ORCIIAUD ORIOLE. 
187 
Among- all these authors Catesby is doubtless the 
^‘'ost inexcusable, having lived for several years iu 
America, where he bad an opportunity of being more 
•‘orrect : yet, when it is considered, that the female of 
lliis bird is so much shyer than the male, that it is seldom 
'’’^en ; and that, while the males are ilying around and 
'•ewailing an apjiroach to their u(!st, the females keep 
®loof, watching every movement of the enemy iu rest- 
'*8s but silent anxiety ; it is less to be wondered at, I 
that two birds of the same kind, but diti'ei-eut in 
plumage, making their appearance together at such 
^'Uies should be taken for male and female of the same 
"sst, uHthout doubt or examination, as, from that strong 
'*yn>pathv for each other’s distress which prevails so 
'Uiivei-sally among them at this season, it is difficult 
"umetimes to distinguish between the sufferer and the 
’'JUnpathizing neighbour. 
The female of the orchard oriole is six inches and a 
^^If in length, and eleven inches in extent, the colour 
"'•Ove is a yellow olive, inclining to a brownish tint on 
back ; the ivings are dusky brown, lesser wing- 
’’"verta tipt with yellowish white, greater coverts and 
"^^ondaries exteriorly edged with the same, primaries 
*‘'ghtly so; tail, rounded at the extremity, the two 
^^terior feathers three quarters of an inch shorter than 
I * middle ones ; whole lower parts, yellow ; bill and 
light blue; the former bent a little, -very sharp 
l**inted, and black towards the extremity ; iris of the 
"ye, hazel ; pupil, black. The young male of the first 
!^Uson corresponds neai'Iy with the above description. 
“I't in the succeeding spring he makes his appearance 
"'ith a laro-e patch of black marking the front, lores, 
‘'"'1 throat? In this stage, too, the black sometimes 
^akes its aiipearance on the two middle feathers ot the 
*^'1; and slV'ht stains of reddish are seen commencing 
the sides ?ind belly. The rest of the plumage as in 
•“e female : this continuing nearly the same, on the 
"'‘lUe bird, during the remainder of the season. At the 
I’^Uie time, other individuals are found, ii hich ai c at 
®ast birds’ of the third summer, These are mottled 
