RED- WINGED STARLING. 29 



mere supposition. It is, however, supposition 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 precisely 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 permits 

 himself to lose by it. 



The great range of country frequented by this bird extends 

 from Mexico, on the south, to Labrador. Our late enterpris- 

 ing travellers across the contiuent to the Pacific Ocean, 

 observed it numerous in several of the valleys at a great 

 distance up the Missouri. When taken alive, or reared from 

 the nest, it soon becomes familiar, sings frequently, bristling 

 out its feathers, something 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 female is a single chuck. Instances have 

 been produced where they have been taught to articulate 

 several words distinctly ; and, contrary to what is observed 

 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 

 blackbird, red-winged blackbird, com 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 



