BIRDS OF THE WOODS 49 



Plumage. — Superciliary streak over eyes bright yellow. 

 Chin, throat, and breast white, suJBfused with yellow, 

 upper parts yellowish green ; wings and tail greyish 

 brown, edged with yellowish and tipped with white. 

 Belly white. Rump and thighs yellow. Bill and legs 

 brown. Length 5 J in. Female similar. Young, yellower 

 than adults. 



Language. — Song, clear and sweet, beginning slowly, 

 then becoming faster, and ending in a tremulous, sibilous 

 note, thus : " twit-twit-twit-tit-tit-tit-ti-ti-ti-i-i-i." 

 Call-note, " too-er." Alarm-note, " pi-o." 



Habits. — Very similar to last two. Very restless and 

 active in its movements. Specially fond of beech and 

 oak trees, especially the uppermost parts of same. 



Food. — Insects and their larvae. Small soft fruits. 



Nest. — May. Probably one brood only. 



Site. — On or very near the ground, well concealed by 

 growing herbage, and nearly always in a wood, copse, 

 or the like. 



Materials. — Dead leaves, grass, and moss, lined with 

 finer grass and horsehair. Note. — Feathers never used 

 as a lining, like the last two. Nest cave-shaped. 



Eggs. — Five to seven. White, well spotted and 

 speckled with dark brown and purplish grey. Often 

 zoned. 



GOLDEN ORIOLE (Oriolus galhula). 



An annual but rare spring migrant, more especially 

 in the South. It has bred with us, and doubtless would 

 do so annually if " collectors " would allow it. 



Haunts. — Gardens, plantations, woods, &c. 



Plumage. — Lores black ; wings black, margined and 

 tipped with yellowish white. Tail yellowish, tipped 



G 



