86 
RED-WINGED STARLING. 
months of January and February, while passing through the 
former of these countries, I was frequently entertained with 
the aerial evolutions of those great bodies of Starlings. Some- 
times they appeared driving about like an enormous black 
cloud carried before the wind, varying its shape every moment. 
Sometimes suddenly rising from the fields around me with a 
noise like thunder; while the glittering of innumerable wings of 
the brightest vermilion amid the black cloud they formed, pro- 
duced on these occasions a very striking and splendid effect. 
Then descending like a torrent, and covering the branches of 
some detached grove, or clump of trees, the whole congregated 
multitude commenced one general concert or chorus, that I have 
plainly distinguished at the distance of more than two miles, and 
when listened to at the intermediate space of about a quarter of a 
mile, with a slight breeze of wind to swell and soften the flow of 
its cadences, was to me grand and even sublime. The whole sea- 
son of winter, that with most birds is past in struggling to sustain 
life, in silent melancholy, is with the Red-wings one continued 
carnival. The profuse gleanings of the old rice, corn and buck- 
wheat fields, supply them with abundant food, at once ready 
and nutritious; and the intermediate time is spent either in aerial 
manoeuvres, or in grand vocal performances, as if solicitous to 
supply the absence of all the tuneful summer tribes, and to cheer 
the dejected face of nature with their whole combined powers 
of harmony. 
About the twentieth of March, or earlier if the season be open, 
they begin to enter Pennsylvania in numerous though small 
parties. These migrating flocks are usually observed from day- 
break to eight or nine in the morning, passing to the north, 
chattering to each other as they fly along; and, in spite of all 
our antipathy, their well known notes and appearance, after 
the long and dreary solitude of winter, inspire cheerful and 
pleasing ideas of returning spring warmth and verdure. Se- 
lecting their old haunts, every meadow is soon enlivened by 
their presence. They continue in small parties to frequent the 
low borders of creeks, swamps and ponds, till about the middle 
of April, when they separate in pairs to breed; and about the 
