. British birds. Birds. OTES. SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE FLOCKINGS OF STARLINGS. Thirty years ago, as far as my observations went, the flocks of Starlings [Sturnus v. vulgaris) split up into breeding pairs in March and the end of the breeding season was duly recorded in my note books, late in June or early in July, by the entry, " Starlings in ; For some years past I have been puzzled at coming across Starlings in flocks during April, May and June. Last autumn and during the winter months a large flock, which increased towards the end of March, 1922, to probably four or five tho
. British birds. Birds. OTES. SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE FLOCKINGS OF STARLINGS. Thirty years ago, as far as my observations went, the flocks of Starlings [Sturnus v. vulgaris) split up into breeding pairs in March and the end of the breeding season was duly recorded in my note books, late in June or early in July, by the entry, " Starlings in ; For some years past I have been puzzled at coming across Starlings in flocks during April, May and June. Last autumn and during the winter months a large flock, which increased towards the end of March, 1922, to probably four or five thousand birds, has roosted nightly in the shrubberies and trees at Rose Castle, Cumberland, the residence of the Bishop of Carlisle. The birds arrived at the roost each evening, about an hour before sunset, in flocks and parties varying in size from two or three hundred to a dozen or two, and many of them apparently came some distance. Though much fewer in numbers, probably not more than 3,000, thej^ continued to spend the night there during April, May and June, and at the same time that pairs of birds were busy nesting all around. On 1st June I sent nine birds, shot from the flock, to Mr. H. F. Wither by and his report is :— No. I. (J Adult by plumage ; feathers long, pointed and with very few and very small buff tips ; testes fairly large, 7X7 mm. diameter. So far as I can see undoubtedly an adult in breeding condition. Nos 2 and 3(^ (J like No. I Testes lox 8, 13X 10. No. 4 S Testes very small (5X 3), and dark, not in a breeding condi- tion ; feathers considerably shorter and less finely pointed than Nos I, 2 and 3 and with a good many buff tips. No doubt a bird of last year. Nos. 5, 6, 7. (^ <S S like No. 4 but testes smaller, 5X 2, 3J-X , 4X 2. No. 8. 9 Ovary very small, oviduct straight, not bulged at all and apparently never used ; feathers not sharply pointed, undoubtedly a bird of last year that has never bred. No. 9. ? As No. 8, but ovary slightly larger and ova
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