262 HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



ture female, and not attaining its full beauty until its third year. 

 When adult, the whole of the head, neck, upper part of the back, 

 breast, wings, and tail are deep black, and a rich ruddy chestnut 

 hue occupies the remainder of the breast, the under parts of the 

 body, and part of the wing-coverts, some of which are tipped with 

 white. The young male and the adult female are yellowish-olive 

 above instead of black, with brown wings, and yellow on the breast 

 and abdomen ; while the male of the second year has much the 

 same colors, but is known by a patch of black over the head and 

 on the throat, together with a few chestnut feathers on the flanks 

 and abdomen. It is smaller than the Baltimore Oriole, and more 

 slenderly made. 



The nest of this bird is almost as variable in structure as is its 

 architect in color, its form being accommodated to the situation in 

 which it is placed. When fastened to a tolerably stout branch, 

 its depth is less than its diameter, and it is firmly tied in several 

 directions to prevent the wind from upsetting it. But when it is 

 slung to a long and slender branch, over which the wind has great 

 power, and which is swung to a distance of fourteen or fifteen feet 

 in a smart breeze, the nest is made of much greater depth, and is 

 of a lighter construction. The weeping willow is a favorite tree 

 with this bird, as the drooping leaves conceal the nest effectually, 

 and the delicate twigs can be gathered together so as to support 

 the entire circumference of the entrance. 



Wilson remarks, in allusion to these nests, that they " exhibit 

 not only art in the construction, but judgment in adapting their 

 fabrications so judiciously to their particular situations. If the 

 actions of birds proceeded, as some would have us believe, from 

 the mere impulses of that thing called instinct, individuals of the 

 same species would uniformly build their nests in the same man- 

 ner, wherever they might happen to fix it ; but it is evident, from 

 those just mentioned, and from a thousand such circumstances, 

 that they reason, a priori, from cause to consequence, persistently 

 managing with a constant eye to future necessity and conven- 

 ience." 



The popular name of Orchard Oriole is given to this species 

 because it is a familiar and bold bird, not in the least fearing the 

 vicinity of man, but rather seeming to find a protection therein, 

 and loving to build its pensile nests in orchards. As is the case 

 with many British birds, it long had an evil reputation which it 

 did not deserve, and was thought to devour the ripe fruit of the 



