ICTERID.E — THE AMERICAN ORIOLES. S21 



Oriolus mutatus WrLS. Am. Orn. i. 1808, pi. 4, figs. 1-4. 



Xanthornus affinis Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. v, 1851.113. 



Icterus spurnis var. affinis CouES, Key. 1872, 158. 



Icterus spurius b affiyiis CouEs, B. N. W. 1874, 193, 



Hab. Eastern United States, west to the edge ot the Great Plains (occasionally to the 

 Boeky Mountains), north, rarely, to Canada, breeding as far south as the Rio Grande. In 

 winter, south through eastern Mexico and Central America (both sides) to Colombia; 

 Cuba. 



"Sp. Chab. Bill slender, attenuated, considerably decurved; tail moderately gradu- 

 ated. Male, three years. Head and neck all round, wings, and interscapular region of 

 back, with tail-feathers, black. Rest of under parts, lower part of back to tail, and lesser 

 upper wing-coverts, with the lower ones, brownish chestnut. A narrow line across the 

 wing, and the extreme outer edges of quills, white. Female. Uniform greenish yellow 

 beneath, olivaceous above, and browner in the middle of the back; two white bands on 

 the wings. Young male of two years like the female, but with a broad black patch from 

 the bill to the upper part of the breast, this color extending along the base of the bill so 

 as to invoh e the eye and all anterior to it to the base of the bill, somewhat as in 1. cucul- 

 latus. Length of Pennsylvania male specimen, 7.25; wing, 3.25." {Hist. N. Am. B.) 



In the southern half, at least, of Illinois the Orchard Oriole is 

 far more numerous than the Baltimore ; and though much less 

 splendid in coloring is still a handsome bird, besides being an 

 excellent songster, his notes having an ecstatic character quite the 

 reverse of the mournful lament of his larger and more brilliantly 

 colored cousin. The more prominent characteristics of the species 

 are thus described by Dr. Brewer : 



"The Orchard Oriole is an active, sprightly, and very lively 

 species, and possesses a very peculiar and somewhat remarkable song. 

 Its notes are very rapidly enunciated, and are both hurried and 

 energetic. Some writers speak of the song as confused, but this 

 attribute is not in the utterance of the song, the musician mani- 

 festing anything but confusion in the rapid and distinct enunciation 

 of his gushing notes. These may be too quick in their utterance 

 for the hstener to follow, but they are wonderful both for their 

 rapidity and their harmony. His performance consists of shrill and 

 hvely notes, uttered with an apparent air of great agitation, and 

 they are quite as distinct and agreeable, though neither so full nor 

 so rich, as are those of the more celebrated Golden Robin. 



"In the Central States, from New York to North Carolina, these 

 birds are not only very abundant, but very generally diffused. 

 Hardly an orchard or a garden of any size can be found without 

 them. They seem to prefer apple trees for their abode, and for the 

 construction of their nests. These structures, though essentially 

 different, are, in their style of architecture, quite as curiously 

 wrought and ingenious as those of the Baltimore. They are sus- 

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