ECCENTRIC STARLINGS.
On the subject of the strange habits of starlings, here is a strange story from a Sussex observer. In a cottage garden a starling was watched at the altruistic work of feeding a family of young missel thrushes. For a whole week—from May 22nd to 29th—the true parents watched without protest, perhaps—who shall say ?—with gratitude. So encouraged, the starling went a step further and began to brood the young ; but this was more than the true mother could endure. She uttered a shriek of rage—a feat at which the species excels—and " went for that heathen Chinee." The two fell to the ground before the missel thrush let go. As
soon as released the starling flew straight back to the nest and then at once was off again in search of food as before. It is a strange tale ; but the difficulty of finding nesting
sites has bred strange habits into the starling. It is not a far flight from feeding strange nestlings to the cuckoo habit of using another's nests for your eggs. * * * *
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