[rrom the Aniericiin Naturalist, ^'ol. V, November. 1871.] *- ' 



BULLOCK'S ORIOLE. 



BY ELLIOTT COUES. 



Although the beautiful bird referred to in the works cited* 

 has been known by name for nearly half a century, no complete 

 biography has yet appeared ; and doubtless many readers of 

 the Naturalist will be glad to have such information as we can 

 furnish from our stud}^ of its habits. We will premise that it is 

 a near relatiA^e of the Baltimore oriole, or fire-bird, or hangnest. 

 as it is indifferently called ; a bird whose striking colors and 

 brilliant vocal powers, together with its abundance in our streets 

 and orchards, have made it a well-known favorite. Like the Bal- 

 timore, it is chiefly black and orange in color, but it differs in 

 having a large white patch on the wings, and the sides of the 

 head and neck orange instead of black. The female, as in all the 

 orioles, is smaller than the male and with hardly a trace of his 



*Xanthorthus Bullockii Swainson. Phil. Mag. i, 1827, p. 436.— Audubox, Orn. Biog. v, 

 1839, p. 9, pis. 388, 433, and 8vo, ed. iv, 1843, p. 43, pi. 218.— Pacific Raih-oad Reports, vi. 

 1857, p. 87; ix, 1S58, p. 549; x, 1859, p. 52; xii, 1859, p. 209, and Max. Bound. Survey, ii, 

 pt. 2, 1859, p. 20.— CouES, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philada., 18(5(j, p. 55.— Cooper, Cal. 

 Birds, i, p. 273. — PsarocoUus auricollis of Maximilian. 



