Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/161

Rh Ludlow.—Moor Park. In a small plantation the birds roost in tens of thousands.—J. Palmer.

Wooferton.—In an immense hawthorn hedge twenty to thirty feet high.—J. Palmer.

Many interesting details have been furnished by the various observers, but want of space prevents our giving anything beyond a summary.

In the great majority of cases the roosts have been occupied by the Starlings regularly for upwards of twenty years. In only a few cases have the established roosts been deserted, and then probably the birds have only gone to a neighbouring roost. In no instance has an entirely new roosting-place been started. It will be noticed that the roosts are of three classes—(1) on reeds, (2) on trees or underwoods, (3) on osiers. We shall see later on that the nature of the roost has an important bearing on the duration of its occupancy by the Starlings. Lastly, it will be seen by a reference to a map that the distance between one roost and another varies from less than two miles to about thirteen miles. There are considerable tracts of country from which no reports have been sent in, and it would be safe to assume that there are a few roosts in these districts which are not recorded in the above list. On this ground the average distance of the roosts from one another can scarcely exceed eight miles.

Before quitting this part of the subject a few details may be given regarding some of the roosts.

Mr. W.H. Parry resides at Shawbury, close to the Moreton Corbet roost. He says that there is an enormous pear tree in his orchard, used by the Starlings as an outpost. They alight on it in great masses, so that it quite bends beneath their weight, and, upon their quitting it, the tree rebounds with such force that it continues to oscillate for some time. This and a few other trees in the surrounding fields are only used as outposts; the birds do not roost there, but in the coppice farther on. When alighting on the pear tree the birds generally make a loud chatter, but not always—sometimes there is no noise but the rushing sound of their wings. The ground and hazel underwood in the coppice are covered with the birds' droppings, and the fetid odour arising from these and the massed birds is perceptible at a considerable