BULBULS. 123 



with mosses and lichens, and hned with feathers and still softer materials. 

 Almost the whole genus of Orioles build pensile nests. The Baltimore Oriole 

 is so solicitous to procure the best materials for this purpose, that in the sea- 

 son for building, the women in the country are under the necessity of narrowly 

 watching their thread that may be out bleaching, and the farmer of protecting 

 his young grafts ; as the " Baltimore," finding the former, and the strings 

 which enwrap the latter, so well adapted to the construction of its nest, fre- 

 quently carries off both, or, should the one be too heavy, or the other too 

 securely tied, he will tug at them for a considerable time before he gives up 

 the attempt. Skeins of silk and hanks of thread are often found, after the 

 leaves have fallen, hanging about the nest, but so woven up and entangled as 

 to be quite unreclaimable. Before the introduction of Europeans, no such 

 materials could have been obtained in America ; but, with the sagacity of a 

 good architect, the bird has turned them to account, and the strongest and 

 best threads are uniformly found in those parts by which the fabric is sup- 

 ported. The " Baltimore" inhabits North America, from Canada to Mexico, 

 and even as far south as Brazil. Since the streets have been planted with 

 Lombardy poplars, these birds are constantly in the habit of boldly entering 

 the towns, where, amid the noise and tumult of coaches, drays, wheelbarrows, 

 and the din of the multitude, they are heard chanting " their native wood- 

 notes wild." 



Sub- Family V. 



THE BULBULS. PYCNONOTIN^.* 



General Characteristics. — Bill usually short, with the culmen curved, and the 

 sides compressed to the tip, which is emarginated ; the gape furnished with more 

 or less lengthened bristles ; the nostrils basal, and placed in a short membranous 

 groove ; the wings moderate and rounded ; the tail long, broad, and generally 

 rounded at the end ; the tarsi as long as, or shorter than, the middle toe, and gene- 

 rally covered by an entire scale ; the toes moderate, the outer toe sometimes longer 

 than the inner, and united at the base, the hind toe long and strong. 



These birds are found in the southern parts of Europe, also 

 in Africa, Asia, and the Indian Archipelago. They frequent trees 

 in the open country, in pairs or in small parties, and are usually 

 seen hopping from branch to branch in search of fruits, berries, and 

 insects ; they sometimes commit great depredations in gardens, 

 flying in a direct line from tree to tree, with a quick flapping of 

 the wings, and usually uttering at the same time a whistling note ; 

 they have also the power of imitating the cries of various birds. 

 The Bulbuls, so well known by repeated references to them in 

 Oriental writings, are many of them possessed of remarkably 

 sweet voices, and are popularly called " Nightingales." They are 

 easily tamed, and can be taught to perform many interesting 



* TzvKvb'i, pycnos, broad; vwros, notos, the back: broad-backed. 



