THREE ESSEX DIGHTONS 123
in the nature of a dust bath. The nest was loosely constructed
so that the Starlings quickly sank up to their thighs and then
kicked the ants in all directions with their feet, after the manner
of a scratching fowl. The head was then dipped vigorously
into the ants which were then scooped under the wings first to
one side and then the other. The Starlings took no notice of
visitors unless they approached nearer than five yards and on
each of the occasions when he saw the performance he was one
of a small crowd of mystified spectators. I conclude these
descriptions with one of another species—the Magpie. Mr. E.
Reynolds (British Birds, vol. 39, p. 313) describes his experiences
with a group of 24 to 30 Magpies in Co. Wicklow in July, 1945.
The party of Magpies flew every evening to a lawn where they
fed and squabbled. One or two generally hopped up some
steps, where they seemed to be busy. One evening before the
arrival of the birds the steps were examined and found to be
swarming with ants. That evening two birds came near enough
to be seen distinctly; they collected the ants in their beaks and,
raising their wings, tail and breast feathers, etc., wiped the ants
under the feathers until they were well covered. Other species
which have been recorded as anting in Britain are Blackbird,
Song-Thrush and Jay (captive) but none so often as the Starling.
Anting has been observed in at least five counties—Essex, Kent,
Middlesex, Hampshire and Wicklow.
The examples of anting which I have quoted demonstrate that
the habit affects birds over widely separated areas of the world.
This would support A. H. Chisholm's view that it is a deep-seated
practice which has escaped the attention of early ornithologists.
The same author, writing in 1943, stated that the habit had been
observed in nearly 50 species, some wild but more in aviaries.
The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), whether in its native
haunts or in countries of introduction on the other side of the
earth, seems to be specially prone to the habit.
THREE ESSEX DIGHTONS
BY C. HALL CROUCH, F.S.G.
[Read October 30th, 1948]
I SHOW today three Dighton cartoons. The persons represented
all lived in Essex and in their time were prominent City men.
The cartoons are the work of Richard Dighton, son of Robert
Dighton, a celebrated portrait-painter, caricaturist and etcher,
bora 1752, died 1814. The caricatures of the two Dightons may
be distinguished by the fact that the father signed his works