with some persons in America, who maintain that the differences of colour
are indicative of different species. But, since the habits of these birds
under all these singular changes of plumage are ascertained to be precisely
the same, the argument no longer holds good. I shall now endeavour
to describe these habits with all the accuracy supplied by long
observation.
The migration of the Orchard Oriole from south to north is performed
by day, and singly, as is that of its relative the Baltimore Oriole, the
males appearing a week or ten days sooner than the females. Their
flight is lower than that of the Baltimore, and considerably shorter in its
continuance, the Orchard Oriole alighting more frequently on the tops of
the trees, to rest or to feed. They exhibit a greater repetition of motions of
the wings, although sliding through the air for a few yards only at a time,
and whilst about to alight, as Avell as afterwards, perform strong and well
marked jettings of the tail. This the Baltimore seldom does. No sooner
have they reached the portion of the country in which they intend to remain
during the time of raising their young, than these birds exhibit all
the liveliness and vivacity belonging to their nature. The male is seen
rising in the air for ten or twenty yards in an indirect manner, jerking
his tail and body, flapping his wings, and singing with remarkable impetuosity,
as if under the influence of haste, and anxious to return to the
tree from which he has departed. He accordingly descends with the
same motions of the body and tail, repeating his pleasant song as he
alights. These gambols and caroUings are performed frequently during
the day, the intervals being employed in ascending or descending along
the branches and twigs of different trees, in search of insects or larva?.
In doing this, they rise on their legs, seldom without jetting the tail,
stretch their neck, seize the prey, and emit a single note, which is sweet
and mellow, although in power much inferior to that of the Baltimore.
At other times, it is seen bending its body downwards, in a curved posture,
with the head greatly inclined upwards, to peep at the under parts
of the leaves, so as not to suffer any grub to escape its vigilance. It now
alights on the ground, where it has spied a crawling insect, and again
flies towards the blossoms, in which many are lurking, and devours
hundreds of them each day, thus contributing to secure to the farmer the
hopes which he has of the productiveness of his orchard.
The arrival of the females is marked with all due regard, and the
nudes immediately use every effort in their power to procure from them
a return of attention. Their singings and tricks are performed with redoubled
ardour, until they are paired, when nidification is attended to
with the utmost activity. They resort to the meadows, or search along
the fences for the finest, longest, and toughest grasses they can find, and
having previously fixed on a spot either on an Apple Tree, or amidst
the drooping branches of the Weeping Willow, they begin by attaching
the grass firmly and neatly to the twigs more immediately around the
chosen place. The filaments are twisted, passed over and under, and interwoven
in such a manner as almost to defy the eye of man to follow their
windings. All this is done by the bill of the bird, in the manner used
by the Baltimore Oriole. The nest is of a hemispherical form, and
is supported by the margin only. It seldom exceeds three or four
inches in depth, is open almost to the full extent of its largest diameter
at the top or entrance, and finished on all sides, as well as within, with
the long slender grasses already mentioned. Some of these go round
the nest several times, as if coarsely woven together. This is the manner
in which the nest is constructed in Louisiana ; in the Middle Districts
it is usually lined with soft and warm materials. The female lays from
four to six eggs of a bluish-white tint, sprinkled with dark brown, and
raises only a single brood in the season. The young follow the parents
for several weeks, and many birds congregate towards autumn, but the
males soon separate from the females, and set out by themselves as they
arrived in spring.
The sociality of the Orchard Oriole is quite remarkable, and in this
respect that bird differs widely from the Baltimore, which will not suffer
any other bird of its species to build a nest, or to remain within a considerable
distance from the spot which it has selected for its own ; whereas
many nests of the species now before you may be observed in the same
garden or orchard, and often within a few yards of the house. I have
counted as many as nine of these nests on a few acres of ground, and the
different pairs to which they belonged lived in great harmony.
Although the food of the Orchard Orioles consists principally of insects
of various kinds, it is not composed exclusively of them. They are
fond of different sorts of fruits and berries. Figs are also much relished
by them, as well as mulberries and strawberries, but not to such a degree"
as to draw the attention of the gardener or husbandman towards their
depredations.