OF NEW ENGLAND. 255 



where, however, they are but seldom seen. The male gener- 

 ally spends his time in wandering from one group of trees to 

 another, often flying vigorously for quite a distance. Then 

 perching near the top of some flowering shrub or tree, he deals 

 destruction around him, while he whistles exultingly. He is 

 apparently never burdened with family-cares, but, on the 

 contrary, suggests the jovial man who frequents a convivial 

 club. 



(d). His whistled notes are loud and clear, but, though sub- 

 ject to variation, are often monotonous. They never form a 

 continuous or rapid melody, but the same sounds occur again 

 and again, especially his loud " tu-wee, tu-wee" They are 

 much less often heard after the middle of June than before, 

 and finally cease some time before his departure in September. 

 When engaged in combat (as frequently happens in May) he 

 twitters ; at other times he utters a querulous arik. His ordi- 

 nary note, however, is a harsh chatter, which becomes vehe- 

 ment, whenever he is excited. 



(B) SPURIUS. Orchard Oriole. 



(In Massachusetts, the northern limit of this species, a rare 

 summer-resident.) 



(a). About seven inches long. < , with the head, inter- 

 scapulars, wings, and tail, black ; a narrow wing-bar, white. 

 Otherwise chestnut, or chestnut-red. 9 , rather smaller ; olive- 

 yellow or olivaceous above, brownish on the back, and yellow- 

 ish (or "greenish-yellow" ) beneath. Wings, darker, with two 

 whitish bars. 



(&). The nest differs from that of the Baltimore Oriole in 

 being less cylindrical and rarely or never more than five inches 

 deep ; in Massachusetts it is seldom finished before the second 

 week of June. Wilson, speaking of a specimen, says : " I had 

 the curiosity to detach one of the fibres, or stalks, of dried 

 grass from the nest, and found it to measure 13 inches in 

 length, and in that distance was thirty-four times hooked thro* 

 and returned, winding round and round the nest !" 



The eggs are generally smaller, less elongated, and more 



