306 ICTERIDvE : AMERICAN STARLINGS. 



happily in their cradles with every breeze that passes, 

 till they grow strong enough to try their wings. 



No very high praise can be given to the song of 

 this Oriole, wdiich, though whistled loud and clear, 

 has but little scope or variation, and grows monotonous 

 with reiteration, especially of the syllables tu-zucc, 

 tu-icce. But we need not complain if we do not find 

 all the accomplishments combined in one bird. 



The efres of the Baltimore are from four to six in 

 number, measuring nearly an inch in length by about 

 0.65 in breadth, being thus rather narrowly elongate. 

 The ground color is white, but seldom pure, being 

 oftenest shaded with some neutral tint ; the whole 

 surface, or any part of it, most irregularly spotted, 

 blotched, clouded, and especially scrawled, with black- 

 ish-brown and other heavy shades, and in addition to 

 these strong colors the usual obscure shell markings. 

 The scrawling lines that straggle aimlessly and even 

 fantastically over the surface are highly characteristic 

 of birds of this family, and bespeak the close relation- 

 ship of the brilliant Orioles to their humbler relatives, 

 the Blackbirds of the marsh. The time for the qq^s 

 is the first week in June. 



The Baltimore is not particular as to his residence. 

 Given trees suitable for nesting places, it makes little 

 difference whether they are in the woods or in the 

 heart of a city ; 3'et, as if proud of his fine appearance 

 and skill at the loom, he seems to court attention, and 

 the shade-trees of our streets and parks are favorite 

 resorts. Their choice of all trees — the statelv, srrace- 

 ful elms which adorn New England landscapes — have 

 one charm more when fired with such brilliancy 



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