<h2 id="c11">THE ORCHARD ORIOLE.</h2>
<p>The first of May finds the trees and
shrubs well clothed in tender green, the
air laden with the perfume of many blossoms,
and bird life abounding. The
number has been rapidly increasing since
the coming of the meadow lark and robin
that proclaim the approach of the moving
host. Since their songs of joyous
anticipation first were heard reverberating
through field and orchard, almost every
day has brought some new arrival, till
now the air is alive with feathered creatures
and hilarious song is rife. With
ever varying motions they search for
food and sport among the tree branches,
or course through the vault of heaven.
Nidification is now in progress in various
stages of advancement, according to the
species of bird.</p>
<p>But many of our summer visitors are
still absent, yet just now is the season
that one of the most interesting should
make his appearance and join in the general
jubilee. This is the Orchard Oriole,
and he is among the gayest of the gay
of all this merry throng.</p>
<p>Being a soft-billed bird, or insect eater,
he defers his migration until insects have
become plentiful. He is remarkably uniform
in migration. Wintering south of
the United States, he enters our borders
about the last of March and with unusual
regularity steadily makes his way onward
till he reaches the northern limit
of his range the latter part of May.</p>
<p>In the southern states arid southern
portion of the middle states east of the
Rocky mountains this Oriole is one of the
most abundant and familiar songsters
that frequent the orchards and gardens.</p>
<p>He is a very conspicuous bird in both
plumage and song. Although not quite
so brilliantly attired as his cousin Baltimore,
his coat of chestnut and black is
very noticeable. His song is loud and
gushing and resembles that of the rose-breasted
grosbeak enough for the superficial
observer to confound the two, but
to the trained ear there is a decided difference.
The notes, though uttered with
force and rapidity, are varied, clear and
sweet. His sojourn with us is short,
but while here his rapturous refrain is
heard almost incessantly. This sprightly
bird is seldom, if ever, inactive, but with
ever-moving pinion he flits from branch
to branch, from tree to tree, and even
when giving forth his gushing melody he
quivers and sways.</p>
<p>Orchard Orioles are masters in the art
of nest-building. The nest, a beautiful
basket-like structure about three inches
across and the same in length, is attached
to half-upright or horizontal branches.
Usually it is half pensile, though some
are wholly pendent. It is always made
of blades of long, slender grasses woven
together in a most wonderful manner
and lined with plant fiber and feathers.
As the grass is invariably used while
fresh and green, the nest is of a more or
less green hue at all times, and consequently
difficult to detect among the
thick foliage. The four or five bluish-white
eggs are spotted with a purplish
color. At first the nestlings are fed on
tiny insects and later on beetles and
grasshoppers. The number of noxious
insects a pair of these birds will destroy
in a season is almost incredible.</p>
<p><span class="lr"><span class="sc">Addie L. Booker.</span></span></p>
<div class="fig"> <ANTIMG src="images/i11503.jpg" alt="" width-obs="500" height-obs="864" /> <p class="caption">PRAIRIE WARBLER. <br/>(Dendroica discolor.) <br/>About Life-size.
<br/><span class="small">FROM COL. CHI. ACAD. SCIENCES.</span></p>
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