164 OMNIVOROUS BIRDS. 



and Starlings, as omnivorous, though in a less degree.* 

 They sing, and appear lively in confinement or domestica- 

 tion, and become very docile, playful, and friendly, even 

 going in and out of the house, and sometimes alighting at 

 a whistle on the hand of their protector. The young, for 

 a while, require to be fed on animal food alone, and the 

 most suitable appears to be fresh minced meat, soaked 

 in new milk. In this way they may be easily raised al- 

 most from the first hatching ; but at this time vegetable 

 substances appear to afford them no kind of nutrition, 

 and at all times they will thrive better, if indulged with a 

 little animal food or insects, as well as hard-boiled eggs. 



The Baltimore Bird is 7 inches in length ; the bill bluish black. 



Exterior edges of the greater wing-coverts, edges of the secondaries, 



and part of those of the primaries, white. The tail-feathers under 



the coverts, orange; the 2 middle ones from thence to the tips, black ; 



the next 5 on each side black near the covert, and orange towards 



the extremities. Legs and feet lead-color. The iris, hazel. — The 



white on the wing-coverts in the female is yellowish ; the under parts, 



not so brilliant an orange, approaching scarlet on the breast, are, in this 



sex, much duller ; the back also of a dull black, and each feather 



skirted with olive yellow. The wing-feathers of a deep dirty brown. 



The tail olive yellow ; but in others, according to age, the 2 middle 



feathers become partially or wholly black. Some of the males wliich 



arrive in the spring have the tail wholly yellow : at times, only the 



2 middle feathers black, and frequently the black on the back is still 



skirted with orange, and the tail tipped with the same color. It 



would therefore appear that 2 or 3 seasons are requisite to complete 



the plumage of this brilliant bird. The male moults, before his 



departure, into the same brilliant dress in which he arrives. 



♦ The true Oriole, scarcely distinct from our Vireo, lives upon insects, is very 

 fond of cherries and fresh figs, and will also eat peas. 



