INSESSQRES.
CONIROSTRES.
STURNIDÆ.
T H R COMMON STARLING.
Sturnus vulgaris, Common Stare, P enn. Brit, Zool.xok i, p. 396. |
Stare or Starling, Mont. Omitli, Diet, gj
,, Bewick, Brit.’Birds, vol. i. p. 111.
Common ,, Flem. Brit. An. p. 86.
,, Stare, Selby, Brit. Ornith. vol. i. p. 340.
,, Starling, Xênyns, Brit. Vert. p. 143,
,, ,, GToüld, Birds of Europe, pt. tv> - '
Etourneau vulgaire, Temm. Man. d’Orûith. vol.-iw p. 132*
StuknuS. '* Generic Characters.—Beals' almost straight, pointed, depressed,
wider than high, ^nd slightly subjilktêd^l'N dstrils basal, lateral, and partly
closed by a prominent metóbrahe. -j Wings MngVpointed,^ the first feather very
shoit, the second tlie ‘lö i^ ^ p ^ ^ e e t mtn tn'reé' toes' in front, .orih behind ; the
middle toè' u-niteduoStlie
. T he StarlingUs one^effcêur handsome birds, both* with
»ISerenced-to shape and. plumage: .andwffbm. being very numerous
:oasdh .speciesf, and; prett^dlgenerallyi distributed, is
not onlyw^cv«^,lh"known |É te i, from: a variety of association!»
is a vgiiEèt favourite with ,mai0p.'|^.yBeingii intelligent and
Sprightlij^vithi a',ré|fplifi^mentory, an-d'ygJeai- flexibility of
“voïee|fpie naal'ês:’ h rë^ftèn kept ,iq whêè^i the'y
learn itéwifisjlfle tun^l| and imitafeë$oül6 of the-various sounds
;'0ttheshuman.voice^with/^'al^ty^and-.correctness.- In their
more‘hafcfraM stafeife^éy fire.-soctal, living in flocks throughout^
the grfiater''1p®rtifon' of the.- yèat; ■- and in], sonny- instances*
though, fehéèêdabours gre: distinefi dbfty do. not separate,,jwidely,
even at' the isbipdèc^gïSéfist^ if suitable.- plages for an assemblage
ofrnests can be found in- the same lo c a lity . Mj. Waterton,
thef admirerpprhteetor,; and defender-of th e , Btarlii^f
made vèxi^s ..cavli;iesö.in :the wall of an old' tower,-n.ear his
residencies^ to - indiaeè rthese birds? to remain and breed there,
-4l!ntrary to .their previous ? habit u his. wishes were, gratified"?
every "cavity had -its., pair .of. undisturbed uni" happy tenants,
and.- from the squabbling ib r original Iposspg&ion that occurred,
more would probably have domiciled there -could they havé
found room.
The Starling builds in church steeple^ under eaves, and in
holes of houses-, towers, or ruins ; sometimes- in hollow trees,
and often in cliffs, or high rocks overhanging the sea; occasionally
in pigeon-houses: The nest is made, of straw, roots,
and dry grass ; thé eggs' are four or five in number, of a
uniform delicate pale blue, one,inch two lines in length, by
ten lines in breadth ; these are hatched in. about sixteen, days,