is assumed after the lirst moult, shows itself in somewhat irregular patches,
rendering the appearance of the bird for a lime exceedingly strange.
But few varieties of this spreies bavo come under my observation; the two I met with, however, were
especially striking. While watching a large Hock passing the steamboat about twenty miles oil" Yarmouth, on
the 7th of October, 1S72, my attention was attracted by a bird entirely cream-coloured : the whole body
were so close that 1 could not have been mistaken. On the 'doth of October, l^sfl, a most singularly marked
Starling was detected in a flock of some four or live hundred harbouring about the sheep at Buckingham,
near Brighton : the feathers of the tail from the rump downwards were of a pure and spotless white, the
rest of the plumage being of the ordinary type. I had ample opportunities for examining this specimen,
which, on wing, somewhat resembled the Qreeu Sandpiper, as at times it alighted on tho back of a sheep,
showing itself off to the fullest advantage.
• Iloing surn-i*ed that Starlings wot croning the Xorth Sea no earl) M Ihe end of February, I made further inquiries, sad learned that Ihe
birds were liken at the time stated. On tills suthorilj I luwe given the aWe information.