286 RED-WINGED STARLING. 
the Orioles. By-a careful comparison, however, of its bill. wth those 
of that tribe, the similarity is by no means sufficient to justify this 
arrangement ; and its manners are altogether different. -] can find no 
genus to which it makes so near an approach, both in the structure of 
the bill, and in food, flight, and manners, ‘as those of the Stare; with 
which, following my judicious friend Mr. Bartram, I have accordingly 
placed. it: To the European, the perusal of the foregoing pages will 
be sufficient to satisfy him of their. similarity of manners. For. the 
satisfaction of those who are unacquainted with the Common Starling 
of Europe, I shall select a few sketches of its character, from the 
latest and most accurate publication I have seen from that quarter.* 
Speaking of the Stare, or Starling, this writer observes, — “In the winter 
season, these birds fly in vast flocks, and may be’ known at a great 
distance by their whirling mode of flight, which Buffon compares to a 
sort of vortex, in which the collective body performs a uniform cir- 
cular revolution, and, at the same time, continues.to make a progres- 
sive advance. 'The evening is the, time when the Stares assemble in 
the greatest numbers, and betake themselves to the fens and marshes, 
where they roost among the. reeds: they chatter much in the evening 
and morning, both when they assemble and disperse. So.attached are 
they to society, that they not only join those of their own species, but 
also birds of a different kind; and are frequently seen in company 
with Red-Wings, (a species of Thrush,) Fieldfares, and even with 
Crows, Jackdaws, and Pigeons. Their principal food consists of 
worms, snails, and caterpillars; they likewise eat various kinds of 
grain, seeds, and berries.” He adds, that, “in a confined state, they 
are very docile, and may easily be taught to repeat short phrases, or 
whistle tunes with great exactness.” 
The Red-winged Starling (Fig. 186) is nine inches long, and four- 
teen inches in extent; the general color is a glossy black, with the 
‘exception of the whole lesser wing-coverts, the first or lower row of 
which is of a reddish cream color, the rest a rich and splendid ‘scarlet ; 
_legs and bill, glossy brownish black; irides, hazel; bill, cylindrical 
above, compressed at the sides, straight, running considerably up the 
forehead, where it is prominent, rounding and flattish towards the'tip, 
though sharp-pointed ; tongue, nearly as long as the bill, tapering, and 
lacerated at the end; tail, rounded, the two middle feathers also some- 
what shorter than those immediately adjoining. 
The female (Fig. 137). is seven inches and a quarter in length, and 
twelve inches in extent ; chin, a pale reddish cream ; from.the nostril. 
over the eye, and from the lower mandible, run. two stripes of the 
same, speckled with black ; from the posterior angle of the eye back- 
wards, a streak of brownish ‘black covers the auriculars; throat, and 
whole lower parts, thickly streaked with black and white, the latter 
inclining to cream on the breast; whole plumage above, black, each 
feather bordered with pale brown, white, or bay, giving the bird a very 
mottled appearance ; lesser coverts, the same; bill and legs as in the 
male.. Aan 
’ The young birds at first greatly resemble the female; but have the 
plumage more broadly skirted with brows The red early, shows 
* Brwick’s British Birds, part i. p. 119. Newcastle, 1809 
