136 ORIOLE. 



This beautiful species is common in many parts of Europe, said 

 to be plentiful in France in summer, and to breed there ; migrates 

 into England and Sweden, but at rare and uncertain periods ; is 

 mentioned as a Russian species ; comes twice a year into Switzerland ; 

 found also in Carniola ; is seen at Malta in September, on its passage 

 southward, returning as spring advances to the north by the same 

 track ; comes into Constantinople in the spring, and leaves it in Sep- 

 tember ; but remains in Alexandria until November, when it departs ; 

 appears at Gibraltar the end of April, but only a few stragglers on 

 their passage, their residence being in the more cultivated inland 

 parts, where they meet with greater abundance of fruits, but some 

 few never fail to stop in places where almonds, figs, cherries, oranges, 

 pomegranates, pears, locust, and other fruits grow, taking up their 

 residence among them for the summer , and in defect of other food, 

 will be content with insects and their pupa?. 



The nest is of a curious construction, not unlike some others of the 

 Oriole tribe, in shape of a purse, fastened to the extreme forks of tall 

 trees, and composed of fibres of hemp or straw, mixed with fine dry 

 stalks of grass, lined with moss and lichen ; eggs four or five, of a 

 dirty white, spotted with dark brown, most so at the larger end ; the 

 female is so careful of her young, as sometimes to suffer herself to be 

 taken with the nest and eggs ; and has been known to sit upon them 

 in a cage, till she died. The bird has a loud cry, to be heard far off", 

 and it is said to whistle before rain.* The flesh is well relished, for 

 Willughby mentions, having seen them exposed for sale in the 

 poulterers shops at Naples ; in short, they seem to be more or less 

 frequent in the greater part of the old Continent. Russel found them 

 at Aleppo, where they serve for food ; the same in Egypt, where 

 they are fifteen days in passing, f There is no doubt of their being 

 found in the province of Oude, in India, from whence drawings of 

 both sexes have been sent to Lord Mount Norris, by the name of 

 Pilluck. 



* Gesner. f Hist. Alep. 



