4- COMMON
STARE.
Description.
Place anb
Manners«
Sturnus vulgaris, Lin.Syß. i. p. 290. N# 1.— Scop. ann. i. N° 189.«—Kram,
El. 362.— Brun. orn. p. 64. N° 229.— Hajfelq. It. p. 287. N° 47.—
Mull. Zool. Dan. p. 28.— Georgi. Reife, i. p. 173.—Frifcb. pl. 217.
L ’Etourneau, Brif. orn. ii. p. 439. N° 1.— Buf, oif.m. p. 176. pl. 15.—
PL enl. 75.
Storno, Olin.uccel. pl. 18.
Stare or Starling, Raii Syn. p. 67. A. 1.—Will, orn. p. 196. t. 37.— Br.
Zool. i. N° lo^.— Albin. i. pl« 40»
Br. Muf. Lev. Muf.
H E Starling is a bird fo well known that it needs only a
Ihort defcription.
The weight of the male is three ounces; that of the female
rather lefs: length eight inches three quarters. Bill brown or
yellow: the whole plumage is black, gloffed with blue, purple,
and copper; each feather marked at the end with a pale yellow
Ipot: the wing coverts are edged with yellow; the quills and tail
dufky, the former edged with yellow, the laft with dirty white:
the less o f a reddifh brown.
This bird appears to be a general inhabitant throughout the
old continent, from Sweden * to the Cape of Good Hope. We may
fuppofe that the general manners agree in all climates; in this
it affefts to build its neft in hollows of rocks, ruinous edifices,
pigeon-houles, hollows of trees, but leldom on the branches,
except in feme cafes, when I have been informed that it has
made ule of an old neft of a Thrufh, or other bird, but moft often
that of the Green Woodpecker; which in turn feizes that of a Starling,
when placed in the hollow of a tree ; for as both thefe birds
* It is alfo met with in Denmark, Norway, and Iceland. ViJxts RuJJia about
the middle of jtpril, and departs in autumn. Decowv. Rnjf. vol. i. p. 102.
really
really make no neft, placing only a mere covering of leaves, and
other dry materials, whereon to lay their eggs, very little ceremony,
further than bare poffeffion, is requifite. The eggs are
greenifh alh-colour, five or fix in number: the young birds are
dufky brown till the firft moult.
Thefe birds, in the winter feafon, are often feen in company
with Redwings and Fieldfares, and frequently in large flocks, confining
only of their own fpecies; when this is the cafe, they may
be known at a great diftance, from their tumultuous and diforderly
method of flight, different from that of any other bird.
The chief food of thefe are infers and worms ; Buffon aflerts
their fondnefs for the Rofe Beetle *: but befides thefe, they are
faid to eat many kinds of grain f , and in fome parts olives,
grapes, and cherries, giving the laft the preference ; they are alfo
accufed of fucking the eggs of the Pigeons in Pigeon-houfes :
hence a general feeder: however I am inclined to think that they
will give animal food the preference, only taking to vegetable
nourifhment in cafes of neceflity; for when kept in cages, they
are contented and pleafed with the feraps of meat of every kind.
L’Etotarneau blanc, Brif orn. ii. p. 444* A.
Sturnus altms, Aldrov. A*u. ii. p. 636.
White Starling, Will. orn. p. 196.
Lev. Muf.
nr*' H I S is wholly white: the bill reddifti: and the legs flelh-
coloured. Two of thefe are in the Leverian Mufeum.
* Scarabeeus auratus. L in . f $ uf oif. l\\. 184.
B 2
1.
V a r . A.
WHITE STARE.
Description«
L’Etour