THE BALTIMORE ORIOLE. 243 



at them a considerable time before he gives up the attempt. 

 Skeins of silk and hanks of thread have been often found, 

 after the leaves were fallen, hanging around the Baltimore's 

 nest; but so woven up and entangled as to be entirely 

 irreclaimable. Before the introduction of Europeans, no 

 such material could have been obtained here; but, with the 

 sagacity of a good architect, he has improved this circum- 

 stance to his advantage; and the strongest and best mate- 

 rials are uniformly found in those parts by which the whole 

 is supported." 



Great sagacity and skill are shown in adapting the form 

 of the nest to circumstances. Audubon observes that the 

 walls of the nest are thinner, or thicker, and that it is placed 

 on the warmer, or cooler, side of the tree, according as the 

 location is northern or southern. Two nests, lately found 

 by Mr. Eugene Ringueberg, of Lockport, N. Y., are very 

 suggestive as to the intelligence of the bird. One was 

 hung on the string of a kite caught in an apple-tree. Closed 

 at the top in the form of a cone, its opening, high on one 

 side, was a sort of projecting porch of closely woven horse- 

 hair, which, as the nest could turn in any direction, served 

 as the tail of a weather-cock, and turning constantly to the 

 leeward side, kept the entrance from the storm. The other, 

 being built on two slender twigs, was too poorly supported 

 for the weight of the bird. In this emergency, a strong 

 piece of twine was woven into one side, carried up over 

 two firm branches, and well fastened into the other side, 

 thus making the nest fully secure. Here was no mean 

 exercise of the reasoning faculty. Those who study the 

 animal kingdom most will have the highest opinion of its 

 intelligence. 



The eggs, generally four or five in a set, some ".90 X -60" 

 of an inch, are white, slightly tinged with brown, and 



