150 ORCHARD ORIOLE. 



of being more correct ; yet when it is considered, tliat the female of tliia 

 bird is so much shyer than the male, that it is seldom seen ; and that 

 while the males are flying around and bewailing an approach to their 

 nest, the females keep aloof, watching every movement of the enemy in 

 restless but silent anxiety ; it is less to be wondered at, I say, that two 

 birds of the same kind, but difi'erent in plumage, making their appear- 

 ance together at such times, should be taken for male and female of the 

 same nest, without doubt or examination, as from that strong sympathy 

 for each other's distress, which prevails so universally among them at 

 this season, it is difficult sometimes to distinguish between the sufferer 

 and the sympathizing neighbor. 



The female of the Orchard Oriole, fig. 1, is six inches and a half in 

 length, and eleven inches in extent, the color above is a yellow olive, 

 inclining to a brownish tint on the back ; the wings are dusky brown, 

 lesser wing-coverts tipped with yellowish white, greater coverts and 

 secondaries exteriorly edged with the same, primaries slightly so ; tail 

 rounded at the extremity, the two exterior feathers three-quarters of an 

 inch shorter than the middle ones ; whole lower parts yellow ; bill and 

 legs light blue, the former bent a little, very sharp pointed, and black 

 towards the extremity ; iris of the eye hazel, pupil black. The young 

 male of the first season corresponds nearly with the above description. 

 But in the succeeding spring, he makes his appearance with a large 

 patch of black marking the front, lores and throat, as represented in 

 fig. 2. In this stage, too, the black sometimes makes its appearance on 

 the two middle feathers of the tail ; and slight stains of reddish are seen 

 commencing on the sides and belly. The rest of the plumage as in the 

 female. This continuing nearly the same on the same bird during the 

 remainder of the season. At the same time other individuals are found 

 as represented by fig. 3, which are at least birds of the third summer. 

 These are mottled with black and olive on the upper parts of the back, 

 and with reddish bay and yellow on the belly, sides and vent, scattered 

 in the most irregular manner, not alike in any two individuals ; and 

 generally the two middle feathers of the tail are black, and the others 

 centred with the same color. This bird is now evidently approaching to 

 its perfect plumage, as represented in fig. 4, where the black spreads 

 over the whole head, neck, upper part of the back, breast, wings and 

 tail, the reddish bay or bright chestnut occupying the loAver part of the 

 breast, the belly, vent, rump, tail-coverts, and three lower roAvs of the 

 lesser wing-coverts. The black on the head is deep and velvety ; that 

 of the wings inclining to brown ; the greater wing-coverts are tipped 

 with white. In the same orchard, and at the same time, males in each 

 of these states of plumage may be found, united to their respective 

 plain-colored mates. 



In all these the manners, mode of building, food and notes are, gen- 



