RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. 1 01 



the Starling, familiar with those who feed him, and repaying 

 the attention he receives, by singing his monotonous ditty 

 pretty freely, consisting, as we have already remarked, of vari- 

 ous odd, grating, shrill, guttural, and sometimes warbling tones, 

 which become at length somewhat agreeable to the ear; and 

 instances are said to have occurred of their acquiring the power 

 of articulating several words pretty distinctly. 



The flesh of this bird is but little esteemed except when 

 young, being dark and tough like that of the Starling ; yet in 

 some of the markets of the United States they are at times 

 exposed for sale. 



The Red-wing is a common summer visitor to the Eastern States 

 and Canada, breeding as far north as latitude 50°. In the West it 

 ranges through the Saskatchewan valley to Great Slave Lake. It 

 winters south to Mexico ; but a few individuals have been known to 

 brave a New England winter. During the winter of 1889-90, a 

 male was seen about the Fresh Pond marshes by several members 

 of the Nuttall Club of Cambridge, and since that time several of 

 these birds have been found there every winter. 



Note. — The Bahaman Red-wing (A. phoeiiicus bryanti), a 

 smaller, darker race, is found on the Bahama Islands and in south- 

 ern Florida. 



