AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



ORDER III. PASSERES. PASSERINE. 



Genus XXXI. STURNUS. STARLING. 



Species. S. PREDATORIUS. 



RED-WINGED STARLING. 



[Plate XXX. Fig. 1, Male.— Fig. 2, Female.] 



Oriolus phoeniceus, Linn. Si/st. 161. — Red-ivinged Oriole, Arct.Zool. 255, No. 140. — 

 Icterus pterophoenicieus, Briss. ii., 97. — Le Commandeur, Buff, hi., 214, PI. Enl. 

 402. — Lath, i., 428. — Acolchichi, Fernand. Nov. Hisp. p. 14. Red-winged 

 Starling, Catesb. p. 13. 



This notorious and celebrated corn-thief, the long-reputed plunderer 

 and pest of our honest and laborious farmers, now presents himself 

 before us, with his copartner in iniquity,* to receive the character due 

 for their very active and distinguished services. In investigating the 

 nature of these, I shall endeavor to render strict historical justice to 

 this noted pair ; adhering to the honest injunctions of the poet, 



" Nothing extenuate, 

 Nor set down aught in malice." 



Let the reader divest himself equally of prejudice, and we shall be at 

 no loss to ascertain accurately their true character. 



The Red-winged Starlings, though generally migratory in the states 

 north of Maryland, are found during winter in immense flocks, some- 

 times associated with the Purple Grakles, and often by themselves, along 

 the whole lower parts of Virginia, both Carolinas, Georgia, and Loui- 

 siana, particularly near the sea-coast, and in the vicinity of large rice 

 and corn fields. In the months of January and February, while passing 

 through the former of these countries, I was frequently entertained with 



* Wilson here alludes to the Pileated Woodpecker, which in the original edition 

 precedes the Red-winged Starling. 



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