WISCONSIN BIRD^STUDY BULLETIN'. 



BALTIMORE ORIOLE, FIRE BIRD, HANG-NEST. 



Abundant summer resident; length seven and one-half inches; 

 sexes unlike; nest a deep, hanging pocket woven of strings, hair, grass, 

 plant fibers at or near the end of a branch; favorite tree, the elm; 

 eggs four to six. 



The bright, flaming orange body with the black head, neck and 

 back of this bird make him an easy mark for the beginner. The 

 female is harder to know, because her colors are less bright. The 

 back is a rusty orange; the under parts a dull orange; the head and 

 back are mottled with black. 



The oriole flashes into the landscape of the southern half of Wis- 

 consin in the first week of May. It is then that we turn to Lowell's 

 "Under the Willows": 



' ' Hush ! 't is he ! 

 My oriole, my glance of sununer flre. 



Is come at last, and ever on the watch. 

 Twitches the pack-thread I had lightly wound 

 About the bough to help his housekeeping^ — 

 Heave^ Jio! Heave, lio! he whistles as the twine 



Slackens its hold; once more, now! and a flash 

 Lightens across the sunlight to the elm 



Where his mate dangles at her cup of felt." 



He comes in full song and usually a few days in advance of his mate, 

 or of her who is to be his mate. 



His song is a bright cheery whistle. He seems to say here, here, 

 come here, dear, and, sweet-heart, come here! here! as he hunts over 

 the bark of the apple tree. Notice how long and sharp his bill is. It 

 is just the thing for reaching the eggs and caterpillars of insects 

 that are hidden in the deep crevices of the bark. The oriole is knov/u 

 to destroy the contents of the cocoons of moths. With his sharp 

 bill he pierces a hole through the tough silken case and eats the pupa 

 that lies snugly within waiting for the warm weather to complete 

 its wonderful change to a beautiful moth. But, alas ! that change 

 never comes to those that the oriole attacks. The tent caterpillars 

 suffer much at his bill. He tears open their great web tents in the 

 apple and walnut trees and destroys the inmates asi they try to escape. 



Watch him at his work. How carefully he searches over the 

 limbs, eating and whistling. He reminds one of a hound. As the 

 hound shows his enjoyment of the chase by frequent hayings, so the 

 oriole hunts and sings. Now a bug, thanks! now a caterpillar, thank 

 you! now a click-beetle, thank yon, ma'am! he seems to say. In his 

 spring cleaning of the trees, he is paying in advance for the few 

 cherries or grapes or peas that he may take in the summer. 



The oriole is one of the most skillful of bird architects. Her deep 



