BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 
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507. Icterus galbula {Linn.). Baltimore Oriole. Ad. <?. — Head, 
neck, throat, and upper back black; breast, belly, lower back, and lesser 
wing-coverts deep, rich, reddish orange; wings black, the outer margin 
of the greater coverts and quills edged with white; end half of middle tail- 
feathers black, base orange; all the others orange, crossed by a black band 
in the middle. Ad. $. — Upperparts brownish or grayish orange, brighter on 
the rump; head and back mottled with black; wings fuscous, greater and 
middle coverts tipped with white; tail like the rump, the middle feathers 
stained with black; underparts dull orange, throat sometimes spotted with 
black. L., 7-53; W., 3*52; T., 2*84; B., *70. 
Range. — Breeds mainly in Transition and Upper Austral zones from cen. 
Alberta, cen. Sask., Man., Ont., N. B., and N. S. s. to n. Tex., cen. La., and 
n. Ga. and w. to Mont., Wyo., and Colo. e. of the Rocky Mts.; migrates 
through e. Mex. ; winters from s. Mex. to Colombia; accidental at York 
Factory, Hudson Bay, and in Cuba. 
Washington, rather common S. R., Apl. 29- Aug. 26. Ossining, common 
S. R., May 2-Sept. 1. Cambridge, very common, S. R., May 8 through 
Aug. N. Ohio, common S. R., Apl. 15-Sept. 10. Glen Ellyn, common S. R., 
Apl. 26-Sept. 4. SE. Minn., common S. R., May 1-Sept. 1. 
Nest, pensile, of grasses, bark, plant fibers, hair, strings, etc., firmly 
interwoven, in fruit or shade trees, near the extremity of a limb 20-40 feet up. 
Eggs, 4-6, white, singularly scrawled with fine, distinct or obscure black 
or fuscous lines, and with a few spots or blotches, *94 x *63. Date, D. C., 
May 27; Cambridge, June 1; Martin’s Ferry, Ohio, May 20; se. Minn., 
May 22. 
Sometimes Nature, as if to remind us of the richness of her stores, 
sends from the tropics a gayly attired bird which seems quite out of place 
among the more soberly clad inhabitants of northern climes. The 
genus Icterus contains nearly forty species, all more or less brightly 
dressed in orange, yellow, and black, but not one is more beautiful 
than our Baltimore Oriole. There is reason to believe that he is not 
unaware of his own charms; indeed, we may almost suspect him of 
intentionally displaying them. His splendor is not to be lost in the 
forest, and, whistling loudly, he flashes through our fruit and shade 
trees. 
He leaves to the female the task of constructing their wonderfully 
made nest, but he seems quite as deeply interested in the performance 
as if he were a skilled weaver himself ; indeed, he would probably assist 
if he were permitted. 
Young Orioles have been well named by Mrs. Olive Thorne Miller 
the cry-babies of the bird world. Their ceaseless call for food is almost 
as much a midsummer voice as the song of cicadas. Long after they 
have left the nest we may find them in the different trees about our lawn 
calling out monotonously and persistently dee-dee-dee-dee , until one of 
the parents arrives and momentarily fills their mouths. 
Bullock’s Oriole {508. Icterus bullocki), a species of our Western 
States, has been taken in New York and in Maine. 
509. Euphagus carolinus {Mull.). Rusty Blackbird. Ad. d\ breed- 
ing plumage. — Entire plumage uniform glossy bluish black; tail-feathers of 
nearly equal length. Ad. and Im. & in winter. — Similar, but the upper- 
parts widely tipped with rufous or rusty, the underparts similarly tipped 
with ochraceous- or cream-buff ; a buffy line over the eye. Ad. 9 in breeding 
plumage. — Slate-color, glossy above, duller below; wings and tail darker 
