BALTIMORE ORIOLE. 69 



fortnight, and are fed by them. As soon as the mulbei'ries and figs become 

 ripe, they resort to these fruits, and are equally fond of sweet cherries, 

 strawberries, and others. During spring, their principal food is insects, 

 wliich they seldom pursue on the wing, but which they search for with great 

 activity, among the leaves and branches. I have seen the young of the 

 first brood out early in May, and of the second in July. As soon as they 

 are fully able to take care of themselves, they generally part from each 

 other, and leave the country, as their parents had come, that is, singly. 



During migration, the flight of the Baltimore Oriole is performed high 

 above all the trees, and mostly during day, as I have usually observed 

 them alighting, always singly, about the setting of the sun, uttering a 

 note or two, and darting into the lower branches to feed, and afterwards 

 to rest. To assure myself of tliis mode of travelling by day, I marked 

 the place where a beautiful male had perched one evening, and on going 

 to the spot next morning, long before dawn, I had the pleasure of hearing 

 his first notes as light appeared, and saw him search a while for food, and 

 afterwards mount in the air, making his way to warmer climes. Their 

 flight is straight and continuous. 



This beautiful bird is easily kept in cages, and may be fed on dried 

 figs, raisins, hard-boiled eggs, and insects. When shot they will often 

 clench the twig so firmly as to remain hanging fast to it until dislodged 

 by another shot or a blow against the twig. 



The plumage of the male bird is not mature until the third spring, 

 and I have therefore in my drawing represented the males of the first, 

 second, and third years. The female will form the subject of another 

 plate. The male of the first year was taken for a female by my engraver, 

 during my absence, and marked as such, although some of the plates were 

 corrected the moment I saw the mistake. 



The Baltimore Oriole, although found throughout the Union, is so par- 

 tial to particular sections or districts, that of two places not twenty miles 

 distant from each other, while none are to be seen in the one, a dozen 

 pairs or more may be in the neighbourhood of the other. They are fond- 

 est of hilly grounds, refreshed by streams. 



