A BINGED STARLING.
How widespread is the habit of ringing birds for the sake of discovering their migrations we know by an increasing number of examples ; but the flourish can be put on the study only by those who find the ringed birds. For example : farmer near Colchester, distressed to find his sprouting wheat much destroyed by starlings, shot a certain number. On the leg of one of them was an aluminium ring bearing the legend " Rossitten Germania 53848." The ring is being sent to the ringers and we shall know precisely when, and where the bird was ringed in Germany. But we also want to know whether the starling is of the Continental or English variety, for the two differ (as woodcock are alleged to vary) ; and it needs an expert to be sure of the difference. Finders of ringed birds would aid science by preserving the bird as well as reporting the ring.
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