42 STURNIDJS. 



in Mexico, frequenting swampy places, and roosting at night 

 among the reeds. It begins to enter Pennsylvania towards 

 the end of March, but seldom reaches the Saskatchewan 

 before the beginning of May, and it does not pass beyond 

 the fifty-seventh parallel. On its first arrival in the fur- 

 countries it feeds on grubs ; but as soon as the grain sown 

 in the vicinity of the trading posts begins to germinate, it 

 associates itself with the Saffron-headed Maize-birds and 

 Boat-tails, and is occupied the whole day in tearing up 

 and devouring the sprouting plants, returning to the work 

 of devastation as often as driven away. It breeds in 

 swampy places, in Pennsylvania in the beginning of May, 

 and on the Saskatchewan about the twentieth of June. 

 Its eggs are of a pale bluish white, with a circle of spots 

 and streaks of dark liver-brown round the thick end, one 

 or two scattered spots of the same colour, and some faint 

 blotches of purplish grey." 



Some of the habits of this American bird being observed 

 to resemble some of those of our well-known Starling, next 

 to be described, obtained for it the name of Red-winged 

 Starling, in illustration of which, Mr. Audubon, in his 

 work on the Birds of America, in seven volumes, royal 8vo., 

 says, " Towards evening they alight in the marshes by 

 millions, in compact bodies, settle on the reeds and rushes 

 close above the water, and remain during the night, unless 

 disturbed by the gunners. When this happens, they rise 

 all of a sudden, and perform various evolutions in the air, 

 now gliding low over the rushes, and again wheeling high 

 above them, preserving silence for awhile, but finally diving 

 suddenly to the spot formerly chosen, and commencing a 

 general chuckling noise, after which they remain quiet 

 during the rest of the night." 



The Yarmouth specimen, a male, has the bill shining 

 black ; the irides dark brown ; the head, neck, scapulars, 



