596 APPENDIX. 



tentedly, but was also fond of sweet cakes, insects of all de- 

 scriptions, and nearly every kind of fruit. In short, he eat 

 every thing which he would in a state of nature, and did 

 not refuse to taste and eat of every thing but the condi- 

 ments which enter into the multifarious diet of the human 

 species : he was literally omnivorous. 



No bird could become more tame, allowing himself to 

 be handled with patient indifference, and sometimes with 

 playfulness. The singular mechanical application of his 

 bill was remarkable, and explains at once the ingenious art 

 employed by the species in weaving their nest. If the folded 

 hand was presented to our familiar Oriole, he endeavored to 

 open it by inserting his pointed and straight bill betwixt the 

 closed fingers, and then, by pressing open the bill with great 

 muscular force, in the manner of an opening pair of com- 

 passes, he contrived, if the force was not great, to open the 

 hand and examine its contents. If brought to the face he 

 did the same with the mouth, and would try hard to open the 

 closed teeth. In this way, by pressing open any yielding 

 interstice, he could readily insert the threads of his nest, 

 and pass them through an infinity of openings so as to form 

 the ingenious net-work or basis of his suspensory and ^pro- 

 creant cradle. 



In the spring of 1832, while travelling in the month of 

 May through the back part of Pennsylvania, the trees, now 

 rapidly unfolding their tender leaves, were peopled with 

 hosts of melodious birds, and among the rest was heard pre- 

 eminent the loud and querulous fife of the brilliant Balti- 

 more. My attention was thus accidentally drawn to watch 

 the employment of a busy female of the species, who, at- 

 tended by her gay, brilliant, and tuneful mate, seemed 

 nearly to have completed the fabric of her nest, in obedience 

 to the instinct of her favorite hopes of progeny. She seem- 

 ed, however, to tug long in the same mesh, and on drawing 



