YELLOW OR ORANGE CONSPICUOUS 519 



out a snug nursery for itself in a ball of the tree moss. 

 In this case, or when fastened to the under side of a 

 palm leaf, a small opening is left as an entrance for the 

 female. 



Incubation lasts thirteen days, and in this the male 

 takes no part. His duty is to sing from a concealed 

 perch near by and bring tidbits to the mother bird as 

 she broods. If you listen closely and patiently, you may 

 hear her imitate his song in low tones of sweet soliloquy. 



The young Orioles are bom naked except for flecks of 

 down on the crown and along the back. They are fed 

 by regurgitation for four or five days. The eyes open on 

 the fourth day, and pinfeathers soon begin to darken the 

 skin. In two weeks' time the nestlings are fully fledged, 

 looking much like the mother, and are ready for their 

 d^but. Nevertheless they are very helpless, and are fed 

 and cared for by both parents for some time after leaving 

 the nest. The food of this species consists almost en- 

 tirely of insects, and great is the debt of the farmers to 

 their good services. 



508. BULLOCK ORIOLE. — Icterus hullocM. 



Family. — The Blackbirds, Orioles, etc. 



Length: 7.50-8.60. 



Adult Male: Under parts, sides of neck, whole malar region, forehead, 



and distinct superciliary stripe yellow or orange ; nan'ow throat 



patch, crown, back of ueck, back, and stripe through the eye black ; 



wings with white patch and edgings; tail mostly yellow, but the 



middle feathers and the tips of others black. 

 Adult Female : Upper parts olive grayish, streaked with black on back, 



but changing to live yellow on rump and tail ; top of head and hind- 



