140 Mtrulidoe. 



bourhood of Tidworth. One was observed and killed in a small 

 fir plantation, and carried to the Rev. F. Dyson, who, thinking it 

 probable that the bird was not without its mate, immediately 

 employed a man with a gun to search for and procure the 

 female ; the man, however, returned with another male bird, and 

 it was conjectured that the comparative dinginess of colour in 

 the female enabled her in the dark fir plantations to escape 

 detection. The Rev. G. Powell announced to me the capture of 

 a magnificent male in full golden plumage at Tisbury on May 1, 

 1862. Mr. Ernest Baker was so fortunate as to fall in with a fine 

 male in perfect plumage on the western borders of the county, 

 on May 9, 1870, as he was driving down a lane, and the bird flew 

 on in front, perching from time to time on the top of the hedge, 

 as if to display its brilliant plumage to an appreciative ornitholo- 

 gist : an unwonted piece of good-nature on the part of the bird, 

 as it is generally of a most shy and retiring nature ; to which I 

 am in a position to testify, from the many hours I have spent in 

 patiently watching for a view of the songster which I had heard 

 and of which I had caught a passing glimpse, as it buried itself 

 in the deep shelter of a lemon orchard at Mentone. The Rev. A. 

 P. Morres records that in the spring of 1877 a pair was seen on 

 some crab trees at Dinton, and that he was informed by Mr. 

 Wyndham that they had been reported to have bred on Teffont 

 Common, and had certainly been seen there more than once : 

 and that another fine male was shot in an orchard near Mere 

 in 1870, and is now in the possession of Mr. Osborne of Tisbury. 

 It is an inhabitant of the southern countries of Europe during 

 summer, migrating from Africa about the middle of April, 

 and establishing itself through all the northern coasts of the 

 Mediterranean, and in all these countries it generally derives its 

 name from the full, flute -like musical whistle for which it is 

 famous Turiol in Spanish, Lorlot in French, and Oriole in 

 English, being all supposed to represent the call-note of this 

 remarkably handsome and melodious bird; but everywhere it 

 exhibits the same timid, shy disposition, frequenting secluded 

 groves, and feeding on fruits, berries, and insects. 



