THE GOLDEN ORIOLE. 335 



and low brushwood, and the Bullfinches always preferred the 

 latter. I certainly have often found their nests in tall bushes, 

 and sometimes in trees ; but they were always placed at so low 

 an elevation, that the height of the tree or bush had no effect 

 on that of the nest. 



The bird next on our list is rather variable in its nesting. 



The Golden Oriole {Oriolus galbula) is seldom seen in 

 England, and its nest even more seldom. Every year, however, 

 a few stray nests are built in this country, as there are few years 

 in which the journals devoted to natural history do not contain a 

 notice of the bird being seen, and occasionally of its nest being 

 found. In the warmer parts of the continent it is plentiful, and 

 in Italy is regularly exposed in the markets towards the middle 

 of autumn, when it has indulged in fruit for some time and has 

 become very plump and fat. 



In this condition it is well known to epicures under the name 

 of Becquafiga, corrupted into Beccafico. It is not easily procured, 

 as it is a very wary bird, and does not like to venture far from 

 covert. In the autumn, however, its love of fruit conquers its 

 fear of man, and it haunts the orchard in numbers, making no 

 small havoc among the fruit. Even under such circumstances 

 it is not easy of approach, and the gunner will seldom manage 

 to secure his prey except by imitating its peculiar and flute-like 

 notes. He must, however, be very careful in his mimicr}^, for 

 the bird has a critical ear, and if it detects the imitator, is sure 

 to sHp through the foliage and fly off" to its forest stronghold. 



The nest of the Golden Oriole is always placed near the 

 extremity of a branch, and in some cases is so constructed that it 

 almost deserves to be ranked among the pensiles. It is always a 

 pretty nest, and the accompanying illustration conveys a good 

 idea of its general form. It is always more or less cup-like in 

 shape, but the comparative depth of the cup is very variable, as 

 in some cases it is scarcely deeper in proportion than that of the 

 goldfinch, and rather saucer-shaped, while in others the depth 

 even exceeds the width. Perhaps the nest may be altered in 

 shape after the female begins to deposit her eggs, as is known to 



