ANOTHER MAY MORNING. 67 



derived from the white pointed bulb, which in color and 

 shape is like the sharp canine tooth of a dog. " Dog- 

 tooth Lily " we might tolerate as more correct or appro- 

 priate. 



The wood ferns are all unrolling their fronds. The 

 slender, delicate Maiden-hair we call the " Fairy Fern " 

 will soon be fluttering its tender leaflets like the young 

 birds in the wood set free of the parent nest. 



Just now a flash of glorious color darted past me, and 

 I recognized at a glance the gorgeous plumage of the 

 Baltimore Oriole — gold, scarlet-orange and purply black 

 in varied contrasts. Beautiful is it beyond compare with 

 any of our summer visitors, and among our native birds 

 it has no peer. 



The Baltimore is indeed " a thing of beauty and a joy 

 forever." Once seen it is never forgotten. How eagerly 

 the eye follows its swift flight ! But it is shy, and while 

 we long for a second sight it is gone. It will not tarry 

 to indulge us; it knows not the delight its presence 

 gives us, and is hastening to join its mate. She, in her 

 sober, modest dress of olive and brown, is no doubt as 

 attractive in his eyes as he is to her in all his gay 

 plumes of scarlet and gold. 



The Indians, in their expressive language, call the 

 Baltimore Oriole "Fire Bird," while the more prosaic 

 settlers call it " Hang Bird," from its pendent nest, a 

 name more fitting to its habits, but less poetical and 

 descriptive of the bird itself than the Indian name. 



