THE RED- WINGED STARLING. 
33 
the wild oat and other grasses, upon the seeds of which they feed with great 
avidity during the autumnal and winter months. They then associate par- 
tially with Reed-birds, Graldes, and Cow-pen Buntings, and are seen to 
move from the Eastern to the Southern Districts, in such immense and thick 
flocks as almost to cloud the air. 
The havoc made amongst them is scarcely credible. I have, heard that 
upwards of fifty have been killed at a shot, and am the more inclined to 
believe such accounts as I have myself shot hundreds in the course of an 
afternoon, killing from ten to fifteen at every discharge. Whilst travelling 
in different parts of the Southern States, during the latter part of autumn, 1 
have often seen the fences, trees, and fields so strewed with these birds, as 
to make me believe their number fully equal to that of the falling leaves of 
the trees in the places traversed by me. 
Towards evening they alight in the marshes by millions, in compact 
bodies, settle on the reeds and rushes close above the water, and remain 
during the night, unless disturbed by the gunners. When this happens, 
they rise all of a sudden, and perform various evolutions in the air, now 
gliding low over the rushes, and again wheeling high above them, preser- 
ving silence for a while, but finally diving suddenly to the spot formerly 
chosen, and commencing a general chuckling noise, after which they remain 
quiet during the rest of the night. 
Different species of Hawks derive their principal sustenance from them 
at this season. The Pigeon Hawk is an adept in picking the fattest from 
their crowded flocks ; and while they are in the Southern States, where 
millions of them spend the winter, 'the Hen-harriers are seen continually 
hovering over them, and picking up the stragglers. 
The Marsh Blackbird is easily kept in confinement, and sings there with 
as much vigour as when at full liberty. It is kept in good order with rice, 
wheat, or any other small grain. Attempts have been made to induce these 
birds to breed in confinement, but in as far as I have been able to ascertain, 
have failed. As an article of food, they are little better than the Starling 
of Europe, or the Crow Blackbird of the United States, although many are 
eaten and thought good by the country people, who make pot-pies of them. 
The dispersion of this bird over the whole of the United States, the Fur 
Countries beyond the limits of the inhabitation of the human species, the 
great western plains, the Rocky Mountains, and even the shores of the 
Columbia river, where it was procured by Mr. Townsend, forms a remark- 
able part of its history. Our surprise becomes greatly increased by the 
knowledge of its breeding in great numbers in every part of this vast ex- 
tent. I found the Islands about Galveston Bay most plentifully supplied 
with it, as well as the grassy margins of the pools and bayous of the main- 
Vol. IV. 5 
