Genus ORIOLUS. 
Gen. Cuar. Beak conical, straight, and sharp-pointed, flattened at its base; upper mandible 
ridged and slightly notched at the point. Vostrils basal, lateral, naked, and pierced hori- 
zontally in a large membrane. eet three toes before and one behind, the external toe 
united to the middle one at its base. Tarsus not exceeding the middle toe in length; third 
guill-feather the longest. 
GOLDEN ORIOLE. 
Oriolus galbula, Lenn. 
Le Loriot. 
Tue genus Oriolus, as restricted by modern authors, comprises a group of birds pre-eminent for their beauty 
and the contrast of their colours, rich yellow and deep black dividing the plumage in proportions varying 
according to the difference of species ; and there is no genus the members of which are more naturally united 
to each other than the present. 
The Orioles are strictly confined to the older or longest known portions of the globe ; various species being 
respectively disposed over Asia, Africa, the islands of the Indian Archipelago, and the southern and eastern 
portions of Europe. Their place in America appears to be supplied by the /céer? and the other genera of the 
family of Sturnde. 
The Golden Oriole is to be considered as merely an occasional sojourner in England, its visits being but few, 
and only during the months of summer. Although undoubtedly scarce, it is by no means the most rare of 
those birds which, from their occurrence in England, have been admitted to a place in its Fauna. We are not 
aware that there are any instances on record of its breeding in this country: still we have reason to suppose 
that such would be the case, if, when it favours any part of our island with its residence, it were permitted 
to remain unmolested. In Italy and the whole of the southern provinces of Europe it is very abundant, and 
is also far from being uncommon in France, Holland, Germany, and some of the districts of Russia; paying all 
those countries an annual visit, for the purpose of incubation. We have received numerous specimens of this 
bird from Tripoli and the whole line of the northern coast of Africa, where it is exceedingly common ; and to 
which country, or at least its more northern parts, we have reason to suppose it migrates when absent during 
the winter months from Europe. We have never received this identical species from India, although there is 
one, the O. aureus, which closely approximates to it, but which may at once be distinguished by its rather 
smaller size, and by the black line passing through and beyond the eye, while in the European species the 
black colour reaches only to the anterior edge of the orbit. We have been informed that this latter species 
has also been found in Europe, which is not unlikely, as the border line of the two continents is merely con- 
ventional. 
The nest of the Golden Oriole, like that of many of the natives of the tropical climates, is a striking 
example of ingenuity: it is composed of fibres of hemp or other vegetables ingeniously interwoven together, 
lined with fine moss or lichen, and suspended at the extremity of the tallest branches of lofty trees; the eggs 
are four or five in number, the ground-colour being a pure white, marked by a few well-defined purple brown, 
or black spots. Its food consists of wild berries and fruits, as well as insects and their larvee. 
In the male, the beak is brownish red; irides red; general plumage fine king’s yellow, a black streak 
intervening between the beak and eye; the wings black with a bar of yellow; all the quill-feathers tipped 
with yellowish white; the two middle tail-feathers black ; the rest have their basal half black, and the other 
portion yellow ; tarsi lead-colour ; claws black. Length of the bird ten inches. 
In the female, the yellow of the upper parts is clouded with an olive tinge, and below with grayish white, 
each feather having a longitudinal mark of a darker colour ; the wings are brownish black, and the tail-feathers, 
where black in the male, are obscure olive. 
_ The young of the year resemble the female, but have the longitudinal markings of the lower parts stronger ; 
the irides brown, and beak of a dark gray. 
Our Plate represents a male and female of the natural size. 
