. Britain's birds and their nests . ght on the vexed question of theinheritance of certain migratory habits. The point israther a difficult one to study, because observations aredifficult to obtain. Although the Starling is found to some extentthroughout the year in most districts, the fact that it isa migratory bird is obvious fiom the seasonal variationsin its numbers. In some districts it becomes compara-tively scarce in winter, while in mild regions like thesouth of Ireland its numbers are at that season greatlyaugmented by refugees from the severer weather of otherparts. The British Isles
. Britain's birds and their nests . ght on the vexed question of theinheritance of certain migratory habits. The point israther a difficult one to study, because observations aredifficult to obtain. Although the Starling is found to some extentthroughout the year in most districts, the fact that it isa migratory bird is obvious fiom the seasonal variationsin its numbers. In some districts it becomes compara-tively scarce in winter, while in mild regions like thesouth of Ireland its numbers are at that season greatlyaugmented by refugees from the severer weather of otherparts. The British Isles as a whole, moreover, receivereinforcements from northern Europe on the approach ofthe cold season. A bird marked in Denmark has beenrecovered near Edinburgh. For nesting purposes the Starling usually selects a holeor other sheltered situation, although the nest is notinfrequently placed in a tree open to the sky. The morenormal site is a hole in a tree, in a cliff or bank, orin a wall or building. Chimneys, pipes, and so on, Plate 79. GREENFINCH—Z/V;/;7;///j- cJdoris. Length, 6 in. ; wing, 3-5 in. [Passeres : FringillidEe ; Fringillinse.]2 E 246 BRITAINS BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 247 freely used, and so are suitable nesting-boxes put up forthe purpose. In some bleak regions, where trees andbuildings are alike scarce, the nest may be found in acrevice among stones or in a peat-stack, or may be placedin a rabbit-burrow. The nest itself is a large, untidy mass of dry grass, withor without a slight lining of moss or wool, and usuallycontaining a few feathers. The eggs are four or five or morein number, and in colour are of a characteristic uniformblue of a very pale and delicate tint. The Starling seemsparticularly prone to deposit single eggs in unexpectedplaces. It is quite a common occurrence to find an egglying on the gromid unbroken and not near any other species nesting on human habitations, theStarling is sometimes recorded as laying at unseasonabletimes of
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectbirdsne, bookyear1910
