GOLDEN ORIOLE. 43 



nise it, and also has a loud clear call that attracts attention ; 

 this note, which reminded Seebohm of the words, " Who are 

 you? " is constantly introduced into its short and simple song. 

 The female and young bird are greener, and amidst foliage are 

 difficult to see ; the male also, though conspicuous when passing 

 from tree to tree in the open, is soon lost sight of when he 

 dashes, as is his habit, into thick woods or foliage. The bird 

 is an insect-feeder, but fruit is freely taken in autumn, but never 

 in this country so as to justify persecution, although at times of 

 migration it is sociable, travelling in small flocks. 



The nest, a fair-sized cup or saucer, is almost invariably 

 built on a horizontal bough, slung between the branches of 

 a fork ; on either side it is firmly and cleverly bound to its 

 supports. During the war many of our men became acquainted 

 with the nesting Oriole, for on the Continent it is not uncommon 

 and is little persecuted. Capt. C. Cairnie brought me an in- 

 teresting nest containing broken eggs, which he had found 

 close to where his Field Ambulance was stationed. It was 

 built almost entirely of the litter of a camp, and its supports 

 were of surgical dressing neatly bound round with string ; in 

 the construction bits of paper had been freely introduced, in- 

 cluding part of an envelope addressed to his Ambulance. The 

 eggs, usually four or five, are white or creamy with a few- 

 brown, black or purple spots, thickest towards the larger end 

 (Plate 34)- 



The handsome male bird is golden yellow with black lores, 

 wings, and centre of the tail. Yellow and whitish tips and 

 edges show on the closed wing, and the tail feathers are partly 

 yellow, the black forming a graduated wedge. Bright yellow 

 is replaced by greenish yellow on the back and head of the 

 female, and her lighter under parts have dark brown streaks ; 

 her wings and tail are browner. The young resemble the 

 female, but at first are spotted on the back with pale yellow, 

 and later are more olive in colour, whilst the flanks are 



