IlIK liALll.MORE ORIOLE. 247 



these iustructlons, but the oldest even show the most astonishiug docility. This is a 

 remarkable fact in the history of the Feathered Tribes. 



THE li.VLTIMORE OKIOLE.* 



" Thisbii'd," says Audubon, "arrives from the south, perhaps from a more distant region, 

 and enters Louisiana as soon as spring commences there. It approaches the planter's 

 house, and searches among the surrounding trees for a suitable place in which to settle 

 for the season. It prefers, I believe, the trees that grow on the sides of a gentle declivity. 

 The choice of a twig being made, the male oriole becomes extremely conspicuous. He 

 flies to the groimd, searches for the longest and driest filaments of moss, which in that 

 state is known bj' the name of Spanish beard, and M'henever he finds one fit for his 

 purpose, ascends to the favourite spot where the nest is to be, uttering all the while a 

 continued chirrup, which seems to imply that he knows no fear, but, on the contrarj% 

 fancies himself the acknowledged Idng of the woods. ISTo sooner does he reach the 

 branches than ■nath bill and claws, aided by an astonishing sagacity, he fastens one end 

 of the moss to a twig with as much art as a tailor might do, and takes up the other end, 

 which he secures also, but to another twig a few inches ofi^, leaving the thread floating in 

 the air, like a swing, the curve of which is, perhaps, seven or eight inches from the 

 twigs. The female comes to his assistance with another filament of moss, or, perhaps, 

 some cotton thread, or other fibrous substance, inspects the work which her mate has 

 done, and immediately commences her operations, placing each thread in a contrary 

 direction to those arranged by her Jordly mate, and making the whole cross and recross, 

 so as to form an irregular network. The nest has now been woven from the bottom to 

 the top, and so secured that no tempest can carry it ofi^ without breaking the brancli to 

 which it is suspended. Remark what follows. This nest contains no warming substance, 

 such as wool, cotton, or cloth, but is almost entirely composed of the Spanish moss, 

 interwoven in such a manner that the air can easily f>ass through it. The parents are, 

 no doubt, aw'are of the intense heat which will exist ere long in this part of the world, 

 and moreover take especial care to place their nest on the north-east side of the trees. 

 On the contrary, had they gone as far as Pennsylvania or New York, they would have 

 formed it of the warmest and softest materials, and have placed it in a position which 

 would have left it exposed to the sun's rays ; the changes of the weather during the 

 earh' period of incubation being so great there, that the bird looks on these precautions as 

 necessary to ensure the life of its brood against intense cold, should it come ; while it 

 Imows that the heat in these northern latitudes will not be so great as to incommode 

 them. 



In confinnation of this statement, Wilson, speaking of this bird, which he says 

 arrives in Pennsylvania in May, observes of a nest before him : " The materials are flax, 

 hemp, tan, hair, and wool, woven into a complete cloth ; the whole tightly sew.ed through 

 and through with long horse hairs, se\-oral of which measure two feet in length. The 

 bottom is .composed of thick tufts of cowhair, sewed also with strong horsehair. So 

 solicitous is the baltimorc to procure proper materials for his nest, that, in the season of 

 building, the women in the country are under the necessity of watching their thread that 

 may chance to be out bleaching, and the farmer to secure his young grafts ; as the 

 baltimore finding the former, and the strings which tie the latter, so well adapted for 

 his purpose, frequently carries off both ; or shoidd the one be too heavy, and the other 

 too firmly tied, ho will tug at them a considerable time before he gives up the attempt. 

 Skeins of silk and hanks of thread have often been found, after the leaves were fallen, 

 hanging roimd the baltimore's nest, but so woven up and entangled as to be entirely 

 irreclaimable." 



* Wilson. 



