BALTIMORE ORIOLE. 241 



and others, such as Hang-nest and Hanging Bird, from the 

 beautiful pensile nest which it makes. 



The general shape of these nests is much the same in every 

 specimen, and a good idea of it may be formed from the illustra- 

 tion, which was taken from a nest in my own possession. It is 

 always pensile, and is hung by the rim to the under side of 

 some slender bough, usually at a considerable elevation from 

 the ground. It is almost entirely made of vegetable fibres, and 

 is so strongly constructed, that, although it had been knocked 

 about for some years in the neglected spot whence I rescued it, 

 and was once crushed into a shapeless mass at the bottom of 

 a wine hamper by a careless servant, and covered with soot and 

 dust, it has retained its form, and shows perfectly well how the 

 fastening to the branches was managed. 



The materials of the nest are, however, extremely variable, the 

 the bird having a natural genius for nidification, and being 

 always ready to take advantage of any new discovery in archi- 

 tecture. One of these nests, described by Wilson, was deeper in 

 proportion than the specimen which has been figured, being five 

 inches in its widest diameter and seven in depth, the opening 

 being contracted to two and a half inches. Various materials, 

 such as flax, tow, hair, and wool, were woven into the waUs, 

 which were strengthened by horsehairs, some two feet in length, 

 sewn through and through the fabric. Cow's hair was also em- 

 ployed for the bottom of the nest, and, like the walls, was sewn 

 together with long horsehairs. 



The same writer remarks, that " so solicitous is the Baltimore 

 to procure proper materials for his nest, that in the season of 

 building, the women in the country are under the necessity of 

 narrowly watching their threads that may chance to be out 

 bleaching, and the farmer to secure his young grafts; as the 

 Baltimore, finding the former, and the strings which tie the 

 latter, so well adapted for his purpose, frequently carries off 

 both. Or, should the one be over heavy, and the other too 

 firmly tied, he will try at them for a considerable time before he 

 gives up the attempt. Skeins of silk and hanks of thread have 

 often been found, after the leaves were fallen, hanging round the 

 Baltimore's nest, but so woven up and entangled as to be entirely 

 irreclaimable. 



" Before the introduction of Europeans, no such materials 



B 



