BALTIMORE ORIOLE. 67 



of the wolf, or the still more dismal bellow of the alligator. Then how 

 delightful must it be to hear the melody resulting from thousands of mu- 

 sical voices that come from some neighbouring tree, and which insensibly 

 leads the mind, with whatever it may previously have been occupied, 

 first to the contemplation of the wonders of nature, and then to that of 

 the Great Creator himself. 



Now we have ascended the mighty river, have left it, and entered the 

 still more enchanting Ohio, and yet never for a day have we been with- 

 out the company of the Oriole. Here, amongst the pendulous branches 

 of the lofty Tulip-trees, it moves gracefully up and down, seeking in the 

 expanding leaves and opening blossoms the caterpillar and the green beetle, 

 which generally contribute to its food. Well, reader, it was one of these 

 pendulous twigs which I took when I made the drawing before you. 

 But instead of having cut it on the banks of the Ohio, I found it in the 

 State of Louisiana, to which we shall return. 



The Baltimore Oriole arrives from the south, perhaps from Mexico, or 

 perhaps from a more distant region, and enters Louisiana as soon as spring 

 commences there. It approaches the planter's house, and searches amongst 

 the surrounding trees for a suitable place in which to settle for the sea- 

 son. It prefers, I beUeve, the trees that grow on the sides of a gentle 

 declivity. The choice of a twig being made, the male Oriole becomes 

 extremely conspicuous. He flies to the ground, searches for the longest 

 and driest filaments of the moss, which in that State is known by the name 

 of Spanish Beard, and whenever he finds one fit for his purpose, ascends 

 to the favourite spot where the nest is to be, uttering all the while a con- 

 tinued chirrup, which seems to imply that he knows no fear, but on the 

 contrary fancies himself the acknowledged king of the woods. This sort 

 of chiiTuping becomes louder, and is emitted in an angry tone, whenever 

 an enemy approaches, or the bird is accidentally surprised, the sight of a 

 cat or a dog being always likely to produce it. No sooner does he reach 

 the branches, than with bill and claws, aided by an astonishing sagacity, 

 he fastens one end of the moss to a twig, with as much art as a sailor 

 might do, and takes up the other end, which he secures also, but to another 

 twig a few inches off, leaving the thread floating in the air like a swing, 

 the curve of which is perhaps seven or eight inches from the tAvigs. The 

 female comes to his assistance with another filament of moss, or j^erhaps 

 some cotton thread, or other fibrous substance, inspects the work which 

 her mate has done, and immediately commences her operations, placing 



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