92 INSESSORES 



is a very slight structure, formed of the dry stalks 

 of flax or grass, and so loosely put together that the 

 light may easily be seen through it. The eggs are 

 mostly three, of a dull blue color, spotted with brown 

 or purple. Scarcely anything can exceed the attach- 

 ment which these birds manifest for their young, aa 

 the following incident related by Wilson will show : 



" Passing through an orchard one morning, I 

 caught one of these young birds, that had but lately 

 left the nest. I carried it with me about half a mile, 

 to show it to my friend, Mr. William Bartram ; and, 

 having procured a cage, hung it up on one of the 

 large pine trees in the botanic garden, within a few 

 feet of the nest of an Orchard Oriole, which also 

 contained young; hopeful that the charity or tender- 

 ness of the Orioles would induce them to supply the 

 cravings of the stranger. But charity with them, as 

 with too many of the human race, began and ended 

 at home. The poor orphan was altogether neglected, 

 notwithstanding its plaintive cries; and, as it refused 

 to be fed by me, I was about to return it back to the 

 place where I had found it, when, toward the after- 

 noon, a Scarlet Tanager, no doubt its own pare-nt, 

 was seen fluttering round the cage, endeavoring to 

 get in. Finding this impracticable, he flew off, and 

 soon returned with food in hv bill, and continued to 

 feed it till after sunset, taking <ip his lodgings on the 

 higher branches of the same tree. In the morning, 

 almost as soon as day broke, he was again seen most 

 actively engaged in the same affectionate manner; 

 and, notwithstanding the insolence of the Orioles, 



