BALTIMORE ORIOLE— rpAantes Baltimore. 



entirely of au animal nature, and to consist of caterpillars, beetles, and other insects, most 

 of them injurious to the fanner or the gardener. 



The colouring of this bird is as follows : The head and thi-oat, together with the upper 

 part of the back and the wings, are deep black, with the exception of an orange bar upon 

 the shoulders. The lower part of the back and the whole of the under surface are bright 

 orange, warming into scarlet on the breast. The edges of the secondaries, the exterior 

 edges of the greater wing-coverts, and part of those of the primaries, are w^iite, The tail 

 is rather curiously coloured, and thus described by Wilson : " The tail-feathers under the 

 coverts, orange ; the two middle ones from thence to the tips are black, the next five on 

 each side black near the coverts, and orange towards the extremities, so disposed that 

 when the tail is expanded and the coverts removed, the black appears in the form of a 

 pyramid supported on an arch of orange." The female is dull black wpon the upper parts 

 and mottled with brownish yellow, each feather being marked with that tint upon the 

 edges. Tlie lower part of the back and all the under portions of the body are dull orange, 

 and the tail is mostly olive yellow. The wings are dull brown, and marked with yellowish 

 white upon the coverts. 



