68 
PICM. 
GENUUS 15. 
ORIOLUS ORIOLE. 
The Linnsean characters of this genus 
are 
Bill; conic, convex, very sharp and 
straight; upper mandible a little longer, 
* slightly notched. 
Tongue; bifid, sharp pointed. 
Feet; formed for walking. 
Latham enumerates forty-five, or in his 
index forty-seven; and Gmelin fifty-one 
species besides varieties of birds belonging 
to this genus; most of them are natives of 
the American continent. 
They are a noisy, gregarious, and vora- 
cious race. Most of the species form pen- 
dulous nests, from the exterior branches 
of trees, which secure their young from 
rapacious animals. Several of these nests 
are usually constructed on one tree. A 
celebrated author speaking of this genus 
