264 BIRDS' NESTS 



birds. Certain of the species in the present family 

 construct nests of a somewhat intermediate type, 

 like those of the PendulineTits and the Honey-eaters. 

 Of these mention may be made of the following. 

 The Baltimore Oriole {Icterus galbula), a common 

 summer migrant to many parts of the United States, 

 makes a deep bag or pocket-like nest, which is hung 

 pendulously to the extremity of a suitable branch, 

 the rim of the structure generally being caught or 

 interwoven in one or two places to the supporting 

 twigs. The bird commences operations, according to 

 that accurate observer, Wilson, by fastening strong 

 strips of hemp or flax fibre round the two forks of a 

 twig sufficiently wide apart for the purpose, and with 

 these and other materials, such as tow and wool, it 

 weaves it into a kind of strong cloth-like substance, 

 which is fastened into a pocket-like nest, the latter 

 being lined with a variety of soft material, and finally 

 finished with a layer of horse-hair. Considerable 

 variation in the neatness and fabrication of the nests 

 of these birds has often been remarked, the least 

 elaborate and skilfully made cradles most probably 

 being the work of young and inexperienced individuals. 

 This undoubted fact in the nest -building of other 

 species has already been noticed in the opening 

 chapter {^conf. p. 15). Other species of Orioles 

 belonging to the same genus or closely allied genera 

 make very similar structures. Perhaps the nests of 

 no other birds exhibit so much evidence of construe- 



