66 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 



to breast is the only mark by which we can tell a young male 

 from the uniformly green and yellow female, but these green 

 youths breed in this plumage and raise a family the same as 

 the black and chestnut older males, only a little later in the 

 season. Although there is a certain characteristic timbre, 

 by which we can easily tell an Orchard Oriole's song from 

 that of any other bird, every individual songster has its own 

 peculiar melody, by which we are able to distinguish individ- 

 uals so well, that it is even possible to recognize them again in 

 following years. 



BALTIMORE ORIOLE. Icterus Qolhula. 



One excited, love-sick Baltimore can fill acres of suburban 

 ground with his shrill, impatient whistle, which is uttered 

 with wonderful diligence and perseverance until he has found 

 an affectionate partner, when his notes lose much of their 

 wildness and become at times a mellow love song of real 

 beauty. No one with eyes to see and ears to hear can long 

 remain unacquainted with this strikingly beautiful bird in its 

 unique attire of bright orange and deep black. The Balti- 

 more is a great favorite with country people and knows it and 

 repays kindness and good will by building its nest, a pendu- 

 lous pouch of six or more inches in length, from the extremity 

 of a swaying branch as near as possible to the farm house, 

 often in the very tree which shades the yard. So well con- 

 structed are these nests and so firmly attached that they are 

 usually hanging throughout winter, but never used a second 

 time. In the weaving of the nest, which is the work of the 

 female alone, vegetable fibres of great strength are used, tak- 

 ing them from different plants according to locaUty, also ac- 

 cepting such material as thread, twine and braid and inter- 

 weaving them with the natural filaments. In the Gulf states 

 southern moss {Tillandsia) is sometimes used exclusively. 

 At Old Orchard several generations made their nests entirely 

 of horse hair, very beautiful fabrics and of great strength, re- 

 maining in the trees for years until the holding twigs were 

 broken off by storms. With increasing family cares Balti- 

 more songs give way to mere chatters and calls and are soon 



