38 



RED- WINGED STARLING. 



roost among the reeds : they chatter much in the evening and morn- 

 ing, 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. 1, 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 cy- 

 lindrical above, compressed at the sides, straight, running conside- 

 rably 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 somewhat shorter than those immediately ad- 

 joining. 



The female, fig. 2, is seven inches and a quarter in length, and 

 twelve inches in extent; chin a pale reddish cream; from the nos- 

 tril over the eye, and from the lower mandible run two stripes of 

 the same, speckled with black; from the posterior angle of the 

 eye backwards 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. 



The young birds at first greatly resemble the female; but 

 have the plumage more broadly skirted with brown. The red 



