Family Sturnide
STARLINGS.
An Old-World family containing some two hundred species. It is represented in America only by the Starling, which has been recently introduced. 493. Sturnus vulgaris Linn. STARLING. (See Fig. 45.) Ad., summer plumage. Metallic purplish or greenish; feathers of the upper parts all tipped with cream-buff spots, feathers of the under parts marked only on the sides; lower belly and under tail-coverts, wings, and tail dark brownish gray, edged with cream-buff; bill yellow. Ad., winter plumage.-Similar, but the upper parts heavily spotted with brownish cream-buff; the entire under parts heavily spotted with white; bill blackish brown. L., 8.50; W., 5·10; T., 2.50.