CROW RELATIVES 



nest in situ. Many a nest hanging tantalizingly before 

 me I have been unable to reach. But one year, on 

 this farm, a pair of Orchard Orioles built their nest in 

 the middle of a large apple tree, though among the 

 topmost twigs, and it seemed as though here must be a 

 chance for a picture, if ever I was to have one. After 

 discussing the situation with Ned, we borrowed a tall 

 /adder and set it up against the tree. Then I went up 

 with camera and tripod to the top of the ladder and 

 climbed into the slender boughs above. The only 

 accessible side of the nest was shaded, so a short-timed 

 exposure on the tripod was necessary. I managed to 

 stick the spike of each tripod-leg into a slender branch 

 or crotch, and, by keeping very still at the critical 

 moments, fairly holding my breath, secured some good 

 pictures. There were three well-grown young in the 

 nest, and one picture shows an open bill projecting out, 

 begging for food. After succeeding there, I placed 

 two of the young on a branch in a more favorable 

 position, and Ned and I both added pictures of young 

 Orchard Orioles to our series. 



All our other species which are classed in this group 

 of birds have some claim to be called Blackbirds. 

 Even the prattling Bobolink often gets the name of 

 "Skunk Blackbird" because the male is black and 

 white. This interesting bird is a regular "Jekyll and 

 Hyde" in leading a double life. As Bobolinks they 

 arrive in early May and settle down in the meadows 

 and clover fields for about ten weeks of love, song and 



150 



