BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
215 
Young male .—In late summer and autumn, similar to female, though somewhat 
larger. I have never seen young males in spring without some black feathers on throat 
or loral space, or some chestnut-colored feathers, and I have taken young males when 
just able to fly with a few black feathers on chin and throat. 
Young male in spring .—Similar to female, but with face and throat black. From 
this last described condition males are found in all stages until the full adult plumage 
is assumed. The chestnut and black appears in streaks and patches. A young male 
(nine months old) now before me, is in full adult plumage, with the following excep¬ 
tions : Occiput and crown with a few dark yellowish feathers; feathers of lower hind 
neck and inter-scapular region deep black but edged with rusty ; a few yellow feath¬ 
ers mixed with the light chestnut of abdomen ; pities slightly tinged with yellowish 
which is generally on tips of chestnut feathers; edge of wing yellow and chestnut; 
middle coverts of one wing margined with greenish-yellow, on the other wing these 
feathers same as in adult; greater coverts (both wings) edged with pale chestnut. 
Length about 7 inches ; extent about 10 inches ; female trifle smaller. 
Habitat .—United States, west to the plains, south in winter in Panama. 
The Orchard Oriole, as its vernacular name would indicate, is a com¬ 
mon inhabitant of orchards, particulary apple orchards. 
Late in April or early in May, usually a few days after the shrill notes 
of the Baltimore Oriole have been heard, the subject of this present 
sketch arrives from his whiter retreats in tropical America. This species 
appears to arrive singly or in pairs, the males come at least two or three 
days before the females. The Orchard Oriole is of a rather shy disposi¬ 
tion, and although he is a common frequenter of the fruit and shade trees, 
both in town and country, he prefers to shelter his body in the thick¬ 
est portion of the leafy branches, from which his peculiar—somewhat 
harsh and rattling though not unmusical—notes are frequently heard 
when the vivacious little minstrel is entirely hidden from view. Some¬ 
times, however, he will, like the Indigo-bird or Brown Thrush, perch on 
the topmost limbs and sing with the greatest energy. As soon as the 
young are hatched his rapid and confused song ceases. The firm and 
somewhat long cup-shaped nest, constructed of fine green grass stems 
most beautifully interwoven and lined on the bottom with downy sub¬ 
stances, is usually placed among the upright twigs of an apple, pear or 
maple limb. When such a site is selected the nest is not pensile; on 
two occasions, however, I have found nests which were suspended from 
small bifurcated branches. The nests, before the eggs are hatched, have 
an odor similar to that of new hay. The eggs, mostly five, are 
bluish-white, indistinctly dotted with bluish-gray, and conspicuously 
spotted (sometimes lined) with brown and black. They measure about 
.86 by .58. In the late summer, preparatory to migrating south, these 
birds collect in flocks* of from fifteen to thirty, seldom more, and are 
frequently to be seen flitting through the bushes and trees along the 
roadside or about the borders of woods and clearings. 
The food of this species consists chiefly of insects. They destroy great 
quantities of caterpillars, as well as other destructive larvae. Immense 
numbers of noxious beetles, numerous plant-lice, many spiders and flies 
•These flocks. I think, are composed entirely of young of the first year. 
