ORCHARD ORIOLE 191 



the summer of 1927 by Stuart T. Danforth and John T. Emlen, jr. Five speci- 

 mens, an adult and an immature male, and three females, were taken near some 

 sloughs. * * * Danforth and Emlen report that they observed about twenty of 

 these blackbirds on the date mentioned near sloughs along the Artibonite River, 

 about 8 miles from St. Marc, where they were in flocks of five to ten, resting in 

 trees standing in water. Some were feeding young birds on the wing. * * * 

 The limited area from which this blackbird is known in Haiti, and the fact that it 

 has not been recorded earlier suggest that it may have been established recently 

 on the island by individuals come from Cuba. Abbott did not secure it during 

 extensive travels on the island nor did Wetmore observe it during his work in 

 the field so that it can hardly be wide spread in distribution since it is a bird that 

 is conspicuous and easily seen when its haunts are visited. 



The tawny-shouldered blackbird measures 200 mm. or a little more in length 

 and is glossy black in color, with the bend of the wing, or "shoulder," deep brown- 

 ish buff. Male and female are alike in color. 



DISTRIBUTION 



The tawny-shouldered blackbird is resident throughout Cuba and 

 locally in west-central Haiti (Port de Paix, lower Artibonite River). 

 It is accidental in Florida (Key West). 



ICTERUS SPURIUS (Linnaeus) 



Orchard Oriole 



Plates 11, 12, and 13 

 HABITS 



The origin of the name spurius, which is decidedly undeserved and 

 inappropriate, is discussed at considerable length by Wilson (1832), 

 who tells how a female Baltimore oriole was thought to be the male 

 of this species; this error resulted in the name spurious, or bastard, 

 Baltimore oriole, which at one time was applied to our orchard oriole ; 

 and the name spurius still clings to it. 



The orchard oriole enjoys a wide distribution in the central and 

 eastern United States, breeding from the northern tier of the Central 

 States, extreme southern Ontario, and extreme southern New England, 

 southward to northern Florida and the Gulf States. Its center of 

 abundance during the breeding season seems to be in the States 

 bordering on the Mississippi Valley, especially to the southward, 

 where it is really abundant in some places. It is comparatively rare 

 in the northern portions of its range, so very rare in southeastern 

 Massachusetts that I have seen only one nest in over 60 years. 



As its name implies, the orchard oriole shows a decided preference 

 for orchards in rural districts near human dwellings, where apples, 

 pears, or peaches are cultivated; and when these colorful trees are in 

 bloom in spring, we are likely to find these orioles gleaning among the 



