19^ Noirrn amhrican nikna 



lutely (lefendinu tlieir yoiini,' wlion in daiigor, and exposing themselves fear- 

 lessly 1(1 danger and to drath latluT than forsake tlieni. W their yonni^ are 

 t d<< .. and caj^ed, the j)arent.s Inllow them, and, if permitted, will continue to 

 feed them. 



Mr. liidLiway mentions an instanee where the female entered her nest 

 wjiile he was in the aet of severinii the Vnnh from wliieh it was suspended, 

 and ]>ersi>ted in remaining; there until tiie nest had heen cut off and taken 

 into the hous(\ One vi' these birds, reared from the nest l»y a i'amily in 

 W<)re(»>t('r, Mass., heeame perfectly domesticated, was allowed full liberty, 

 and even when taken by tlu' married daughter of its mistress, perched on 

 her tinker, through tlie o])en grounds to her own house, made no attempt to 

 eseape. It thdighted in occasional acts of mischief, especially in putting its 

 ])ointe(l Itill through the meshes of the lace curtains, and then opening its 

 l)eak, seeming to enj<>y the sound produced by tearing the threads. 



In the construction of its nest the Oriole disidavs great skill and inge- 

 nuity. This structure is a pendulous and nearly cylindrical pouch, suspended 

 from the extremity of some hanging branch. It is constructed by means of 

 the interweaving of the natural filaments of several flaxlike plants into a 

 homogeneous fal)ric of great strength, and admirably adai)ted to its purpose. 

 A nest of this syiecies from West Florida, as well as the one figured by Au- 

 dubon, was made entirely of the long moss {Tillandsia usncoidc'^) so abun- 

 dant in Southern forests. 



The voung birds, before they can flv, climb to the edge of the nest, and 

 are liable, in sudden tempests, to be thrown out. If uninjured, they are 

 good climbers, and by means of wings, bill, and claws, are often able to 

 reach places of safety. In one instance a tiedglinu, which had broken both 

 legs, and was placed in a basket to be fed by its parents, managed, by wings 

 and bill, to raise itself to the rim, aiul in a few days took its departure. 



The parents feed their y«(ung chietly with caterpillars, which they appar- 

 ently swallow and then disgorge for this purpose. In confinement they feed 

 readily on soaked bread and fruit, and are especially fond of figs. They are 

 soon reconciled to confinement, become very docile and even playful, sinii 

 readilv, and will even come at a jiiven signal and alight on the finjxer of 

 their nuister. 



The eggs of the Baltimore are usually five and rarely six in number. 

 They are of an oblong-oval shape, pointed at one end, and measure .91 of an 

 inch in length by .<>() in breadth. Their ground-color is white, with a slight 

 roseate tinge when fresh, fading into a bluish shade in time. They are all 

 variously marked, dottetl, and marliled, with .spots, blotches, and irregular 

 waving lines of purplish-brown. These markings are of greatly varying 

 shades, from a light jturjde to ahnost complete blackness, only perceptibly 

 purplish in a strong light. 



