cxlviii 
ICTEKIUa:. BIEDS. lOTEEIDffl. 
Atlantic to the Pacific, tliongli not found immedi- 
ately on the Pacific Coast. In Maine it is con- 
sidered I'are. 
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD [Agelaius pTimniceiis). 
— Wilson, in treating of tliis bird, arraigns liim 
firstly for trial as to the universally alleged reputa- 
tion for theft, and proceeds in this wise: ‘‘Jn inves- 
tigating the nature of these 1 slntll endeavor to 
render strict historical justice, adhering to the honest 
injunctions of the poet — 
‘•‘Nothing extenuate. 
Nor set down aught in malice.’ 
“ Let the reader divest liimself of pi’ejudice, and 
we shall be at no loss to ascei tain accurately his true 
character. 'J'hey ai’rive in Pennsylvania late in 
March. 'I'heir general food at this season, as well 
as during the early part of summer, consists of grub- 
worms, caterpillars and various other larvae, the 
silent but deadly enemies of all vegetation. For 
these vermin the Starlings search with great dili- 
gence in the ground, at the root of plants, in 
orchards and meadosvs, as well as among buds, leaves 
and blossoms; and, from their known voracity, the 
multitudes of those insects which they destroy imist 
be immense.” Wilson then estimates, approximately, 
the number of noxious inSects that one bird of this 
species may destroy in a season, and demonsti’ates 
clearly that their services 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. ’J'his species is known by several different 
names, such as Swamp Plackbird, Marsh Blackbird, 
Corn-thief, Bed-wing Starling, etc. The male is 
notably very much larger than the female, being two 
inches longer. It is common throughout the Slates, 
-from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 
RED-SHOULDERED BLACKBIRD {A. gubernator). 
■ — 'This is a western variety, confined to the Pacific 
Coast. “In certain stales of plumage,” says Piof. 
Baird, “I find it exceedingly ddlicidt to distinguish 
satisfactorily this species from A. phccniceus. The 
females ai'e scarcely to be distinguished from those 
of A. tricolor, except possibly by the more rounded 
tail, and stouter, shorter bill.” During the summer 
this species is said to emit a variety of sweet and 
liquid notes, delivered from some tree near its 
favorite marsh. 'These are sometimes mingled with 
jingling and creaking sounds. Mr. Bidgway found 
them abundant in the marshy regions of California, 
but they wei’e rarely met with east of the iSierra 
Nevada. A. tricolor is found in the Pacific Province 
of the United States. 
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (Xanthocephalm 
icterocephahis). — 'This species is found more fre- 
quently on the prairies, ranging from Texas to Illinois, 
and thence to the Pacific. Dr. Cooper states that 
the only song the male attempts consists of a few 
hoarse, chuckling notes and comical squeakings, 
uttered as if it was a great effort to make any sound 
at all. Mr. Bidgway found it very abundant in Cali- 
fornia. lie thinks its notes harsher than those of 
any bird known to him. It walks upon the 
much in the same steady, graceful manner as the 
Cow-bird. 
MEADOW LARK {Stvrnella magva). — This is a 
common summer visitor in the Northern States. In 
the milder winters it remains in the north. 'The 
favorite haunts of this bird are the meadows and 
pastui'es. When they alight on trees or bushes, it 
is generally on the tops of the highest branches, 
whence they send forth a long, clear and somewhat 
melancholy note, that in sweetness and tenderness 
of expression is not surpassed by any of our numer- 
ous WTirblers. 'They are regarded as next to the 
Bobwhite as a table delicacy, and are found at all 
seasons in the markets of the Middle States. 
WESTERN LARK (Sturnella neglecta).— ^ 
species,” says Baird, “is so very closely I'elated to 
the S. magna as to render it very diSicult to distin- 
guish them. 'The prevailing shade of color is, how- 
ever, decidedly paler in the j)resent, the light margins 
to the feathers being (jiirer, the intervals of the dark 
markings being not reddish-brown so mnch as oliva- 
ceous, with a faint trace only of chestnut. A re- 
markable difference in their notes is considered as of 
importance in the consideration of the specific dis- 
tinction.” Jn the lately published work of Baird, 
Brewer and Bidgway, this species is entered sis a 
variety. Its habitat is given as Western America, 
from high central plains to Pacific, east to Pembina, 
and perhaps to Wisconsin. 
TROUPIAL [Icterus vulgaris). — 'This is a South 
American species, found occasionally on the soul hei n 
coast of the United States. It is the largest of the 
Orioles found here. 'This species is common in the 
VV'est Indies. Audubon describes it as a North 
American bird, having met with sliagglers from the 
Antilles. It is common in all the northern countries 
of South America, where it associates in large flocks, 
and constructs a large and pensile nest. In confine- 
ment it becomes very easily tamed, and has a loud, 
clear and ringing whistle, and a great variety of call- 
notes, and single or brief uttei-aiices. 
BLACK-HEADED ORIOLE [Icterus mehmocephalus). 
— In the warm parts of Mexico this bird is known. 
It is similar to the I. auduboni, but without any 
white whatever on the wings. 'The head and neck 
all round, wing scapulars and tail, uniform pure black ; 
rest of body, including beneath the wing and tibia., 
and the lesser vving coverts, orange-yellow, clouded 
with olivaceous-green on the back, less so on the rump ; 
bill and legs j)lumbeous, the former whitish at base. 
AUDUBON’S ORIOLE (/. awcZMSowi).— Found in the 
valley of the Lower Bio Grande of 'Texas and south- 
ward. In this sj)ecies there is no yellow below the 
black of the feathers of the head, the basal portion 
being plumbeous. 'The outline of the black on the 
upper neck is at the same distance from the bill all 
round, except on the throat, where it extends three 
quarters of an inch farther back, as a. semi-circular 
patch on the upper part of the breast. 'There is a 
slight orange tinge on the breast; the sides under 
the wings and back more greenish. 'The tail feathers 
are entirely black to their bases, some of them tipped 
'■round ' with whitish. 
