STURNLIS, Lin. Ste. STARLING.
Bill of a middle size, straight, in the form of a lengtIr ened cone, depressed, slightly obtuse, base of the upper mandible projeCting on the forehead, the point much de pressed, and without a notch ; nostrils basal, lateral, half concealed by an arched membrane ; wings long, the first quill merely visible, the second and third the longest. Many birds used to be arranged under this designation, though destitute of the bill and the manners of genuine starlings, whilst other American species, whose legitima cy cannot be questioned, have been classed along with other families.
Starlings feed principally on insects; nestle in the holes of trees, under the tiles of roofs, and in the holes of walls. Like many of the omnivorous order, they consort and tra vel in large flocks. They frequently attend on cattle, and pick up their food in meadows and gardens. The males and females differ little in general aspect ; but the young of the first year are very dissimilar to the mature birds; whilst, even in these last, the double and periodical change of colour in the beak and legs, and in the tints and decora tions of the plumage, is superinduced without the aid of a second moulting, the habit of friction, and the influence of the air and light, apparently obliterating the ends of the webs of the feathers, and the numerous spots which are so conspicuous in autumn. They are found in every quar ter of the globe.
S. vulgaris, Lin. &c. S. varius, Meyer. Common Starling or Stare. Prov. Chefs Starling, or Chepster. Bill yellowish; body shining brassy black, spotted with white. The sexes nearly resemble each other, but the male is the heaviest of the two, weighing about three ounces, the length of the body being eight inches and three quarters, and the extent of wing fourteen inches. As the males only are susceptible of education, the bird catchers recognise them by a minute blackish spot under the tongue. Among the numerous varieties to which this species is subject, we may mention that of a white cast, with reddish legs and bill, between which and the com mon appearance it. is found in different stages. In some the ground is cream-coloured, spotted with pure white ; and in others, the upper parts are of a rufous-ash, inclin ing to yellow, and the breast slightly spotted. The young differ so materially from the old birds, and so much resem ble the female of the solitary thrush, that the late Colonel Montagu, with all his acuteness of discrimination, has de scribed one of them as such.
The stare occurs abundantly in the old continent, from Norway to very southern latitudes. A few remain all the winter in Norway, in the fissures of a rocky isle near Stavanger, and come forth to bask in the sunny days. Vast flocks of them are met with in all parts of Russia and western Siberia ; but they are very scarce beyond the Jenisei. From the very northern countries, their pas sage has been traced to Poland, the Crimea, the Ukraine, and back again by the same route, or through Lithuania. Of those which breed in the south of Europe, many win ter in Egypt. In many parts of this country, they are stationary ; but from others they migrate in large flights, after the breeding season. During very severe winters, they have also been observed to retire westward, into De vonshire and Cornwall, and to return eastward with the breaking up of the frost. In the early days of spring, when the pairing commences, the males fight fiercely for their mates, and the latter submit to the conquerors. They breed in the hollows of trees, or rocks, among rubbish, in old towers, under the eaves of houses, dovecots, &c. and not unfrequently in the deserted nest of a bird of some other species ; as, for example, of the woodpecker, which sometimes returns the compliment. The nest is artless ly made up of straw, coarse hay, leaves, feathers, &c. in which the female drops from four to seven eggs, of a pale greenish ash. The male participates with her the cares of incubation, which lasts eighteen or twenty days; and the young do not quit the nest till they are very com pletely fledged. In our temperate climates, starlings breed only twice in the year. Linne mentions that a lame one had been observed, for eight successive summers, to nestle in the hollow of the same alder tree, though it re gularly left the country in winter. The young do not ac quire their permanent colours during the first year, but are of a dusty brown, and might be readily mistaken for thrushes, or black-birds. Their general food consists of insects and their larva;, snails, earthworms, the cancer nu lex, grains, seeds, berries, grapes, cherries, &c. By some they are accused of preying on the eggs of pigeons ; and, in a state of confinement, they will eat meat of almost any kind. Fifty-seven individuals of this species were once killed at a single shot, near Kirkwall, where they are as common as sparrows elsewhere, and flocks of them perch on every wall and chimney top.