Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 15, NIC-PAR

i '-.seres.
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is common in Yorkshire. It is a solitary bird, and
builds in woods and thickets.
Calandrc lark.—Outermost tail feathers totally white
without, second and third tipt with white ; pectoral
band brown. Seven inches and a quarter long. Inha¬
bits Italy and Russia. Builds on the ground. Sings
sweetly, and imitates the notes of other birds.
Gen. 77. Sturnus, Stare, or Starling.
Bill subulate, angular, depressed, somewhat blunt j the
upper mandible entire, and somewhat open at the
edges j nostrils surrounded with a prominent rim j.
tongue notched and pointed.
Common stare or starling.—Bill yellowish ; body
black, with white dots ; quill feathers and tail dusky ;
the former edged with yellow on the outer side, the lat¬
ter with dirty green j lesser coverts edged with yellow,
and slightly glossed with green j legs reddish-brown.
Male shining with purple, green, and gold. There are
several varieties. Weight about three ounces j length
eight inches and three quarters. Found in almost every
part of the old continent. It breeds in the hollows of
trees or rocks, among rubbish, or in old towers, and
sometimes appropriates the nest of another bird. My¬
riads of this species breed among the rocks in the Ork¬
ney islands, and in the winter feed on the cancerpulex.
Their general food is insects, earth-worms, seeds, berries,
&c. They migrate in flocks, and are very noisy. In
confinement it may be taught to mimic various sounds,
and even to speak. So attached are they to society,
that they not only join those of their own species, but
also birds of a different kind ; and are frequently seen
in company with redwings, held fares, and even with
pigeons, jackdaws, and owls. They chatter much in
the evening and morning, both when they assemble and.
disperse.
Water-ou%el, or crake.—Black ; breast white y chin
white $ tail black y belly ferruginous y legs pale blue
before, black behind. Length seven inches and a half.
Inhabits Europe and northern Persia.. Is shy and soli¬
tary, and rarely to be seen, except on the banks of ri¬
vers, and streams of water. It is not unfrequent in the
mountainous parts of Scotland and Wales, and in some
districts in Devonshire. In these places it breeds, and
continues the whole year. The nest is very large, formed
externally of moss and water plants, and lined with dry
oak leaves, resembling that of the wren, with a dome or
covering. It is usually placed in some mossy bank, im¬
pending on the water, and contains five or six eggs of
a transparent white. “ A pair of these bixals, says Mr
Montagu, which had for many years built under a small.
wooden bridge in Caermarthenshire, we found had made
a nest early in May. It was taken, but had no eggs,
although the bird flew out of it at the time. In a fort¬
night after they had completed another nest in the same
place, containing five eggs, which was taken y and in a
month after we took a third nest under the same bridge
with four eggs} undoubtedly the work of the same
birds, as no others were seen about that part. At the
time the last was taken, the female xvas sitting, and the
instant she quitted her nest, plunged into the water, and
disappeared for a considerable time; at last she emerged
at a great distance down the stream. At another time
we found a nest of this bird in a steep projecting bank passeres.
over a rivulet clothed with moss. The nest was so well J
adapted to the surrounding materials, that nothing but
the old bird flying in with a fish in its bill would have
led to a discovery. The young were nearly full fea¬
thered, but incapable of flight, and the moment the nest
was disturbed, they fluttered out and dropt into the wa¬
ter, and to our astonishment, instantly vanished ; but in
a little time made their appearance at some distance
down the stream ; and it was with difficulty two out of
five were taken, as they dived on being approached.—
The aquatic habits of this bird have not escaped the no¬
tice of ornithologists, some of whom speak of their
flying under water. If, indeed, the wings being in
motion can be called flying, in certainly does ; but
this is no more than is common to all diving birds,
which, in pursuit of fish, or to escape danger, always
use their wings to accelerate their motion. In this case,
however, the wings are not extended, for that would
retard their progress ; but it is effected by short jerks
from the shoulder joint. Whether these birds can run
at the bottom of the water, as some have asserted, is
much to be doubted, as it is requisite all birds should
use a considerable exertion to keep them under water,
by reason of their specific gravity being so much less-
It is certainly a most curious and singular circumstance,
that a bird, not apparently in the least formed for di¬
ving, should pursue its prey under water, living chiefly
on small fish and aquatic insects. It cannot, however,
swim on the surface.”
Green stare.—Green above ; bluish beneath ; a tuft Viridis.
of black and white feathers on the front and chin. In¬
habits China.
JFat tied Stare.—Bill and legs black ; a pendent Cm-uncuta-
orarjge wattle at each angle of the mouth. Male black, *«s*
with the back and wing-coverts ferruginous. Female '
rusty-brown, with very small wattles. Ten inches long.
Inhabits New Zealand. '
Collared stare.—Blackish brown, spotted with brown; Collar is,
flanks rufous ; chin white, spotted with brown. Size
of the fieldfare. Inhabits Switzerland and Italy. Is
solitary, wags its tail,, feeds on seeds, sings with a very
we.ak voice, and builds in the ground, or in clefts of
rocks.
Gen. 78. Turdus, Thrush* Tukdus.
• • • 736
Bill somewhat straight ; upper mandible a little bending charaitcr^
and notched near the point; nostrils naked or half
covered with a small membrane; mouth ciliated,
with a few bristles at the corners ; tongue jagged.
Most of the numerous species of this genus feed on r
berries, especially those of the juniper; and many of
them are excellent songsters.
Missel thrush.—Back brown ; neck spotted with Viscivorur,
white ; bill yellowish ; body whitish-yellow beneath,
with spots brown on the chin and white beneath; quill
and tail feathers brown, with paler edges ; the three
outermost tipt with white ; legs yellow; claws black.
Weight near five ounces ; length 11 inches. Inhabits
the woods of Europe. It is by no means plentiful in
Britain, and appears to be less so in winter. It begins
to sing in January if the weather is mild, but ceases as
soon as the thermometer sinks below 40 degrees. A
bout