233 

 THE EED-WmGED STAELIXG. 



AGELAIUS PHCENICEUS. 



General plumage black ; bend of the wing red, lesser wing-coverts orange-yellow. 

 Length nine inches. Eggs pale bluish white, spotted and streaked with dark 

 brown. 



The Red- winged Starling, or American Blackbird, is a rare 

 straggler in this country. In the United States, where it 

 congregates in enormous flocks, it commits serious ravages 

 on the corn and rice crops, and in many of its habits 

 resembles its European namesake. 



THE STAELING. 



STURNUS VULGARIS. 



Pluuiage black, with brilliant purple and green reflections, the upper feathers 

 tipped with cream-colour ; under tail-coverts edged with white ; beak yellow ; 

 feet flesh-colour, tinged with brown. Female — spotted below as well as above. 

 Fotf ngr— uniform ash-brown, without spots. Length eight and a half inches ; 

 width fifteen inches. Eggs uniform pale greenish blue. 



The Starling is a citizen of the world. From the l!^orth 

 Cape to the Cape of Good Hope, and from Iceland to 

 Kamtschatka, he is everywhere at home, and too familiar 

 with the dealings of man to come within a dangerous 

 distance of his arm, though he fully avails himself of all 

 the advantages which human civilization offers, having 

 discovered, long ago, that far more grubs and worms are 

 to be procured on a newly-mown meadow than on the 

 bare hill-side, and that the flavour of May-dukes and 

 Coroons immeasurably excels that of the wild cherries in 

 the wood. That dove-cots, holes in waUs, and obsolete 

 water-spouts are convenient resting-places for a nest, 

 appears to be a traditional piece of knowledge, and that 

 where sheep and oxen are kept, there savoury insects 

 abound, is a fact generally known, and improved ou 



