BOAT-TAILS. 175 



appears to be generally distributed over the whole of the eastern hemisphere. 

 in the autumn, the starlings collect in large flocks, consisting of old and 

 young birds, which wander about in search of food, and roost together at night. 

 Sometimes many of these (locks select some mass of trees as a common 

 roosting-place, to which they come night after night in thousands. Their 

 food consists of worms, insects, slugs, and snails, together with berries and 

 seeds, the latter especially during the autumn and winter. In pursuit of in- 

 sects and worms, they may be constantly seen in parties upon meadows and 

 lawns, sometimes in company with rooks and other birds : when thus engaged, 

 they do not hop, but run, moving their feet alternately. 



They alight in open pastures abruptly, without preparatory reconnoitring, 

 and immediately disperse, running nimbly along in search of mollusca, worms, 

 and other objects. On discovering traces of a subterranean larva or worm, 

 they dig for it with great dexterity, in the same manner as the thrushes and 

 the crows. During their search they are seldom silent, some individuals com- 

 monly keeping up a chattering noise and occasionally uttering a low scream ; 

 this scream prolonged and heightened is the intimation of alarm, and when 

 heard from one or more of the flock, they immediately cease their search, look 

 up, and if they judge it necessary, fly off with speed to a considerable dis- 

 tance. 



Snb-Fauiily V. 

 THE BOAT-TAILS. QUISCALIN.E. 



General CHARACTErasTics. — Bill lengthened, with the culmen straight and slightly 

 curved at the tip ; the nostrils basal, lateral, and placed in a triangular groove ; 

 wings moderate and pointed ; tail lengthened and graduated, with the sides gene- 

 rally curved upwards ; the tarsi and toes strong and much scutellated, the hind toe 

 long, and armed with a strong curved claw. 



These birds are migratory between the North and the more 

 temperate parts of the American continent, according to the 

 change of seasons. In winter they assemble in considerable num- 

 bers, that entirely ov^errun the warmer south-eastern maritime 

 regions, and are very destructive. In the spring they are usually 

 seen flying about the swamps and meadows, or following in the 

 furrows after the plough. At this season they are ver}^ useful to 

 the husbandman, as they destroy a prodigious number of worms, 

 grubs, and caterpillars ; on the other hand, they commit great 

 depredations on the maize or Indian corn as soon as it appears 

 above the ground, feeding on the sweet and sprouting stem, and 

 scattering the leaves around as an evidence of their mischievous 

 mode of life. This plant is again attacked when the grain is in 

 the milky state to such an extent that one-fourth of the crop i^ 

 supposed to be devoured by these hungry marauders. Previously 



