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Range (Eastern North America breeds) (XVI)

Eastern North America; breeds from the Gulf States to New Brunswick; winters in Central America.

Washington, rather common S. R., Apl. 28 to Sept. Sing Sing, common S. R., May 2 to Sept. 1. Cambridge, very common S. R., May 8 through Aug. Nest, pensile, of grasses, bark, plant fibers, hair, strings, etc., firmly interwoven, in fruit or shade trees, near the extremity of a limb twenty to forty BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. feet up. Eggs, four to six, white, singularly scrawled with fine, distinct or obscure black or fuscous lines, and with a few spots or blotches, 94 x 63. Sometimes Nature, as if to remind us of the richness of her stores, sends from the tropics a gayly attired bird who seems quite out of place among the more soberly clad inhabitants of northern climes. The genus Icterus contains nearly forty species, all more or less brightly dressed in orange, yellow, and black, but not one is more beautiful than our Baltimore Oriole.

There is reason to believe that he is not unaware of his own charms; indeed, we may almost suspect him of intentionally displaying them. His splendor is not to be lost in the forest, and, whistling loudly, he flashes through our fruit and shade trees. He generally leaves to the female the task of constructing their wonderfully made nest, but he seems quite as deeply interested in the performance as if he were a skilled weaver himself; indeed, he would probably assist if he were permitted.

Young Orioles have been well named by Mrs. Olive Thorne Miller the cry-babies of the bird world. Their ceaseless call for food is almost as much a midsummer voice as the song of cicadas. Long after they have left the nest we may find them in the different trees about our lawn calling out monotonously and persistently dee-deedee-dee, until one of the parents arrives and momentarily stops their mouths.

BULLOCK'S ORIOLE (508. Icterus bullocki), a species of our Western States, has been taken at Bangor, Maine. 509. Scolecophagus carolinus (Müll.). RUSTY BLACKBIRD. Ad. 8, breeding plumage. - Entire plumage uniform glossy bluish black; tailfeathers of nearly equal length. Ad. & in fall and winter plumage. Similar, but the upper parts widely tipped with rufous or rusty, the under parts similarly tipped with ochraceous- or cream-buff; a buffy line over the eye. Ad. in breeding plumage. Slate-color, glossy above, duller below; wings and tail darker and more glossy. Ad. in fall and winter.-Similar, but somewhat lighter, the upper parts widely tipped with rufous or rusty, the under parts similarly tipped with ochraceous- or cream-buff. L., 9.55; W., 4.61; T., 3.52; B., 80.