INSESSORES.
DENTIROSTRES.
MERUL1DÆ.
TH E GOLDEN ORIOLE.
Oriolus galbula, Golden Oriole,
Le Loriot,
P enn. Brit. Zool. vol. i. p. 303.
Mont. Ornith. Diet.
B ewick, Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 109.
F lem. Brit. An. p. 66.
Selby, Brit. Ornith. vol. i. p. 176.
J enyns, Brit. Vert. p. 102.
Gould, Birds of Europe, pt. ii.
Temm. Man. d’Ornith, vol. i. p. 129.
Oriolus. Generic Characters.—The form of the beak is that of an elongated
cone, but slightly depressed at the base ; upper mandible ridged above,
notched at the point. Nostrils basal, lateral, naked, pierced horizontally in an
extended membrane. Wings of moderate size, with the first feather short;
the second feather not so long as the third, which is the longest in the wing.
Feet with three toes in front, one behind ; tarsi shorter or only as long as the
middle toe ; the outer toe joined at its base to the middle toe.
L ik e the species last described, though much more rare,
the Golden Oriole is also a summer visiter to Britain, an
occasional straggler being now and then obtained, but always
between spring and autumn. This bird makes its
annual visit to the European continent from the countries
south of the Mediterranean in the month of April, and returns
in September. It is in April that a specimen is sometimes
obtained on our southern coast; and from those that
pass over France and Germany in a north-western direction,
an example is occasionally procured in the maritime counties
of our eastern coast.
Very little is known of the habits of the Golden Oriole in
this country; but greater facilities for observation occur on
the Continent, and in Italy particularly these birds are
common.
Bechstein says, they generally frequent lonely groves, or
the skirts of forests, always keeping among the most bushy
trees, so that it is rarely seen on a naked branch. They
always frequent orchards in the fruit season. M. Vieillot
also says that they frequent wooded countries, are shy and
difficult to approach. These birds, he says, are sometimes
deceived by an expert sportsman, who advances towards them
whistling their note ; but the ear of the bird is so correct,
that a single mistake, or false note, made in the imitation of
his song, is a sufficient hint to the bird, and he takes wing
instantly. Mr. Swainson, speaking of the habits of the
Orioles generally, says, they live in small flocks, fly well, and
frequent high trees, among the foliage of which they seek
for caterpillars, soft insects, and fruits.