NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 67 



Other ornithologist, informs him that he had never found the bird or its 

 nest so far north as San Buenaventura, Cal, Mr. Evermann writes me 

 that he found it breeding quite numerously as far north as San Buenaven- 

 tura, and that it was observed breeding at Santa Barbara, thirty miles far- 

 ther up the coast, though it was not so common as in Ventura county. 

 He found the first full set of eggs about May ist. The average number of 

 eggs is five. The nests were quite different from those described by Dr. 

 Merrill ; they were suspended in sycamores generally, often in live-oaks. 

 These are usually from five to fifteen feet from the ground. They are 

 composed of grass which has been picked while yet green, so that the nest 

 is usually of a bright straw color. A complement of four typical eggs, col- 

 lected by Mr. Evermann near Santa Paula, Cal., April 13, 1881, measure 

 as follows: .94 by .66, .94 by .64, .92 by .63, .89 by .6^,. 



270. Orchard Oriole — icterus spurius. Pale bluish-ground, marked 

 with dots and zigzag lines of light and dark brown, running into black, 

 same as in all of the Orioles; the eggs are usually four in number, size .85 

 by .60. The nest of this Oriole is one of the most perfect specimens of 

 woven purses, being very compact and substantial, more so in fact than 

 that of the Baltimore. It is sometimes composed entirely of blades of 

 grass, which may long retain their greenness, and so tend to the conceal- 

 ment of the nest in the foliage. The favorite nesting place of this bird is 

 in trees at heights ranging from ten to fifty feet; and especially along the 

 banks of streams. Breeds throughout its United States range. The nests 

 of the smaller southern race, /. s. affinis, found in Texas, are smaller than 

 those of the eastern ones. Eggs in my collection, however, are the same. 

 " Double nests" of the Orchard Oriole seem to be quite common. Mr. 

 J. A. Singley has sent me a fine one from Giddings, Lee county, Texas. 

 Mr, Thomas G. Gentry records one in the "Museum"*; and several 

 others are mentioned in the various periodicals. 



Hab. Strictly Eastern United States; rarely north to Maine and Canada; west to the high Central Plains. 



, 271. Baltimore Oriole — icterus galbula. White, with a slight ros- 

 eate tinge when fresh, fading into a bluish tint when blown, marked with 

 blotches, lines and scrawls, irregularly distributed over the surface, usually 

 thickest about the larger end, forming a wreath; the number of eggs laid 

 ranges from four to six; size .92 by .60. The blackish hieroglyphs are 

 common in the eggs of the birds of this genus, Ictenis. This beautiful 

 Oriole never fails to excite interest in the master-piece of workmanship 

 which his bill, like a needle, weaves and suspends like a hammock from 



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