THE GOLDEN ORIOLE. 



E find the Golden Oriole 

 in America only. Accord- 

 ing to Mr. Nuttall, it is 

 migratory, appearing in 

 considerable numbers in West Florida 

 about the middle of March. It is a 

 good songster, and in a state of 

 captivity imitates various tunes. 



This beautiful bird feeds on fruits 

 and insects, and its nest is con- 

 structed of blades of grass, wool, hair, 

 fine strings, and various vegetable 

 fibers, which are so curiously inter- 

 woven as to confine and sustain each 

 other. The nest is usually suspended 

 from a forked and slender branch, in 

 shape like a deep basin and generally 

 lined with fine feathers. 



"On arriving at their breeding 

 locality they appear full of life and 

 activity, darting incessantly through 

 the lofty branches of the tallest trees, 

 appearing and vanishing restlessly, 

 flashing at intervals into sight from 

 amidst the tender waving foliage, 

 and seem like living gems intended to 

 decorate the verdant garments of the 

 fresh clad forest." 



It is said these birds are so attached 

 to their young that the female has 

 been taken and conveyed on her eggs, 

 upon which with resolute and fatal 

 instinct she remained faithfully sitting 

 until she expired. 



An Indiana gentleman relates the 

 following story: 



"When I was a boy living in the 

 hilly country of Southern Indiana, I 



remember very vividly the nesting of 

 a pair of fine Orioles. There stood 

 in the barn yard a large and tall 

 sugar tree with limbs within six or 

 eight feet of the ground. 



"At about thirty feet above the 

 ground I discovered evidences of 

 an Oriole's nest. A few days later I 

 noticed they had done considerably 

 more work, and that they were using 

 horse hair, wool and fine strings. 

 This second visit seemed to create 

 consternation in the minds of the 

 birds, who made a great deal of noise, 

 apparently trying to frighten me 

 away. I went to the barn and got a 

 bunch of horse hair and some wool, and 

 hung it on limbs near the nest. Then 

 climbing up higher, I concealed 

 myself where I could watch the work. 

 In less than five minutes they were 

 using the materials and chatted with 

 evident pleasure over the abundant 

 supply at hand. 



"They appeared to have some 

 knowledge of spinning, as they would 

 take a horse hair and seemingly wrap it 

 with wool before placing it in position 

 on the nest. 



"I visited these birds almost daily, 

 and shortly after the nest was com- 

 pleted I noticed five little speckled 

 eggs in it. The female was so attached 

 to the nest that I often rubbed her 

 on the back and even lifted her to 

 look at the eo^s." 



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