ORCHARD ORIOLE. 
153 
scientific friends, the Messrs. Bartrams, of Kingsess, — which present an 
epitome of almost everything that is rare, useful, and beautiful in the 
vegetable kingdom of this western continent, and where the murderous 
gun scarce ever intrudes, — the Orchard Oriole revels without restraint, 
through thickets of aromatic flowers and blossoms ; and heedless of the 
busy gardener that labors below, hangs his nest, in perfect security, on 
the branches over his head. 
The female sits fourteen days ; the young remain in the nest ten days 
afterwards,* before they venture abroad, which is generally about the 
middle of June. Nests of this species, with eggs, are sometimes found 
so late as the twentieth of July, which must belong to birds that have 
lost their first nest ; or it is probable that many of them raise two broods 
in the same season, though I am not positive of the fact. 
The Orchard Orioles arrive in Pennsylvania rather later than the 
Baltimores, commonly about the first week in May ; and extend as far 
as the province of Maine. They are also more numerous towards the 
mountains than the latter species. In traversing the country near the 
Blue Ridge, in the month of August, I have seen at least five of this 
species for one of the Baltimore. Early in September, they take their 
departure for the south ; their term of residence here being little more 
than four months. Previous to their departure, the young birds become 
gregarious, and frequent the rich extensive meadows of the Schuylkill, 
below Philadelphia, in flocks of from thirty to forty or upwards. They 
are easily raised from the nest, and soon become agreeable domestics. 
One which I reared and kept through the Avinter, whistled with great 
clearness and vivacity at two months old. It had an odd manner of 
moving its head and neck slowly and regularly, and in various direc- 
tions, when intent on observing anything, without stirring its body. 
This motion was as slow and resrular as that of a snake. When at night a 
candle Avas brought into the room, it became restless and evidently dis- 
satisfied, fluttering about the cage as if seeking to get out ; but when 
the cage Avas placed on the same table with the candle, it seemed 
extremely Avell pleased, fed and drank, dressed, shook, and arranged its 
plumage, sat as close to the light as possible, and sometimes chanted a 
few broken irregular notes in that situation, as I sat Avriting or reading 
beside it. I also kept a young female of the same nest, during the 
greatest part of winter, but could not observe, in that time, any change 
in its plumage. 
* There is evidently some mistake here, as the young could hardly be fledged 
in ten days. 
