72 
PICTURES OF BIRD LIFE. 
strings which tie the latter so well adapted for his purpose, frequently carries off 
both; or should the one be too heavy, and the other too firmly tied, he will tug 
at them a considerable time before he gives up the attempt. Skeins of silk and 
hanks of thread have been often found, after the leaves were fallen, hanging round 
the Baltimore’s nest, but so woven up and entangled as to be entirely irreclaimable. 
Before the introduction of Europeans no such material could have been obtained 
here ; but with the sagacity of a good architect he has improved this circumstance 
to his advantage, and the strongest and best materials are uniformly found in those 
parts by which the whole is supported.” * All birds, however, accommodate them¬ 
selves more or less to their surroundings when they build nests, and are wont to 
use for them what is most convenient. Thus we have found a chaffinch’s nest, 
the exterior of which was formed as usual of lichens, but most beautifully hung 
with very small scraps of a letter written in blue ink, which we had ourselves 
torn up and thrown away in its vicinity a few days before. 
By way of showing the popular ignorance of ornithology, it may be noted that 
three or four years ago a letter appeared in the Times stating the writer had seen 
a flock of Orioles in late autumn on a tree in Hyde Park. These proved to be 
fieldfares and redwings which had just arrived here for the winter. 
The Oriole, in spite of its harsh fluting, stands high as a mimic when kept in 
confinement. Thus Bechstein saw two which had been reared from the nest; one 
of which, independently of the natural song, whistled a minuet, and the other 
imitated a flourish of trumpets. One of his neighbours saw two at Berlin, both 
of which could whistle different airs. The French interpretation of its natural song 
is Louisat bonne merises, and their rhyme runs 
“ C’est le compere loriot, 
Qui mange les cerises et laisse le noyau.” 
Broderip relates that they have a saying that the discovery of an Oriole’s nest 
bodes no good to the finder. The reason of this is apparent when it is remem¬ 
bered in what dangerous positions the bird generally builds. 
A bird which is very similar to this one (and often regarded as the same) is 
really an Indian species (Oriolns knndoo). Professor Newton says that it may 
immediately be recognised by having the dark mark behind the eye reaching to 
some distance above the ear covers; the wing is also much shorter, not reaching 
nearly to the end of the tail, and the bill is proportionately longer. 
* Wilson’s “American Ornithology. 
