THE RED-WINGED STARLING. 33 



the wild oat and other grasses, upon the seeds of which they feed with great 

 avidity during the autumnal and winter months. They then associate 

 partially with Reed-birds, Grakles, and Cow-pen Buntings, and are seen 

 to move from the Eastern to the Southern Districts, in such immense and 

 thick flocks as almost to cloud the air. 



The havoc made amongst them is scarcely credible. I have heard that 

 upwards of fifty have been killed at a shot, and am the more inclined to 

 believe such accounts as I have myself shot hundreds in the course of an 

 afternoon, killing from ten to fifteen at every discharge. Whilst travelling 

 in different parts of the Southern States, during the latter part of autumn, I 

 have often seen the fences, trees and fields so strewed with these birds, as to 

 make me believe their number fully equal to that of the falling leaves of the 

 trees in the places traversed by me. 



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. 



Different species of Hawks derive their principal sustenance from them at 

 this season. The Pigeon Hawk is an adept in picking the fattest from their 

 crowded flocks; and while they are in the Southern States, where millions 

 of them spend the winter, the Hen-harriers are seen continually hovering 

 over them, and picking up the stragglers. 



The Marsh Blackbird is easily kept in confinement, and sings there with 

 as much vigour as when at full liberty. It is kept in good order with rice, 

 wheat, or any other small grain. Attempts have been made to induce these 

 birds to breed in confinement, but in as far as I have been able to ascertain, 

 have failed. As an article of food, they are little better than the Starling of 

 Europe, or the Crow Blackbird of the United States, although many are 

 eaten and thought good by the country people, who make pot-pies of them. 



The dispersion of this bird over the whole of the United States, the Fur 

 Countries beyond the limits of the inhabitation of the human species, the 

 great western plains, the Rocky Mountains, and even the shores of the 

 Columbia river, where it was procured by Mr. Townsend, forms a remark- 

 able part of its history. Our surprise becomes greatly increased by the 

 knowledge of its breeding in great numbers in every part of this vast extent. 

 I found the Islands about Galveston Bay most plentifully supplied with it, 

 as well as the grassy margins of the pools and bayous of the mainland, where 



Vol. IV. 5 



