92 INSESSORES. 
is a very slight structure, formed of the dry stalks 
of flax or grass, and so loosely put together that the 
light may easily be seen through it. The eggs are 
mostly three, of a dull blue color, spotted with brown 
or purple. Scarcely anything can exceed the attach- 
ment which these birds manifest for their young, as 
the following incident related by Wilson will show: 
“Passing through an orchard one morning, I 
caught one of these young birds, that had but lately 
left the nest. I carried it with me about half a mile, 
to show it to my friend, Mr. William Bartram; and, 
having procured a cage, hung it up on one of the 
large pine trees in the botanic garden, within a few 
feet of the nest of an Orchard Oriole, which also 
contained young; hopeful that the charity or tender- 
ness of the Orioles would induce them to supply the 
cravings of the stranger. But charity with them, as 
with too many of the human race, began and ended 
at home. The poor orphan was altogether neglected, 
notwithstanding its plaintive cries ; and, as it refused 
to be fed by me, I was about to return it back to the 
place where I had found it, when, toward the after- 
noon, a Scarlet Tanager, no doubt its own parent, 
was seen fluttering round the cage, endeavoring to 
get in. Finding this impracticable, he flew off, and 
soon returned with food in his bill, and continued to 
feed it till after sunset, taking up his lodgings on the 
higher branches of the same tree. In the morning, 
almost as soon as day broke, he was again seen most 
actively engaged in the same affectionate manner; 
and, notwithstanding the insolence of the Orioles, 
