Ixxxviii 
INTRODUCTION. 
are at once interesting and useful, — interesting- on account of their beauty, and useful from the good they 
effect in the countries they frequent by the destruction of the locusts arid other insects and their larvae, upon 
which they feed. 
185. Pastor roseus ............ Vol. III. PI. LV. 
Rose-coloured Pastor. 
186. Pastor roseus Vol. III. PI. LVI. 
Rose-coloured Pastor (young). 
A beautiful but unusually-coloured bird, which is very plentiful in Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, and 
W estern India. It is merely an accidental visitor to England, Scotland, and Ireland. 
Family ICTERIDiE. 
This is a purely American family, comprising considerably more than a hundred species, which are spread 
over the continent of America and the approximate islands. Two of them have from time to time wandered 
far from their native homes and sought a haven in the British Islands. 
Genus Agelaius. 
Of this section of Icterine birds about five species are known, the habitats of which are almost exclusively 
confined to the temperate and northern parts of the American continent. 
187. Agelaius phceniceus. 
Red-winged Starling. 
Nine instances are on record of the occurrence of this species in Britain, namely seven in England and 
two in Scotland. The earliest of these appears to be the one mentioned as having been taken near London, 
by Albin, in his ‘History of British Birds,’ published in 1731—38, after which the bird seems to have remained 
unnoticed until the year 1843, between which date and 1871 eight others are described as having been met 
with in various parts of the country. The late Mr. Yarrell figured this transatlantic species in the supplement 
to his ‘History of British Birds,’ to which work, as well as those of Wilson and Audubon, I must refer my 
readers for its history ; for, as I do not consider the bird pertains to our fauna, I have not included a figure 
of it in this work. 
Genus Sturnella. 
A peculiar group of grass-loving birds, strictly confined to America, over which country the five known 
species are distributed. 
