FAMILY 



After observing the Oriole, one realizes how unlike the 

 Robin he is in vocal habit and method of work. He 

 carefully searches every leaf among the smaller branches 

 of some tree near that in which his mate sits on li 

 and at the same time whistles a note or two perhaps t<> 

 assure her of his whereabouts, but in a very desultory 

 manner, as if business were too important to waste any 

 time in song. His note is immediately changed, how- 

 ever, if anybody approaches the nest or any harm 

 threatens, then it becomes excited, harsh, and nicta!li<-, 

 and is often repeated in a series of rapid, high tones sent 

 out as a warning to his mate. When all is quiet again, 

 he resumes his hunt for food, and soliloquizes now and 

 then, much as Wilson says, " with the pleasing tran- 

 quility of a careless ploughboy, whistling merely for his 

 own amusement." 



fff soliloquizes dS he hunts for caterpilbrs; then breaks into song- 



This is song No. 3 of the foregoing dotted records. 

 Rarely the Oriole invades the garden and helps himself 

 to green peas, but as a rule his food is arboreal in charac- 

 ter, and consists of beetles, caterpillars, grubs, and ants. 



Purple Qrackle. The solemn, large Blackbird with an 

 Crow Black- iridescent violet-blue neck, which walks 

 with some deliberation over the ploughed 

 ground of spring, especially in the region 

 south of Massachusetts extending to 

 Georgia, is the Purple Grackle. His head, 

 neck, throat, and a limited part of tin- 

 breast Are lustrous violet-blue with steel-blue and green- 

 ' lu intermingled; back and rump metallic bottle-green 

 70 



bird 



Quiscalus 

 quiscalus 

 L. 12.00 to 

 13.25 inches 

 March loth 



