216 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
are captured during their foraging expeditions in the orchard, field and 
garden. “ Eose-slugs,” “ cabbage-worms ” and grasshoppers are eagerly- 
devoured by Orchard Orioles. They subsist to a small extent on soft 
fruits (strawberries, mulberries and raspberries) when the same are in 
season, and occasionally feed on apple and pear blossoms, their depre- 
dations, however, in these directions are very unimportant. 
The food-materials of sixteen Orchard Orioles examined by the author 
are given in the following table : 
No. 
Date. 
Locality. 
1 
May 11, 1880, . . . 
Berwyn, Pa 
2 
May 15, 1880. . . . 
Chester county. Pa. , . . 
3 
May 15, 1880. . . . 
Chester county. Pa., . . 
4 
May 17. 1880. . . . 
Chester county, Pa.. . . 
5 
May 23. 1830, . . . 
Chester county, Pa.. . . 
6 
May 6, 1881. . . . 
Chester county. Pa. , . . 
7 
May 8, 1883, . . . 
Chester county. Pa. , . . 
8 
May 13, 1883, . . . 
Chester county. Pa., . . 
9 
May 17, 1883, , . . 
Chester county. Pa.. . . 
10 
May 17. 1883, . . . 
Chester county. Pa. , . . 
11 
May 21. 1883, . . . 
Chester county. Pa., . . 
12 
June 10. 1880. . . . 
Newark, Delaware, . . 
13 
June 1, 1883, . . . 
Chester county. Pa. , . . 
14 
June 4. 1884. . . . 
Chester county. Pa. , . . 
lo 
June 7, 1884, . . . 
Chester county. Pa. , . . 
16 
July 20, 1884, . . . 
Chester county. Pa., . . 
Food-Materials. 
Small green ‘ ‘ worms, ■’ on apple tree. 
Small •• worms" and beetles. 
Beetles. 
Vegetable matter (not determined). 
Caterpillar, beetles and Hies. 
Beetles and few small seeds. 
Caterpillars and beetles. 
Small green worms and beetles, on apple trees, 
Beetles and larvae. 
Numerous small green-colored beetles. 
Caterpi liar, beetles and some little vegetable matter. 
Beetles and flies. 
Caterpillar and vegetable matter. 
Small worms and beetles. 
Caterpillars, small green beetles and other insects. 
Small seeds and flies. 
Icterus galbula (Ltnn.). 
Baltimore Oriole; Hanging-bird. 
Description (^Plate 29). 
The adults and young vary greatly in plumage. The adult female and young male 
frequently can only be distinguished by dissection. Length about 8 inches ; extent 
about 12| inches ; female smaller. 
Habitat . — Eastern United States ; west nearly to the Rocky mountains. 
The Baltimore Oriole is quite plentifully distributed throughout Penn- 
sylvania as a summer resident. This well-known and beautiful species 
winters, it is stated, in Cuba, Mexico and Central America, and in the 
spring migrates northward, arriving in this latitude from April 25 to 
May 1. The males come mostly a few days in advance of the females, 
and appear usually in parties of five or eight, sometimes, though rarely, 
flocks of fifteen or twenty individuals are observed. These birds at first, 
and particularly if several should be together, are generally found fre- 
quenting forests ; especially do they delight in gleaning among the 
branches of the hickory, maple and oak trees. The Baltimore Oriole, 
like the preceding species, is a common frequenter about the habitations 
of man. This bird is known by a variety of names, most of which have 
reference to his showy dress. The appellation Baltimore,” Dr. Coues 
"writes, “ is not from the city of that name, but from the title of Sir 
George Calvert, first baron of Baltimore ; the colors of the bird being 
chosen for his livery, or resembling those of his coat-of-arms .” — Key to 
N. A. Birds, j). 108. The terms Golden-robin, Fire-bird and Bed-bird, 
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