48 ORCHARD ORIOLE. 
he ought to be held in respectful esteem, and protected by every con- 
siderate husbandman. Nor is the gayety of his song one of his least 
recommendations. Being an exceedingly active, sprightly, and rest- 
less Vird, he is on the ground— on the trees — flying and carolling in 
his hurried manner, in almost one and the same instant. His notes 
are shrill and lively, but uttered with such rapidity and seeming con- 
fusion, that the ear is unable to follow them distinctly. Between 
these, he has a single note, which is agreeable and interesting. 
Wherever he is protected, he shows his confidence and gratitude by 
his numbers and familiarity. In the botanic gardens of my worthy 
and scientific friends, the Messrs. Bartrams of Kingsess, which present 
an epitome of almost every thing that is rare, useful, and beautiful in 
the vegetable kingdom of this western continent, and where the 
murderous gun scarce ever intrudes, the Orchard Oriole revels with- 
out restraint through thickets of aromatic flowers and blossoms, and, 
heediess of the busy gardener that labors below, hangs his nest, in 
perfect security, on the branches over his head. 
The female sits fourteen days; the young remain in the nest ten 
days afterwards, before they venture abroad, which is generally about 
the middle of June. Nests of this species, with eggs, are sometimes 
found so late as the 20th of July, which must either belong to birds 
that have lost their first nest, or, it is probable that many of them 
tne two broods in the same season, though I am not positive of the 
act. 
The Orchard Orioles arrive in Pennsylvania rather later than the 
Baltimores, commonly about the first week in May, and extend as far 
as the Province of Maine. They are also more numerous towards the 
mountains than the latter species. In traversing the country near the 
Blue Ridge, in the month of August, i have seen at least five of this 
species for one of the Baltimore. Early in September, they take 
their departure for the south; their term of residence here being 
little more than four months. Previous to their departure, the young 
birds become gregarious, and frequent the rich extensive meadows of 
the Schuylkill, below Philadelphia, in flocks of from thirty to forty, or 
upwards. They are easily raised from the nest, and soon become 
agreeable domestics. One which I reared and kept through the 
winter, whistled with great clearness and vivacity at two months old. 
[t had an odd manner of moving its head and neck, slowly and regu- 
larly, and in various directions, when intent on observing any thing, 
without stirring its body. This motion was as slow and regular as 
that of asnake. When at night a candle was brought into the room, 
it became restless, and evidently dissatisfied, fluttering about the 
cage, as if seeking to get out; but, when the cage was placed on the 
same table with the candle, it seemed extremely well pleased, fed 
and drank, dressed, shook and arranged its plumage, sat as close to the 
light as possible, and sometimes chanted a few broken, irregular notes 
in that situation, as I sat writing or reading beside it. I also kept a 
young female of the same nest, during the greatest part of winter, 
but could not observe, in.that time, any change in its plumage.* 
* This bird is interesting, as showing the remarkable change of color which takes 
place in the group, and which, in many instances, has been the eccasion of a mul- 
