582 PERCHING BIRDS 



upper half of the beak notched in the same manner as that of a 

 thrush. 



The golden oriole takes its name from the bright golden yellow of 

 the greater part of the plumage of the adult cock ; this being relieved 

 by the blood-red eye, red beak, black stripe in front of the eye, and 

 black wings (the coverts edged with pale \cllow) and basal half of tail- 

 feathers. Hens are greyish white below, with black streaks on the 

 breast and throat, but when very aged tend to assimilate to their mates 

 in colour ; \oung birds are similar in colour to normal hens. 



MOUNTED IN THC ROWLAND WARD STUDIOS 



GOI.DKN OUIOI.K. 



Although the species appears to be a regular spring - visitor to 

 Cornwall and the Scilly Isles, the flute-like notes of the golden oriole 

 are unfortunately but seldom heard in most parts of England ; and 

 when a specimen does make its appearance, its conspicuous plumage 

 renders it an object of pursuit to those gunners who defy the laws for 

 bird- protection. Eong before these were in force a considerable 

 number of instances of the oriole nesting in England were, however, 

 recorded ; the counties where this has occurred including Devonshire, 

 Dorsetshire, Kent, Norfolk, and Suffolk. To Scotland this bird is a 

 much more rare visitor, and such instances as have occurred have been 

 chicfl)' in the southern districts. In Ireland the species occasionally 

 visits the eastern and southern counties. 



