History of British animals - University of Guam Marine Laboratory

86 BIRDS. PASSERES. Sturnus.dusky. Cheeks, ear-covers, and lower parts of the neck, white. Back andbreast yellowish-brown. Lesser wing-covers black. Greater covers and basalhalf of the quills gamboge-yellow ; the other half black, with a white spotat the tip. Tail black, the six middle feathers tipped with white, the others,with an oval white spot on the outer AVeb.— Nest in shrubs, of lichens and moss,The female less bright in the colours.lined with vegetable down and hair.Eggs 5, bluish-white, with orange spots.—The food of this species consists of theseeds of thistles and similar plants. In whiter it is gregarious, but the flocksare small.The Fringilla Canaria, or Canary, has been long reared in this country.It breeds freely in confinement, and is highly prized for its song ".Gen. XLVII. STURNUS. Starling.— Bill slightly subulate;depressed at the point, with the nostrils partly closedby a prominent rim.109. S. vulgaris. Common Starling.— Plumage black, withpurple reflections, the feathers tipped with triangular whitespots.Will. Orn. 144. Sibb. Scot. 17- Linn. Syst.i.270. Perm. Brit. ZooLi. 299. Temm. Orn. i. 132.— W, Dreydwen, Drydwy. — Generally distributed.Length 8|, breadth 16 inches; weight 3£ ounces. Bill yellow. Feet brown.Irides hazel. Quills and tail dusky, with pale reddish brown margins. Female,has the bill less yellow, and the white spots more numerous.—Nest inthe hole of a tree or wall, of dry grass. Eggs 5, bluish-green. Young, ofa uniform hair-brown colour, constituting the Passer solitarius of AVilloughby,Orn. 140., and the Solitary Thrush — of Montagu. This bird is most numerousnear the coast, and seems to execute irregular migrations. It abounds in theOrkney and Zetland Isles.Gen. XLVIII. GARRULUS. Jay.—Bill lengthened, hooked.Crown feathers long, and capable of erection.110. G. glandarhis.— Black mustaches. Chin, breast, and belly,rump white. The greater wing-coverts barred with blueand black.Pica glandaria, Will. Orn. 38. Sibb. Scot. 15.— Corvus gland. Linn. Syst.i. 156. Penn. Brit. Zool. i. 220. Temm. Orn. i. 114— S, Jay-piet ;W, Screch y coed. ;G. Scriachag choille—In woods, but not numerous.Length 14, breadth 21 h inches ; weight 7 ounces. Bill black. Legs brown.Irides grey. Head white, with black streaks. Nape, back, and shouldersbrownish purple red. Primaries dusky, the outer webs grey. Six of the secondariesblack, the outer webs bluish-white at the base, the two next black.Tail black. Female similar.— Nest in thickets or trees, of sticks, fined withfibrous roots. Eggs 5 or 6, of a pale blue, blotched with brown.— The jayisomnivorous, docile, and possesses strong powers of imitation. Confined towoody districts.Gen. XLIX. PICA. Magpie.— Bill hooked. Tail long &and wedge-shaped.* Those who wish for accurate information respecting the rearing of smallbirds, may consult, with advantage, " A Treatise on British Song-Birds, " byMr Sime, in 1 vol. 8vo. Edin. 1828.