46 



RED-HEADED DUCK. 



whose food being nearly the same, would swell the amount of ver- 

 min destroyed to twelve thousand millions. But the number of 

 young birds may be fairly estimated at double that of their parents ; 

 and, as these are constantly fed on larvae for at least three weeks, 

 making only the same allowance for them as for the old ones, their 

 share would amount to four thousand two hundred millions of nox- 

 ious insects destroyed in the space of four months by this single 

 species ! The combined ravages of such a hideous host of vermin 

 would be sufficient to spread famine and desolation over a wide 

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

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

 tion founded on known and acknowledged facts. I have never 

 dissected one 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 can not 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 enterprising travel- 

 ers across the continent to the Pacific ocean, observed it in great 

 numbers in several of the valleys, at a great distance up the Mis- 

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

 familiar, and sings frequently, bristling out its feathers, something in 

 the manner of the Cow Bunting. Their notes, though not remark- 

 ably various, are very peculiar. The most common one resembles 

 the syllables conk-querrle ; 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. In- 

 stances have been produced where they have been taught to articu- 

 late 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 mag- 

 nitude. The}' are known by various names in the different States 

 of the Union ; such as the Swamp Blackbird, Marsh Blackbird, 

 Red-winged Blackbird, Corn or Maize Thief, Starling, etc. 

 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 Lon- 

 don ; and, on being opened, its stomach was found to be filled with 

 grub-worms, caterpillars, and beetles, which Buffon seems to won- 

 der at, as in their own country, he observes, they feed exclusively 

 on grain and maize. — Wilson. 



The Red-winged Starling, or Red-shouldered Marsh Blackbird, 

 is so well known as being a bird of the most nefarious propensities, 

 that in the United States one can hardly mention its name without 

 hearing such an account of its pilferings as might induce the 

 young student of nature to conceive that it had been created for 

 the purpose of annoying the farmer. That it destroys an aston- 

 ishing quantity of corn, rice, and other kinds of grain, can not be 

 denied; but that before it commences its ravages, it has proved 

 highly serviceable to the crops, is equally certain. 



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

 the far 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 remarkable 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 main- 

 land, where it was seen breeding, sometimes within a few yards 

 of houses. The same occurred on the Florida Keys. The only 



part of the country visited by me in which I found it wanting is 

 Labrador, although it is known to breed in some portions of the 

 interior of Newfoundland. In many instances, I found it nesting 

 in the Floridas on mangroves and low bushes, in the vicinity of the 

 nests of Cormorants and our smaller Herons, and even sometimes 

 in the midst of them. 



This bird is beautifully marked and colored. The bill is com- 

 paratively long, cone-shaped, a little compressed, and very sharp- 

 pointed. Its body is powerful. The wing of medium length ; the 

 second and third primaries are the most extended. The tail pretty 

 long and rounded ; the plumage soft and glossy. The colors of 

 his bridal dress are of a deep black, but on the shoulders a superb 

 scarlet-red, terminating in yellowish-red. The iris of the eye is 

 deep brown, almost black; the bill, legs, and feet are bluish- 

 black ; its length about nine inches ; in extent, about thirteen and 

 a half inches ; length of wing, four and a half inches ; length of 

 tail, three and a quarter inches. The female, on the upper side, 

 is blackish-brown, and on the lower side grayish-brown, each 

 feather more or less seamed with yellowish-gray ; the throat 

 and the cheeks are of a light-grayish ground color, streaked 

 longitudinally with darker color. 



The flesh of the Red-winged Starling is in little esteem, but they 

 are very often kept in cages on account of their beauty of plumage 

 and vivacity. In captivity, they may easily be brought to breed. 



PLATE XXXIV. 

 The Red-headed Duck. (Aytkya amcricana.) 



Fig. i, Male. Fig. 2, Female. Fig. 3, Young Male. 



This beautiful and, by sportsmen, eagerly sought-for bird is 

 abundant throughout North America. In length, he measures 

 about twenty-one inches, wings usually one-half the length of the 

 body. Bill as long as the head, dull blue in color, with a black 

 belt at the end. The color of the head, from which his name is 

 derived, is a rich, pure chestnut, glossed with a lustrous bronzy- 

 red. Back, grayish-brown, barred with minute white lines. Be- 

 neath, abdomen white, darker toward the vent, where it is barred 

 with dusky wavy lines. The range of the Red-head is very ex- 

 tensive, breeding in the fur countries to their most northern limits. 

 They frequent the waters of the Chesapeake in immense numbers. 

 According to Audubon, they are found in immense quantities around 

 New Orleans, arriving there, from their northern haunts, in No- 

 vember, and departing in April. Their food consists of small 

 fish, young tadpoles, small water-lizards, and the tender roots and 

 leaves of various aquatic grasses. They are known to dive very 

 deep in search of food, but haunt, by preference, shallow waters, 

 and show great attachment to certain localities. Their flesh is 

 very highly esteemed, ranking next to that of the Canvas-back, 

 and is eagerly sought for by the epicure. When caught, they take 

 readily to confinement. Their notes are very coarse and unmu- 

 sical, while their flight is hurried, starting up from the water in 

 sort of flurry, producing with their wings a clear whistling sound. 

 According to Nuttall, they are said to walk awkwardly and with 

 difficulty. It is also added that their cry more resembles the hol- 

 low hiss of a serpent than the voice of a bird. Their flight is 

 more rapid than that of the common Wild Duck, and the noise of 

 their wings very different. The troop forms a close body in the 

 air, but they do not proceed in angular lines or obey any particu- 

 lar leader, nor have they any call sufficient for the purpose. 



According to Bogardus, the Red-heads are ranked among the 

 best of the Ducks which are found in the Western States ; and 

 that very able and well-informed author, Dr. Sharpless, of Phila- 

 delphia, stated that he could never distinguish much difference in 

 flavor between Canvas-backs and Red-heads, and that many of the 

 latter were sold as Canvas-backs, and eaten as such by those who 

 professed to know all about the divine flavor. 



