THE ORCHARD ORIOLE. 407 



Family Corvid^t;. Cnows, Jays, Magpies. 



In tlie Corrida: of Lilljeborg arc comprclieiuled several groups, with 

 characters so dissimilar, tluit were not liis fornnihi exceedingly couiprelien- 

 sive, many of the birds could not be admitted in what are usually called the 

 Corvidce : tliat our lieautiful orioles should be placed with the crows, seems, 

 at the first glance, inconsistent with reason and good classification ; yet, with 

 the characters designated, this classification is tenable. Lilljeljorg's formula 

 is as follows : — 



i lonp. slender, and inpnrvpd KrTMAcmN.K. 



C0/?r7Z)^. < stL.ut; ratlicr short C large. Males witli uriiumemal plumes variuiisly ioriried and arraii^ied I' vi:,\iiitsi;iN.E. 



Bill . . . t oriuoderate. Feel< ,- slrai^'ht. Mandi-t very slightly or indistinctly uutelied C"it\iN.K. 



^miiderate. Fi«- ble beliiud tip...< ^longer than middle toe with 



6uceuf mouth (Tarsus 1 elaw GAEltfLlN.E. 



•, i not longer than middle toe with 



^ elaw. Op.ini.iN.K. 



I descending. Number of |,ri,„aries j ,'," f ' 1 ,"o,'v'f " 



In the sub-family Icterince are included our American Orioles, Starlings, 

 and Crow Blackbirds — all of which are confined to the Xew World. In 

 these birds there are a very great variety of forms, habits, and plumage: 

 they arc found abundantly in both North and Soutii America, and the adjacent 

 islands ; many of them are of most brilliant plumage, and some are pos- 

 sessed of great powers of song. Of the American Orioles there are some 

 sixty species. They generally frequent trees, and subsist partially upon 

 different fruits and berries, and principally upon insects and larvaj. The 

 nest is generally pensile, and is most ingeniously woven by the united labor 

 of both the male and female bird. 



The Orchard Oriole and Baltimore Oriole, or Golden Ilangncst, arc well- 

 known members of this group. The first-named species is most abundant in 

 the Southern and Western States, wiiile the other is very generally distributed. 



Nuttall, in describing the habits of tlic Orchard Oriole, says, — 



"The Orchard Oriole is an exceedingly active, sprightly, and restless bird : 

 in the same instant, almost, he is on the ground after some fallen insect; flut- 

 tering amidst the foliage oi the trees, prying and springing after his lurking- 

 prey ; or flying, and tuning his lively notes in a manner so hurried, rapid, 

 and seemingly confused, that the ear is scarce able to thread out the shrill 

 and lively syllables of Iiis agitated ditty. Between these hurried attempts, he 

 also gives others, which are distinct and agreeable ; but still his tones are 

 neitlicr so full nor so mellow as tliose of tlie brilliant and gay Baltimore. 



" The female sits about fourteen days, and the young continue in the nest 

 ten ( ?) days before they become qualified to flit along with their parents ; but 

 they are generally seen abroad al^out the middle of June. Previously to their 

 departure, the young, leaving the care of their parents, become gregarious, and 

 assemble, sometimes in flocks of separate sexes, from thirty to forty upwards ; 

 in the South, frequenting the savannahs, feeding much on crickets, grass- 



