ICTERID.E — ICTERIN^: AMERICAN ORIOLES: HANG-NESTS. 477 



0.70 along culmeu, very sleniler and acute, somewhat decurved ; tarsus 0.1)0. Adult 9 = 

 Smaller than ^. Above, dull yellowish-olive, clearest on head, rump, and tail, obscured on 

 the back. Below, sordid yellowish. Wings plain dusky, glossed with olivaceous, with whit- 

 ish edging, much as in ^. An inconspicuous object, but kncjwn from other 9 Orioles by its 

 small size and slender bill, a little curved. Young ^: First year like 9, but larger ; second 

 year like 9 , but with black mask on face and throat. Afterward showing confused characters 

 of both sexes. Three years required to assume full dress. Eastern U. S., strictly; rarely N. 

 to Maine, and even New Brunswick, but regularly reaching Ontario; W. to the high central 

 ])hiius of the Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Indian Territory, and Texas. Breeds 

 throughout its N. Am. range ; winters extralimital. Abundant in orchards, parks, streets, 

 skirts of woods, etc, from April to August. The song is loud, clear, and volubly delivered 

 during the whole breeding season. The nest is one of the most perfect examples of a woven 

 fabric, even in a group of birds distinguished as the Orioles are for the dexterity and assiduity 

 they display in their elaborate textile rostrifactures. They antedate Howe in the expedient of 

 placing the eye of a needle at its point — that which revolutionized hand-sewing, and made 

 sewing-machines practicable : for their bill works precisely to the same efl'ect. The Orchard 

 Oricde's nest is generally more compact and homogeneous than the Baltimore's, woven chiefly 

 of slender grass-blades which cure in the sun like good hay, long retaining some greenness, 

 which tends to its concealment in tlie foliage. It is smaller, less deep in proportion, often not 

 strictly pendant from its forked twig, and generally placed lower down in a tree. Both sexes 

 work at its speedy construction, but only the 9 incubates. Eggs 4-6, oftenest 5, smaller than 

 the Baltimore's, ranging from 0.72 X 0.56 to 0.85 X 0.60, averaging about 0.80 X 0.55, and 

 spotty rather than scrawly, with predominance of the heavy markings over the neutral ones ; 

 tlie markings prevail about the larger end, but the general Icteriue tracery is always 

 unmistakable. 



I. s. affi'nis? (Lat. affinis, affined, allied.) Texas Orchard Oriole. Smaller: ^ little 

 over 6.00; wing usually under 3.00. Texas: Southern race, scarcely distinguishable ; ignored 

 by the A. 0. U. 



I. cuculla'tus. (Lat. cucullatus, wearing the cucidla, a kind of hood or cowl.) Hooded 

 Oriole. Adult ^i Orange and black. General color orange — from rich chrome yellow to 

 lhime-c(dor. Middle of back (scapulars and interscapulars) black. A black nuisk, embracing 

 eyes, narrow frontal line, and patch on chin, cheeks, and throat. Wings black, with white 

 edging of quills and coverts. Tail black, some or all feathers usually with narrow whitish 

 tips. Bill and feet blue-black, former extremely slender and somewhat decurved, 0.80; tarsus 

 0.90. Length 8.00; extent 10.50; wing 3.30-3.60 ; tail 3.50-4.25, thus longer than wings, 

 feathers narrow and lanceolate, outermost an inch or so shorter than central pair; sucli length, 

 narrowness, and extreme graduation of tail being a strong character. Adult 9 '■ Above, dull 

 grayish-olive; tail and under j)arts dull yellowish ; wings dusky, the quills and coverts edged 

 with dull white. 9 thus resembles other species, but the long slender graduated tail and at- 

 tenuated decurved bill are diagnostic. Fairly smaller than ^. Young ^i At first like 9, 

 but bill pale at base below. Various intermediate states during progress to maturity; some- 

 times the black dorsal band interrupted by yellowish -gray, and the general orange obscured 

 with the same. A frequent condition, when the general plumage is like that of 9 , is to have 

 a black frontlet and gorget, like I. spuriua under the same circumstances. Texas, chiefly near 

 the Mexican border, and southward to Honduras. Nest woven like that of other Orioles, very 

 substantial and durable though thin-walled, and more like a saucer than a cup: in places 

 where Spanish moss grows, it is usually made of this material, and jilaced in a truss of the 

 same. Eggs 3-4, sometimes 5, varying from 0.75 to 0.90 long by 0.60 to 65 broad, usually 

 quite pointed at both ends ; color white or whitish, irregularly spotted and blotched with 

 shades of brown and neutral tints, especially about the larger end, with less scrawling than 



