59 



«i» — 



EED-WING STARLING. 



Siumus Vulgaris. 



Description. Length, eight inches. The male, 

 when two years old, is black all over, with the exception 

 of the wing coverts (shoulders), which are yellow and 

 red. When young, the black is mingled with small 

 brown spots, and. less on the coverts. The female re- 

 sembles the young male bird, but no red at all. 



This bird, a native of this country, arrives here early 

 in the spring ; breeds here, and returns for the winter, 

 back South, 



Their song is of little variety, being a succession of 

 chattering notes, but when assembled together in large 

 flocks, as we have often seen them, filling the branches 

 of a large tree, and all joining together with their notes, 

 form a concert not less to be admired by the lovers of 

 nature, than one performed by a band of amateurs. 



In the wild state this bird lives on berries, insects, 

 &c., as well as on seeds. We have fed them in cages 

 on canary and hemp seed, and observed them to do 

 very well, another time we have kept them on the paste 

 No. 2, as prescribed under 'head General Remarks. 

 They require a large-sized cage, and a frequent bath. 



