ORCHARD ORIOLE. 67 



species, as lie thought, he has only figured the male in two of 

 his different dresses ; and succeeding compilers have followed 

 and repeated the same error. Another cause may be assigned, 

 viz., the extreme shyness of the female orchard oriole, repre- 

 sented at fig. 1. This bird has hitherto escaped the notice of 

 European naturalists, or has been mistaken for another species, 

 or perhaps for a young bird of the first season, which it almost 

 exactly resembles. In none of the numerous works on orni- 

 thology has it ever before appeared in its proper character ; 

 though the male has been known to Europeans for more than 

 a century, and has usually been figured in one of his dresses 

 as male, and in another as female ; these varying according 

 to the fluctuating opinions of different writers. It is amus- 

 ing to see how gentlemen have groped in the dark in pairing 

 these two species of orioles, of which the following examples 

 may be given : — 



Buffon's and Latham's baltimore f Male — Male baltimore. 



oriole. 1 Female — Male orchard oriole, fig. 4. 



c . v !■• a j-j.4. S Male — Female baltimore. 



Spurious baltrmore of ditto. ■> Female _ Mele orchard oriole> fig . 2 



Male — Male baltimore. 



Female — Young male baltimore. 



Pennant's baltimore oriole. 



{: 



c, . . ■• ... J.., ( Male — Male orchard oriole, fig. 4. 



Spurious oriole of ditto. ■> Female _ mtto ditto> fig . 2 [ 



« i v i- 1 u! -1 S Male— Male baltimore. 



Catesby s baltimore oriole. \ Female-Hot mentioned. 



o . •, u 1 t 3-ii. (Male — Male orchard oriole, fig. 2. 



Spurious baltimore of ditto. j Female-Ditto ditto, fig. 4. 



Among all these authors, Catesby is doubtless the most 

 inexcusable, having lived for several years in America, where 

 he had an opportunity of being more correct : yet, when it is 

 considered that the female of this bird is so much shyer than 

 the male ; that it is seldom seen ; and that, while the males 

 are flying around and bewailing an approach to their nest, 

 the females keep aloof, watching every movement of the 

 enemy in restless but silent anxiety ; it is less to be wondered 

 at, I say, that two birds of the same kind, but different in 

 plumage, making their appearance together at such times, 

 should be taken for male and female of the same nest, without 

 doubt or examination, as, from that strong sympathy for each 



