4 BRITISH BIRDS. WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



The nest of the Golden Oriole is usually, though not invariably, suspended 

 between the forking branches of an oak, frequently at a considerable height from 

 the ground, and at the end of a somewhat slender bough. The outer walls are 

 formed of broad-leaved sedges, grasses, strips of bark (often white birch-bark) wool 

 etc., carefully interwoven, and including the branches between which it hangs ; the 

 lining consists of fine grasses, sometimes with the flowering heads attached. The 

 eggs, which number from four to five, are shining milk-white, with scattered pur- 

 plish black spots, and occasionally a few greyish shell-spots. 



The season of nidification appears to be from May to June. 



The call-note of this bird is clear and flute-like, but its alarm-note is a harsh 

 croaking khrr : the song is short but melodious; Seebohm renders it " ivhcet, li, 

 vee-o" The Rev. H. A. Macpherson states that the males have a cat-like call : he 

 also observes (Zoologist, 1891, p. 467) after noting the fact that the females as 

 they grow older approach the male colouring : " I do not think that the female 

 of this Oriole would be at all exposed to danger when sitting by bright colours. 

 It is not easy to see even a male Golden Oriole in the top of a big oak or elm 

 in the breeding season. The birds crouch close to the boughs if alarmed, and 

 neither they nor their nests are easy to distinguish among the fully expanded 

 leaves." 



The food of this bird consists largely of insects and their larvae, spiders, and 

 the like ; but as the fruit season approaches, its diet somewhat changes, cherries 

 being especially relished by it : in confinement it does well on the usual food for 

 insectivorous birds. Being both beautiful and musical it is much esteemed as a 

 cage-bird, and years ago I asked a friend to obtain nestlings for me ; but perhaps 

 it was as well that he did not succeed in securing me any, for they seem not to 

 be easy to bring up. Lord Lilford remarks: "I have found the young very 

 difficult to keep alive for more than a week or two, though I know of instances 

 in which they have been reared with success." 



I think it extremely probable that aviculturists, when trying to rear insecti- 

 vorous birds, feed them far too well : in the case of large birds like Thrushes, 

 Starlings, or Orioles, I believe that the mixture on which I have always been 

 successful in rearing the two former, would answer well for all three oat-flour, 

 fine peameal, and sifted Spratt's food (or ground dog-biscuit) ; but in the case of 

 the Orioles, it might be advantageously varied with soaked ants' cocoons, or living 

 ants' cocoons if readily procurable. 



The Orioles in confinement do not differ from other insectivors in their pas- 

 sionate love of both mealworms and spiders, and a few of either every day are not 

 only wholesome, but tend to tame them. 



