RED- WINGED STARLING. 91 



extent of the richest and best cultivated country on earth. All 

 this, it may be said, is mere supposition. It is, however, sup- 

 position founded on known and acknowledged facts. I have 

 never dissected any of these birds in spring without receiving 

 the most striking and satisfactory proofs of those facts; and 

 though in a matter of this kind it is impossible to ascertain pre- 

 cisely the amount of the benefits derived by agriculture from 

 this and many other species of our birds; yet in the present case 

 I cannot resist the belief, that the services of this species, in 

 spring, are far more important and beneficial than the value of 

 all that portion of corn which a careful and active farmer per- 

 mits himself to lose by it. 



The great range of country frequented by this bird extends 

 from Mexico on the south, to Labrador. Our late enterprising 

 travellers across the continent to the Pacific ocean observed it 

 numerous in several of the vallies at a great distance up the Mis- 

 souri. When taken alive, or reared from the nest, it soon be- 

 comes familiar, sings frequently, bristling out its feathers some- 

 thing in the manner of the Cow Bunting. These notes, though 

 not remarkably various, are very peculiar. The most common 

 one resembles the syllables conk-quer ree; others the shrill 

 sounds produced by filing a saw; some are more guttural; and 

 others remarkably clear. The usual note of both male and fe- 

 male is a single chuck. Instances have been produced where 

 they have been taught to articulate several words distinctly; 

 and contrary to that of many birds the male loses little of the 

 brilliancy of his plumage by confinement. 



A very remarkable trait of this bird is the great difference 

 of size between the male and female; the former being nearly 

 two inches longer than the latter, and of proportionate magni- 

 tude. They are known by various names in the different states 

 of the union; such as the Swamp Blackbird, Marsh Black- 

 bird, Red-winged Blackbird, Corn or Maize thief. Starling, 

 &c. Many of them have been carried from this to different parts 

 of Europe, and Edwards relates that one of them, which had no 

 doubt escaped from a cage, was shot in the neighborhood of 



