Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 2 (1878).djvu/43

Rh observed that, in the afternoon of the 13th, Rose-coloured Starlings assembled in very great numbers on the fruit trees in the garden of the castle—a signal for a general departure the next day.

A strong incentive to set at nought the law for the protection of these and other birds in the breeding season arose from the fact that the Rose-coloured Starlings were earnestly sought after from every quarter and paid for at the high price of from three to five lire a-piece. Ultimately twelve, fifteen and eighteen lire were asked for a pair—male and female. In this way some speculators made some hundreds of lire by a clandestine trade which it was impossible altogether to stop. Of the young Starlings a real traffic was made, many persons having procured a considerable number. On the arrival of nearly every train at the Villafranca Station children and men stood ready to offer the travellers little cages with one or two Starlings in them, now known under the name of the "famosi Storlini di Villafranca," which the travellers thought themselves only too fortunate to secure.

Some persons thought fit to affirm that the capture of Pastor roseus was necessary for the protection of the fruit, which they said suffered much more injury from the birds than could be counterbalanced by the destruction of the locusts. But the truth of this assertion can be directly denied, as well from the declarations of the country people of Villafranca as from the result of my own observations. I can safely assert that if the Rose-coloured Starlings sometimes ate cherries, the loss of this produce was always in such inconsiderable proportions as to make the statement inconclusive. Greedy enough of fruit, on the other hand, did these poor birds prove when in captivity, and any one could see with what avidity they pounced upon the cherries, figs and pears that were given them, and particularly on mulberries. But one cannot be surprised at this, since they were in want of their chief natural food, locusts and other insects. It is certain that I have always seen them refuse fruit when it was possible to give them insects and chrysalids of silkworms in sufficient quantity.

Having mentioned the Rose-coloured Starlings which were kept prisoners, I may add that they are very easily domesticated, and may be said to have the same habits as the Common Starling, whose vivacity and activity they possess in nearly an equal degree, especially in seeking and contesting their food with their fellow-