OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 375 



extremity, with pale purple blotches upon a light 

 bluish-white ground, and dashed with a few deep, 

 dark purplish-brown markings at the larger ex- 

 tremity. In Eastern Pennsylvania the eggs 

 measure .88 of an inch in length and .58 in breadth. 



Icterus baltimore, Daudin. * 



The Baltimore Oriole, the Golden Robin of the 

 New England States, is one of the most common 

 birds in Eastern Pennsylvania, where he arrives 

 about the beginning of May. His brilliant plumage, 

 interesting and vivacious manners, his rare vocal 

 powers replete with variety, beauty, and pathos, 

 render him a great favorite with us, notwithstanding 

 his peculiar propensity for the pea-vines of our 

 gardens. The prematureness and ' tardiness of 

 the season neither hasten nor retard his coming. 

 We are reminded of his presence by the joyous 

 welcome with which he greets us while perched 

 upon the top of some tall cherry, close to our 

 door, or still taller plane-tree. The male-birds 

 are always unaccompanied by their mates which 

 do not arrive until the expiration of the third or 

 fourth clay. 



The song at first is unusually loud and shrill, 

 and partakes somewhat of the nature of tender 

 and querulous lamentations. It resembles twe- 

 (lh-liue-&h-twe-aJi-twe-ah-twU, twe-ah - twe-clk - twc- 

 ah-twe-ah-too-too. Its ordinary call-note sounds like 

 tc-keeeee. After the arrival of his mate, the char- 

 acter of the song changes and becomes richer and 



