UNDER THE MAPLES 



The male would follow her, calling in a more cheery 

 and encouraging tone. Once the couple were 

 gone three or four hours, and I concluded they had 

 really deserted the place. But just before sun- 

 down they were back again, and the female alighted 

 at the entrance to the nest and looked in. The 

 male called to her cheerily; still she^would not enter, 

 but joined him on the telephone wire, where the two 

 seemed to hold a little discussion. Presently the 

 mother bird flew to the nest again, then to the 

 roof above it, then back to the nest, and entered 

 it till only her tail showed, then flew back to the 

 wire beside her mate. She was evidently making 

 up her mind that the case was not hopeless. After 

 a little more maneuvering, and amid the happy, 

 reassuring calls of her mate, she entered the nest 

 cavity and remained, and I was as well pleased as 

 was her mate. 



No owls disturbed them this time, and the brood 

 of young birds was brought off in due season. In 

 July a second brood of four was successfully reared 

 and sent forth on their career. 



The oriole nests in many kinds of trees — oaks, 

 maples, apple-trees, elms — but her favorite is the 

 elm. She chooses the end of one of the long droop- 

 ing branches where a group of small swaying twigs 

 affords her suitable support. It is the most un- 

 likely place imaginable for any but a pendent nest, 

 woven to half a dozen or more slender, vertical 



48 



