ORIOLUS BALTIMORUS, 

 BALTIMORE ORIOLE. 



[Plate LIIL Fig. 4. Female.] 



THE history of this beautiful species has been already par- 

 ticularly detailed; to this representation of the female, drawn 

 of half the size of nature, a few particulars may be added. The 

 males generally arrive several days before the females, saunter 

 about their wonted places of residence, and seem lonely and 

 less sprightly than after the arrival of their mates. In the spring 

 and summer of 1811, a Baltimore took up its abode in Mr. 

 Bartram's garden, whose notes were so singular as particularly 

 to attract my attention; they were as well known to me as the 

 voice of my most intimate friend. On the thirtieth of April, 

 1812, I was again surprised and pleased at hearing this same 

 Baltimore in the garden, whistling his identical old chant; and 

 I observed that he particularly frequented that quarter of the 

 garden where the tree stood, on the pendent branches of which 

 he had formed his nest the preceding year. This nest had been 

 taken possession of by the House Wren, a few days after the 

 Baltimore's brood had abandoned it; and curious to know how 

 the little intruder had furnished it within, I had taken it down 

 early in the fall, after the Wren herself had also raised a brood 

 of six young in it, and which was her second that season. I 

 found it stript of its original lining, floored with sticks, or small 

 twigs, above which were laid feathers; so that the usual com- 

 plete nest of the Wren occupied the interior of that of the Bal- 

 timore. 



The chief difference between the male and female Baltimore 

 Oriole, is the superior brightness of the orange colour of the for- 

 mer to that of the latter. The black on the head, upper part of 



