Orchard Oriole. T7 



scarcely noticed, although at this season the grubs and 

 other insects devoured compensate in large measure for 

 the grain taken at other times. 



;ii ^ * * * * 



"Upon the whole, crow blackbirds are so useful that no 

 general war of extermination should be waged against 

 them. While it must be admitted that at times they in- 

 jure crops, such depredations can usually be prevented. 

 On the other hand, by destroying insects, they do in- 

 calculable good." 



ORCHAED OEIOLE. 



Among the gay spirits whose voices predominate in the 

 orchard medley is one whose ringing notes have a familiar 

 meaning, yet the lack of fullest richness and expression 

 tells us that we must not look for the brilliant "fire-bird " 

 of the Indians as the author of the music now floating to 

 our ears. The tall maples and elms along the streets and 

 in the dooryards have more attractions for the dashing 

 Baltimore oriole than he can resist, and he seldom resorts 

 to the orchard to swing his pouch of felt, and only oc- 

 casionally to gossip with his more modest and less as- 

 suming relative. Yet there is little need of the gay. 

 splendid bearer of the fiery brand to give animation to 

 orchard bird-life while the orchard oriole possesses so 

 many attractive qualities, and only differs from the former 

 in its less vivacious manners and less brilliant dress. It 

 is not strange that so many indifferent persons have 

 neglected to form the acquaintance of the orchard oriole, 

 since the similarity of its notes to the eloquence of the 

 gayer oriole adds to the likelihood of confusing the two 

 species. However, if the two orioles are studied sepa- 

 rately, each in its chosen resorts, the differences between 

 the two will become apparent, and it will be found that 

 we have two orioles claiming our attention and friend- 

 ship, each supplementing instead of supplanting the other 

 in our affections. 



The orchard oriole has been appropriately named, for 

 it seems to be more at home in the orchard than in other 



