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But nothing can exceed in beauty and cosiness the nest 
of a female Baltimore Oriole in my possession. It was 
built under peculiar circumstances, the author being a pris- 
oner, having been taken from the parental home when 
quite a fledgeling. A male companion was captured at or 
about the same time. These birds are the property of Dr. 
Detwiler, of Easton, Pa., and are a source of pleasure to 
this elderly gentleman in his leisure moments. Though be- 
coming quite tame under the careful and kindly manage- 
ment of their keeper, the female manifesting greater famil- 
iarity than her associate, it never occurred to the Doctor 
that either would become so accustomed to the situation as 
to evince a desire to build. When alone, he always allowed 
them the freedom of his studio, in or out of season. One 
lovely June morning in 1883, the ouside world being full of 
joy and life and sunshine, he threw open the door of their 
cage, and settled himself for reading. Hardly had he read 
a dozen lines when he felt something pulling at his hair; on 
looking up he descried the offender flying towards a dis- 
tant part of the room with something in her bill that resem- 
bled a hair. When the Doctor had resumed his reading, 
she stole cautiously forward, seized another hair, and was 
off in a twinkling. Permitting these liberties for a while, 
and noticing that bits of strings were, when placed in posi- 
tions to be seen, as much the objects of interest as the 
hairs of his head, he was not slow in divining the motive 
which led to this strange and unexpected proceeding. Con- 
vinced by actions as significant as words themselves could 
be, he at once entered into the idea of his little feathered 
friend, and began to look about for a room where she might 
carry out her plan for the future, free from human interfer- 
ence. In a short time a place was found in the attic, which 
he fitted up, furnishing it with a large branch for a perch, 
and with the necessary materials, in the shape of new 
white strings, for nest building. The female now entered 
into her voluntarily imposed task with the most determined 
zeal and alacrity, and at the end of a week had constructed 
a domicile which her wild, untamed prototypes of the fields 
and the roadsides would strive in vain to excel. 
fy. 
O.&O. X. July. 1885. p.// 
B irds Tioga Ov, IT.T, Alton Lorlngf 
271. Baltimore Oriole. Common. Breeds. 
Is a late arrival, making its appearance about 
the sixth of May, sometimes later. This 
beautiful bird seems to desire the society of 
mankind, and its nest may be found swinging 
high above his head in the maple, elm and 
willow trees. It is a very ingenious bird, and 
takes great care in constructing its nest, which 
is composed of strings and rags, and is lined 
with horse hair. The eggsMour tb five in num- 
ber, are of a bluish tinge blotched and scrawled 
with lavender and different shades of brown. 
This bird departs about August 30th. 
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Some Curious Sets of the Baltimore 
Oriole’s Eggs. 
There seems to be a wide range in the size 
and coloration of the eggs of the Baltimore 
Oriole ( Icterus galbvla) and although most 
sets can be distinguished at a glance, I think 
that the following ones would puzzle many 
people: 
I. Three eggs, light bluish-wliite, entirely 
unmarked: .S8x.68; .86x.6o; .88x.66. 
II. Four eggs, light bluish-white, entirely 
unmarked: ,94x.62; .98x.65; ,92x.68; 
.95 x .65. 
III. Six eggs, typical in color and markings, 
but remarkably small: .79 x.60; ,80x.60; 
.78 x.59; ,76x.57; ,79x.60; ,80x.58. This set 
was taken on June 6, 1878, at Preston, Conn., 
by the celebrated ooiogist “J. M. W.” (Mr. 
C. L. Rawson) who described the parents, 
nest, etc., as normal. 
IV. Four eggs, coloration normal, but they 
are the largest specimens of this species that 
I have ever seen: 1.07x,65; 1.01x.63; 
.95 x.64; 1.05 x. 04. J. P. N. 
Q SO, XVI, April. 1801, P 9 6/* 
An Oriole’s Nest. In 18T8 a Baltimore Oriol e built its 
nest in an elm in front of our house. In ’T9 it returned and 
fixing it a little raised its young. In ’80 it did the same. 
In ’81 some White-eyed Vireos carried away part of it and 
the Orioles built another. In ’82 they patched up the old 
one and used it. They did the same in ’83, making five 
years they have used one nest. It is still hanging, and 
whether they will use it again is a question. — J. IF. Thur- 
ber, Nashua , N. If. Q , & O. IX. ApT. 1884. p.yfr- 
/Jr J- J: t & V/V 
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6 Baltimore || Orioles . 
cf. fy It vUaUma**., ipirvuyi . 
O.&O. IX. Oct. 1884. p, / £ Sr. 
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