THE BALTIMORE ORIOLE 



The arrival of the Orioles in the first week of May marks for 

 many people the return of spring. The males come first and take 

 possession at once of our streets and gardens, calling from the elms, 

 or dashing into the cherry trees white with blossoms. The females 

 arrive a day or two later, and the work of house-hunting begins 

 soon after. In the selection of a nesting site, the judgment of the 

 female alone is naturally allowed to have entire weight. The male is 

 politely anxious, flying from twig to twig, as if recommending them; 

 but the female knows that she must sit for days over her precious 

 eggs, and be swung by all manner of storms, in whatever situation 

 she finally selects; she means, therefore, to be sure before she builds. 



The number of trees on which hang two nests, one evidently 

 older than the other, is very noticeable, and probably means that 

 the same pair return to the same tree to build. Many people have 

 an idea that birds use the same nest in successive years, but it 

 does not seem likely that such a skillful architect as the Oriole 

 would patch up the old nest, when with a few days' labor she can 

 build a new one, clean and strong, and very likely improved by her 

 former experience. The materials used for the construction of the 

 nest are tough, fibrous strips for the framework, and softer materials 

 for the lining. The female often comes to the clothesline and twitches 

 out some threads, and she is very thankful for twine or similar mate- 

 rial hung out where she can find it. Lowell, who loved the Oriole 

 next after the Bobolink, hung out gay-colored threads for his birds, 



and was rewarded with the sight of a brilliant nest. 



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