AUDUBON'S ORIOLE. 267 



countries of South America, but in the West Indies its occurrence seems to be only 

 accidental. It is much kept in confinement, where it becomes very easily tamed, and is 

 very fond of its keeper if treated kindly. It has been enumerated by Audubon among 

 our birds on the ground that it has been observed repeatedly at Charleston, S. C. 



DESCRIPTION: "Head and upper part of neck all round and beneath from tail to upper part of breast, 

 interscapular region of back, wings and tail, black. Rest of under-parts, a collar and the lower hind 

 neck, rump, and upper tail-coverts, yellow-orange. A broad baud on the wing and outer edges of 

 secondaries, white. — Length, 10.00 inches." 



AUDUBON'S ORIOLE. 



Icterus audubonii Giraud. 



EXICO with its grand mountain regions, its variety of hot, temperate, and 

 cool chmates, its wonderfully developed flora and rich tropical gardens, has 

 also an exquisite bird-life. During the winter multitudes of our native birds there find 

 a congenial winter home, and in summer gorgeous Tanagers, Callistes, Euphonias, 

 Hummingbirds, Trogons, and especially flame-colored Orioles are abundant. Many of 

 these birds are distributed northward to the Rio Grande. In the vicinity of Brownsville 

 four species of Orioles are regular summer sojourners, among which Audubon's Oriole 

 is the largest. It is known in Mexico by the name of "Calandrina," an appellation 

 equally applied to four or five other species of Orioles. 



It was first observed by Mr. John H. Clark, near Ringgold Barracks, Texas, 

 feeding on the fruit of the hackberry. Lieutenant Couch met with a pair of these bir«is 

 at Charco Escondido, Tamaulipas. Having brought down the male bird with his gun, 

 the female flew to a neighboring tree, apparently unaware of her loss. She soon, how- 

 ever, missed her mate, and endeavored to recall him to her side with notes uttered in a 

 strain of such exquisite sadness that Mr. Couch could scarcely believe them uttered by a 

 bird ; and so greatly did they excite his sympathy, that he almost resolved to desist from 

 further ornithological collections. He adds that he never heard the lay of any songster 

 of the feathered tribe expressed more sweetly than that of the species under consideration. 

 At Monterey he found it a favorite cage bird. The female also sings, but her notes are 

 less powerful than those of the male. Generally the flight of this bird was low and rapid, 

 and it seemed to prefer the shade of trees. It was observed almost invariably in pairs, 

 and the male and female showed for each other great tenderness and solicitude. 



Mr. Geo. B. Sennett, the distinguished ornithologist of the lower Rio Grande, gives 

 the following account of this bird : 



"This large Oriole cannot be said to be very abundant on the Rio Grande, although 

 it is by no means rare. I think it by far more retiring in its habits than any other of 

 the family. If I were to go in search of it, I should seek dense woods, near an opening, 

 with plenty of undergrowth, where also the Rio Grande Jay loves to dwell. It is a 

 sweet singer, never very geilerous with its music, and only singing when undisturbed. 



