BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 291 



AUDUBON'S ORIOLE* 



Audubon's Oriole, the male of which we illustrate, has 

 a very limited range, including the " valley of the Lower 

 Rio Grande in Texas and southward in Mexico to Oaxaca." 

 Their usual song is a prolonged and repeated whistle of 

 extraordinary mellowness and sweetness. 



The nest of this oriole is usually placed in mesquite 

 trees, in thickets, and open woods, from six to fourteen 

 feet from the ground. It is a semipensile structure, woven 

 of fine, wire-like grass used while still green and resembles 

 those of the hooded and orchard orioles, which are much 

 better known. The nest is firmly attached, both on the 

 top and sides, to small branches and growing twigs and, 

 for the size of the bird, it appears rather small. One now 

 before me measures three inches in depth inside by about 

 the same in inner diameter. The rim of the nest is some- 

 what contracted to prevent the eggs from being thrown out 

 during high winds. The inner lining consists of somewhat 

 finer grass tops, which still retain considerable strength and 

 are even now, when perfectly dry, difficult to break. 



THE GOLDEN ORIOLE* 



We find the Golden Oriole in America only. Accord- 

 ing to Mr. Nuttall, it is migratory, appearing in consider- 

 able numbers in west Florida about the middle of jNIarch. 

 It is a good songster, and in a state of captivity imitates 

 various tunes. 



