RED-WINGED STARLING. 
91 
extent of the richest and best cultivated country on earth. All 
this, it may be said, is mere supposition. It is, however, sup- 
position founded on known and acknowledged facts. I have 
never dissected any 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 pre- 
cisely the amount of the benefits derived by agriculture from 
this and many other species of our birds; yet in the present case 
I cannot 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 per- 
mits 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 
travellers across the continent to the Pacific ocean observed it 
numerous in several of the vallies at a great distance up the Mis- 
souri. When taken alive, or reared from the nest, it soon be- 
comes familiar, sings frequently, bristling out its feathers some- 
thing in the manner of the Cow Bunting. These notes, though 
not remarkably various, are very peculiar. The most common 
one resembles the syllables conk-quer ree; others the shrill 
sounds produced by filing a saw; some are more guttural; and 
others remarkably clear. The usual note of both male and fe- 
male is a single chuck. Instances have been produced where 
they have been taught to articulate several words distinctly; 
and contrary to that 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 magni- 
tude. They are known by various names in the different states 
of the union ; such as the Swamp Blackbird.) Marsh Black- 
bird, Red-winged Blackbird, Corn or Maize thief, Starling, 
&c. 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 
