48 
THE ORCHARD ORIOLE, OR HANG-REST. 
the twigs more immediately around the chosen place. The filaments are 
twisted, passed over and under, and interwoven in such a manner as almost 
to defy the eye of man to follow their windings. All this is done by th e 
bill of the bird, in a manner used by the Baltimore Oriole. The nest is of 
a hemispherical form, and is supported by the margin only. It seldom 
exceeds three or four inches in depth, is open almost to the full extent of its 
largest diameter at the top or entrance, and finished on all sides, as well as 
within, with the long slender grasses already mentioned. Some of these 
go round the nest several times, as if coarsely woven together. This is the 
manner in which the nest is constructed in Louisiana; in the Middle Districts 
it is usually lined with soft and warm materials. The female lays from four 
to six eggs, of a bluish-white tint, sprinkled with dark brown, and raises only 
a single brood in the season. The young follow the parents for several 
weeks, and many birds congregate towards autumn, but the males soon 
separate from the females, and set out by themselves as they arrived in 
spring. 
The sociality of the Orchard Oriole is quite remarkable, and in this 
respect that bird differs widely from the Baltimore, which will not suffer 
any other bird of its species to build a nest, or to remain within a consider- 
able distance from the spot which it has selected for its own ; whereas many 
nests of the species now before you may be observed in the same garden or 
orchard, and often within a few yards of the house. I have counted as many 
as nine of these nests on a few acres of ground, and the different pairs to 
which they belonged lived in great harmony. 
Although the food of the Orchard Orioles consists principally of insects . 
of various kinds, it is not exclusively composed of them. They are fond of 
different sorts of fruits and berries. Figs are also much relished by them, 
as well as mulberries and strawberries, but not to such a degree as to draw 
the attention of the gardener or husbandman towards their depredations. 
This species makes its first appearance in Louisiana early in March, and 
remains until October, being seen for several weeks after the Baltimore 
Oriole has set out. It reaches the Middle Districts in the beginning of 
April. I have met with it as far as the State of Maine and the head waters 
of the Mississippi. It is fond of high ground and the neighbourhood of 
mountains during the breeding season, after which it removes to the meadows 
and prairies in considerable numbers. Whilst in these meadows, it feeds 
principally upon a small species of cricket, ground spiders and small grass- 
hoppers. Their flesh is very good late in the season, and is much esteemed 
by the Creoles of Louisiana. 
The French of that State give it the name of Pape de Prairie , while they 
designate the Baltimore Oriole by that of Pape de Bois, which arises no 
