Basket Makers, the Vireo and Oriole 179 



still in his mouth she tried another chick with it, but he 

 could not get it down. She had to try several times before 

 she seemed to realize that the bite was too big, and then 

 she dropped it over the nest edge. 



Just across the ravine from our vireo's nest a pair 

 of Cassin vireos had a home, and all but one of the young 

 birds had left the nest. This last chick kept calling for 

 food, so we put him on the hazel limb beside our nest. 

 Then we waited developments, half expecting the mother 

 to knock him headlong when she returned. The minute 

 the new bantling heard her coming, open popped his 

 mouth, and as he stood between her and the nest the 

 mother couldn't resist but gave him the mouthful. But 

 the next time she came she stepped right over him as if 

 he were nothing more than a leaf, and she did the same 

 every time after, paying no attention whatever to him, so 

 we had to return him to his own home where he was cared 

 for by his own parents. 



While the vireos were in the midst of household 

 affairs we found an Oriole {Icterus bullocki) building its 

 basket nest in a weeping willow that stood in the chicken 

 yard. Last year the nest was swung in the very top 

 branches, but this year they built among the leaves beside 

 the chicken house, twelve feet up. We tied a rope up 

 near the base of the limb and drew it tight from the fence, 

 so when the mother returned with food for her young she 

 found her house had sunk four feet nearer the ground. 

 Then we set up a step-ladder so we could look into the 

 basket. 



I never saw birds more in love than the orioles were. 

 We watched them from the time they were first mated. 



