90 
SINGING BIRDS. 
spell-bound by despair. If the season be not too far advanced, 
the loss of their eggs is generally soon repaired by constructing 
a second nest, in which, however, the eggs are fewer. 
The true Oriole ( O. galbula ) , which migrates into Africa, 
and passes the breeding season in the centre of Europe, also 
makes a pendulous nest, and displays great courage in the de- 
fence of its young, being so attached to its progeny that the 
female has been taken and conveyed to a cage on her eggs, on 
which, with resolute and fatal instinct, she remained faithfully 
sitting until she expired. 
The Baltimore bird, though naturally shy and suspicious, 
probably for greater security from more dangerous enemies, 
generally chooses for the nest the largest and tallest spreading 
trees near farm-houses, and along frequented lanes and roads ; 
and trusting to the inaccessibleness of its ingenious mansion, 
it works fearlessly and scarcely studies concealment. But 
as soon as the young are hatched, here, towards the close of 
June, the whole family begin to leave the immediate neighbor- 
hood of their cares, flit through the woods, — a shy, roving, and 
nearly silent train ; and when ready for the distant journey be- 
fore them, about the end of August or beginning of September, 
the whole at once disappear, and probably arrive, as with us, 
amidst the forests of South America in a scattered flock, and 
continue, like Starlings, to pass the winter in celibacy, wholly 
engaged in gleaning a quiet subsistence until the return of 
spring. Then, incited by instinct to prepare for a more pow- 
erful passion, they again wing their way to the regions of the 
north, where, but for this wonderful instinct of migration, the 
whole race would perish in a single season. As the sexes 
usually arrive in different flocks, it is evident that the conjugal 
tie ceases at the period of migration, and the choice of mates 
is renewed with the season ; during which the males, and 
sometimes also the females, carry on their jealous disputes 
with much obstinacy. 
That our Oriole is not familiar with us, independent of the 
all-powerful natural impulse which he obeys, is sufficiently 
obvious when he nests in the woods. Two of these solitary 
