542 CLASS AVES. 



absurdity, in thinking that it articulates " c'est le compere 

 loriot qui mange les cerises et laisse le noxjaii.'''' 



On their first arrival the orioles live on insects, scarabsei, 

 little worms and caterpillars. It is with such food that they 

 bring up their young. They make at this epoch a considerable 

 consumption of these insects, especially of the latter. They 

 bring their young ones as many as the bill will contain. Thus 

 these patient birds clean a multitude of trees of these insects, 

 and return every day upon the same trees until none remain 

 before they proceed to others ; still, however, they appear more 

 greedy of berries, figs, red and black cherries, of which they 

 only attack the ripest part. They are not, however, sufficiently 

 numerous to render the mischief which they do in cherry-tree 

 plantations, he. a counterbalance to the services which they 

 perform in ridding the trees of the quantity of caterpillars 

 which devour the leaves. Their jflesh becomes very fat when 

 they subsist on figs, and is then excellent eating ; accordingly 

 they are much pursued in the islands of the Archipelago and 

 in Egypt, on their passage at the end of summer. It is quite 

 different, however, on their spring passage. At this epoch 

 their flesh is excessively lean, and they remain in this state 

 until their nutriment grows more abundant. 



The oriole is not easily reared in captivity : this, however, 

 may be achieved, and even the old ones taken with the young 

 may be preserved for some time, if they receive plenty of those 

 fruits of which they are particularly fond. As to the young 

 taken from the nest, they are fed at first with the same paste 

 which is given to nightingales, and afterwards with fruits. 

 These birds seldom live more than two years in captivity ; 

 they most generally perish, from a species of gout which 

 attacks them in the feet. 



The oriole is extremely distrustful, and very difficult of 

 approach. Precaution must be used when it is intended to 

 shoot them, as they fly from tree to tree for a long time, 

 without suffering themselves to remain to be aimed at. They 



