86 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 8-No. 11 



Baltimore Oriole. 



On looking over some of the back num- 

 bers of the O. and O., I noticed a query as 

 to the adaptabihty of the Baltimore Oriole 

 {Icterus gcdhula) to cage life. I happen 

 to be in a position to answer that, when 

 taken young, and when a reasonable amount 

 of care is bestowed on it, it makes an ex- 

 cellent cage bird. I know of one which 

 was taken from the nest in July, 1879, 

 and he is apparently as healthy and happy 

 as any of his confreres, who are in the full 

 enjoyment of their liberty. He is quite 

 tame, and very fond of his mistress, and 

 he shows his affection plainly by his man- 

 ner when she approaches his cage. He 

 will eat almost anything, but he is partic- 

 ularly fond of hard boiled egg^ bread and 

 finely chopped meat. He has also a great 

 partiality for fresh fruit ; but if that can- 

 not be obtained, he takes very kindly to 

 any kind of preserves, as a substitute. He 

 will eat all kinds of bird-seed, if previously 

 bruised with a rolling-pin, but not other- 

 wise. He has never known an hour's ill- 

 ness ; his song is as loud, clear and varied 

 as that of any Oriole I have ever heard, 

 and he sings continually. During our long 

 and severe Winter great care is necessary 

 to prevent the Orioles suffering from the 

 cold, and for this reason an old shawl is 

 thrown over his cage every evening, and 

 removed in the morning. He has got so 

 used to this that during the cold weather 

 he watches for the shawl every night, and 

 refuses to go to sleep without it. But the 

 most remarkable thing about him is that 

 he is in beautiful plumage, with not a 

 feather soiled or broken, althoiTgh his cr.ge 

 is not a particularly large one. — W. L. 

 Scott, Ottmca, Canada. 



RosE-BREASTED Grosbeak. Dec. 21, 1882, 

 Jack sang his full notes for the first time ; 

 on the 26th sang his canary notes, while 

 bunched up like a sick bird, as usual ; sang 

 several times through January, and soon 

 got into his full notes, and sang as loud as 

 ever, it being his fifth year. July 6, when 



in his prime, he was stolen from his cage 

 on the piazza. We found him in a bird 

 store in the city and bought him back. It 

 was a severe strain on him ; he was not so 

 lively afterward, but sang up to October. 

 To-day, Nov. 22, 1883, he is in as fine con- 

 dition as he ever was, but not in song. 

 He will consume nearly his full weight in 

 celery each day, besides his regular feed. 



Nature is truth. Science is a method 

 of describing nature with the pen. Art is 

 nature transferred to canvas by mechani- 

 cal means. Science and art are necessary 

 to bring nature to our firesides regardless 

 of nature's wars outside, and also to 

 teach the student who is not endowed 

 with the facilities of observation. 



A New Species of Ostrich. Dr. Reich- 

 enow, the ornithologist,, of the Berlin 

 Museum, describes a new ostrich, under 

 the name of Struthio molyhdophanes. A 

 living example is in the Zoological Gardens 

 at Berlin. The habitat of this species is 

 stated to be the deserts of Somali Land 

 and the Western Galla Country, extending 

 on the east coast of Africa from 10 deg. 

 N. lat. to the Equator. — Land and Water. 



Least Bittern. While collecting on a 

 large marshy meadow in this vicinity on 

 June 10th, 1883, 1 started a Least Bittern 

 from a clump of flags. Thinking there 

 might be a nest there, I commenced 

 searching and soon found it. It was a 

 mere hollow in a bunch of matted flags 

 scantily lined with water grass, and con- 

 tained two fresh laid eggs. In shape and 

 size they resembled eggs of the Yellow- 

 billed Cuckoo. In color they were of pale 

 blue, almost white. Fearing other collec- 

 tors might find thein, I took them, though 

 probabh^ not a complete set. I also se- 

 cured the bird. I afterwards secured three 

 more finely plumaged males on the same 

 meadows, which are now in my cabinet. — 

 Charles H. Neff, Portland, Conn. 



Great Blue Heron. I had the good 

 fortune to shoot a specimen on Nov. 7. — 

 Ij. R. Rich, Saratoga, N Y. 



