" UPON THE tree-top:^ 113 



mouth to sing, and, I sometimes thought, to eat, 

 so quietly did he sit on the branch overlooking 

 his homestead. Happily, he soon learned that 

 we were friends, and if, perhaps, somewhat pry- 

 ing as to his domestic concerns, still not intend- 

 ing harm. He grew more free in movement, 

 ventured now and then to desert his post of 

 watcher, and be absent a half-hour at a time ; 

 also he found his voice, and entertained us with 

 calls, single notes of the rich flute-like quality 

 for which his family is noted, and very rarely 

 with his song. 



It was the third day of June, and sitting was 

 already begun. The tree on which his nest 

 was placed had ten branches, not one over 

 two feet long ; the eighth was the largest, 

 and on that hung the oriole nursery. It was 

 pretty to see the birds approach it. When 

 not alarmed, they invariably alighted on the 

 lowest branch, near the stem of the tree, and 

 hopped from step to step upward ; in leaving 

 they never retraced their steps, but mounted 

 the two remaining branches, and took flight 

 from the top twig. When the female reached 

 home after a short absence, she hastened up the 

 winding stairs, looked anxiously at her treas- 

 ures, plunged in head-first, and then, quick as a 

 jack-in-the-box, thrust her head above the edge 

 for a last look, before she settled out of sight 



8 



