146 MY NATURE NOTEBOOK. 



Too often, however, it is the fatal gift of beauty which 

 causes a wild creature to become rare wherever man 

 can reach it. 



GOLDEN ORIOLES IN CORNWALL. 



In this connection it was a welcome note which 

 a friend sent to me from Cornwall of a pair of 

 golden orioles that have bred there for two seasons 

 in a sheltered valley where the " man with a gun " is 

 luckily almost unknown. Although this fine bird, as 

 large as a thrush, of brilliant yellow and black, comes 

 annually to Britain, it is extremely rare, and, having 

 learnt to be very shy, appears rarer still. Like the 

 hawfinch, also a bird of distinguished appearance, the 

 golden oriole may live all the summer and rear a 

 family in a garden without the owner, unless he 

 happens to be observant of wild life, knowing that 

 he has been so honoured. In the case of the hawfinch 

 the honour is becoming doubtful, perhaps ; for, though 

 formerly rare, this handsome bird grows commoner 

 every year, and he is the very mischief among the 

 green peas. When you see a whole row of peas with 

 little more than empty pods dangling in the wind, 

 you may know that the hawfinch has paid them an 

 early-morning visit. The golden oriole has a similar 

 weakness for cherries in season ; but he is so very 

 rare and so handsome that one would gladly let him 

 eat his fill on the chance of tempting him back to 

 breed next year. 



