THE BIRDS OF WISCONSIN. 
89 
that two pairs nest every year in his yard. The bird is cer- 
tainly more common in southern Wisconsin than formerly, 
and sometimes even reaches the shores of Lake Superior. We 
cannot resist venturing the opinion that this species has 
gradually extended its summer home northward. 
Icterus galbula (Linn.). BALTIMORE ORIOLE. 
A common, or sometimes almost abundant summer 
resident, the "golden oriole," or "hang nest" is known to every- 
one as one of our handsomest village birds. It nests anywhere 
in the larger trees along the streets and about the lawns of our 
towns, and even in the country seems to prefer the immediate 
neighborhood of a farm house as a place to build its nest. 
One male was known to return to the Kumlien homestead five 
years in succession, with a mate, and build its nest on the same 
limb each year. This bird was accustomed to answer a certain 
note on the flute, and seemed happy to try and imitate different 
flute notes. It is not our purpose to go into details in regard 
to habits of birds, but the Baltimore oriole certainly possesses 
more "brains" than any other of our native species, as numer- 
ous instances we could cite would show. We have yearly been 
in the habit of furnishing the nesting materials for birds 
breeding about the house, and have varied the material until we 
have a collection of nests of many different fibrous substances. 
Scoleoophagus earolinus (Mull.). RUSTY BLACKBIRD. 
An abundant migrant. This hardy species now pushes 
farther north to nest, and, returning late, is one of the last of the 
transients to leave us, remaining until the ice forms, and the 
sloughs freeze for the winter. Dr. Hoy writes of a few remain- 
ing through the summer (1852). Formerly quite a number 
were summer residents in southern Wisconsin even, but onlv 
a single instance of its nesting is on record. A set, nest and 
eggs, taken at Storrs' Lake, near Milton, Tune, 1861, is now 
in the Kumlien collection. We have several times seen speci- 
mens of either this species or the next in the western and north- 
western part of the state in summer, but as they were observed 
from the car windows it is not safe to say which they were. 
Seolecophagus c> anoceplialus (Wagl). BREWER'S BLACKBIRD. 
Wisconsin is probably the extreme eastern limit of the 
breeding range of this species, and the only known instance 
of its nesting in the state was at Lake Koshkonong, June 14, 
