THE STARLING.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 22, 29 August 1896, Page 3

THE STARLING.

TO THK EDITOK. Sin, —Owing to the unusual mildness of the season, pre.it numbers of darlings have already chosen their homes. As, however, many are still on the look-out for recesses wherein to build their nests, I must once more draw the attention of the settlers to the fact that our neighbourhood oilers exceptionally few opportunities for a permanent establishment of colonies of these most useful birds. There is very little bush left, and the fruit-trees arc mostly too young to afford shelter to a family of our feathered friends. Among the ornamental and other fees, hollow trunks and branches arc few a"«l far between. Roofs of buildings very rarely oiler sufficient accommodation for the purpose referred to. Vet next to nothing is done on the part of those moat concerned to secure the truly invaluah'e tcrviees of a bitd, which, in a pest-ridden country deserves to be worshipped as an emissary from Heaven. Thanks to the phcnomcnal'knowlcdge of natural history possessed by some of the gentlemen to whom the selection of European species was unfortunately entrusted, we are this day blessed with a host of grain and fruit-eating birds, and a thousand and one other pests, while insectivorous birds, or in fact, useful species of any kind arc conspicuous by their absence. By some inexplicable piece of good luck, at least one eminently useful species, the starling, was included in the black list, and to give him a help ing hand, by starting the young couples in life, should be the duty of all engaged in agricultural pursuits. All the starling reqtiies is a roughly made box (such as any amateur carpenter can put together in a few minutes) with an opening near the upper edge of one of the s : dc?, and a perch below it. Thc-e boxes should be affixed to high trees or houses, well out of reach of cats and bod boys, and in a somewhat open position to prevent the sparrows from appropriating then. The starling is giea'ly attached to its h/mie, and will not forsake a locality unless evicted by main force. During my scientific rambles over a great part of

Europe, I hiul many opportunities for carefully stmlying the relationship between the starling and man. Nowhere did I find finer orchards, fields and meadows, than in those parts of Switzerland, where artificial breeding plao-s are liberally provided for starling!, as well as other insectivorous birds, such ns tom-tits, blue-tits, etc. In a particularly fine orchard every tree of which supported from one to three " starling and tom tit houses,” scarcely a trace of any of the well-known injurious insects could he detected after the most minute search. It is shiccrely to be hoped that in a short time similar nesting boxes will be familiar objects on every farm in Waikato.—l am, etc., Rudolf llakusi.kb.