Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/459

Rh even then two broods will be reared. When a nest and eggs are destroyed, it takes but ten days before another nest is built, and five more eggs are deposited. The number of young reared would not average much beyond three to a brood.— (Clent, Worcestershire).

Nesting of the Starling (Sturnus vulgaris).—March 29th. Starling clearing out some of the old materials from last year's nesting-site. April 28th. Two eggs in nest. April 30th, 6.30 p.m. Four eggs; old bird within the nest, and eggs seemed slightly warm, but possibly she had not actually started incubation, as many birds nesting in holes roost on the side of the nest at night. May 1st. Sitting on five eggs. May 11th, 6.30 p.m. Five eggs still in nest. May 12th, 7.30 p.m. Four young hatched; other egg infertile. May 25th. Feeding young seems to average about fifteen times to the hour, and this I think almost regularly throughout the day of some fourteen hours' duration; at least, whenever I was watching, the old birds never seemed to cease their labours. Being able to conceal myself close to the nest, I gained the full advantage of watching the young being fed within a foot of me. The food (which at this period seemed to consist almost entirely of a large white larva, but, owing to the rapidity with which the food was given, it was impossible to identify it), when brought to the nest, was given to whichever young one clamoured most, and held a foremost position at the entrance to nest, the one frequently taking several feeds in succession, until pushed aside by another which by now had become still more eager in its hunger. Almost invariably after the food had been taken the old bird would wait a moment to allow of that particular young one turning round and voiding any excrement; if this failed, then a rapid search of the nest, and other excrement, if any, removed; in the brief meantime the old bird probably having undergone a severe course of pecking from the insatiable and impatient young. June 1st. All the young left nest. June 11th. The old ones again back at nest, but no further indication of a second brood took place. Reckoning from May 1st, the incubation lasted eleven days; but if such commenced on the evening of April 30th, and the last was the infertile egg, then incubation in this instance covered twelve days, and the young remained in the nest twenty days.

Particulars of another pair slightly vary:—May 6th, 7 p.m. Three eggs; old bird flew from nest. May 7th, 8 a.m. Three eggs in nest and cold; 7 p.m., four eggs and bird within nest. May 12th. Probably owing to my too frequent visits, the eggs had previously been forsaken, and this day I find the birds have removed them from the nest. May 12th. A Starling's egg placed by myself within the nest was also removed. May 18th, 7 p.m. Another three eggs in nest. May 19th, 10 a.m. Four eggs; bird flew out of nest, the eggs being warm. May 30th, 7.30 p.m. Four eggs remain in nest. May 31st, 8 a.m. One young and three eggs; 7 p.m., three young Zool. 4th ser. vol. IV., September, 1900.