154 THE GOLDEN ORIOLE 



broods were sometimes reared in a year. 1 The only confirmation that 

 I have ever heard of this was from Karl Mollen, the falconer of 

 Valkenswaard, who told me some fifteen years ago that he believed 

 that a second brood was sometimes reared in August. 



In the last weeks of July the young orioles moult their smaller 

 feathers, while the old birds undergo a complete moult, shedding the 

 quills of both wings and tail. During the breeding season they are thin 

 and in poor condition, but after the moult, in August, they develop 

 an extraordinary appetite, devouring, besides insect food, mulberries, 

 as well as grapes and figs in the south. On this diet they rapidly 

 become very fat, which no doubt is of the greatest service to them on 

 their long journey towards their winter quarters. 



The question as to the utility or the reverse of the species to the 

 agriculturist has been carefully investigated in Hungary by E. Csiki, 

 under the auspices of the Ungarische Ornithologische Centrale (Aquila, 

 1904, p. 32). From this it appears that from the time of its arrival to 

 mid-June its food consists exclusively of insects, especially cock- 

 chafers (Melolontha vulgaris and hippocastani}, both of which are 

 extremely destructive to vegetation. During the second half of June 

 and in July and August, various kinds of fruit are also eaten, 

 especially mulberries and cherries, but on the whole the good done 

 during the earlier months far outweighs any damage which may be 

 done later. 



By the end of August the old birds have already begun their 

 return journey, and are rarely to be seen in Southern France, but 

 throughout September young birds may be met with from time to 

 time. In Spain and Italy the return passage also takes place during 

 August and September, but there is one curious fact in connection 

 with it which has never been satisfactorily explained. One would 

 naturally expect that after rearing families of four or five to each pair, 

 the numbers on the return journey would be very largely augmented, 

 but as a matter of fact far fewer are usually noticed than in spring, 



1 Zoologist, 1861, p. 7540. 



