216 



BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



are captured during their foraging expeditions in the orchard, field and 

 garden. " Rose-slugs," " cabbage-worms " and grasshoppers are eagerly 

 devoured by Orchard Orioles. They subsist to a small extent on soft 

 fruits (strawberries, mulberries and raspberries) when the same are in 

 season, and occasionally feed on apple and pear blossoms, their depre- 

 dations, however, in these directions are very unimportant. 



The food-materials of sixteen Orchard Orioles examined by the author 

 are given in the following table : 



Icterus galbula (LraN.). 



Baltimore Oriole; Hanging-bird. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 89). 



The adults and young vary greatly in plumage. The adult female and young male 

 frequently can only be distinguished by dissection. Length about 8 inches ; extent 

 about 12| inches ; female smaller. 



Habitat. Eastern United States ; west nearly to the Rocky mountains. 



The Baltimore Oriole is quite plentifully distributed throughout Penn- 

 sylvania as a summer resident. This well-known and beautiful species 

 winters, it is stated, in Cuba, Mexico and Central America, and in the 

 spring migrates northward, arriving in this latitude from April 25 to 

 May 1. The males come mostly a few days in advance of the females, 

 and appear usually in parties of five or eight, sometimes, though rarely, 

 flocks of fifteen or twenty individuals are observed. These birds at first, 

 and particularly if several should be together, are generally found fre- 

 quenting forests; especially do they delight in gleaning among the 

 branches of the hickory, maple and oak trees. The Baltimore Oriole, 

 like the preceding species, is a common frequenter about the habitations 

 of man. This bird is known by a variety of names, most of which have 

 reference to his showy dress. The appellation " Baltimore," Dr. Coues 

 writes, " is not from the city of that name, but from the title of Sir 

 George Calvert, first baron of Baltimore ; the colors of the bird being 

 chosen for his livery, or resembling those of his coat-of-arms." Key to 

 N. A. Birds, p. 408. The terms Golden-robin, Fire-bird and Bed-bird, 



