202 



THE APPLE CULTUHItiT. 



down in the form of a basket or an oblong poncb, Fig. 77. Several such strings 

 were attached to the branches with wonderful precision. Strong spears of grass 

 were also employed and woven in among the pieces of twine, as a basket-maker 

 weaves or braids a basket. All this is performed with the bills. We could pen 

 pages of interesting matter touching the natural history of the orioles ; but we 

 have only space to implore farmers, and every one, not to " destroy the goose 

 that lays the golden egg." Spare the orioles. Encourage them to abide in the 

 fruit orchard. Do not allow ill-natured boys to stone them, nor cruel sportsmen 

 to shoot them. They will destroy an immense number of noxious insects. Let 

 children be taught in early life that the orioles are their best friends, to whose 

 efforts many a flue crop of fruit is justly due. 



Fig. 78. 



GOLDEN OKIOLES AND NEST. 



The Golden Oriole, illustrated by Fig. 78, is one of the useful little birds that 

 flourishes for a few months during the former part of the growing season near 

 human habitations. Birds of this variety seldom feed on fruit. They carry large 

 numbers of worms and bugs to their young ones ; and their chief food, at all 

 times, consists of noxious insects. 



