66 THE ARCHITECTURE OF BIRDS. 



straws, hay, pieces of wool, and tow ; and, lastly, a 

 thick layer of fine fibrous roots, of a light brown 

 colour, lines the whole. The eggs are four, some- 

 times five, of a cinereous blue, marked with large 

 blotches of brown. The female sits fourteen days ; 

 and generally produces two broods in the season, 

 unless robbed of her eggs, in which case she will 

 even build and lay the third time. Attempts have 

 been made to induce these charming birds to pair, 

 and rear their young in a state of confinement, and 

 the result has been such as to prove it, by proper 

 management, perfectly practicable. " 



The red- winged starling (Sturnus pradatorius, 

 WILSON, Agelaus phosniceus of modern naturalists) 

 is not only remarkable for his basket-work, but also 

 for the variety with which his nest is, according to 

 circumstances, constructed, furnishing one of the 

 best instances with which we are acquainted, of the 

 adaptation of means to ends. " About the 20th of 

 March," says Wilson, " or earlier, if the season be 

 open, they begin to enter Pennsylvania in numerous, 

 though small parties. These migrating flocks are 

 usually observed from daybreak to eight or nine in 

 the morning, passing to the north, chattering to each 

 other as they fly along ; and, in spite of all our antip- 

 athy, their well-known notes and appearance, after 

 the long and dreary solitude of winter, inspire cheer- 

 ful and pleasing ideas of returning spring, warmth, 

 and verdure. Selecting their old haunts, every 

 meadow is soon enlivened by their presence. They 

 continue in small parties to frequent the low bor- 

 ders of creeks, swamps, and ponds, till about the 

 middle of April, when they separate in pairs to 

 breed ; and about the last week in April or the first 

 in May, begin to construct their nests. The place 

 chosen for this is generally within the precincts of a 

 marsh or swamp, meadow, or other like watery sit- 

 uation. The spot usually a thicket of alder bushes, 

 at the height of six or seven feet from the ground ; 



