The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1897-06-05
The Home of the Baltimore Oriole.
High on yon poplar clad in glassiest green,
The orange blaekeapped Baltimore is seen.
The broad extended boughs still please him
Beneath their bending skirts he hangs his
nest.
WILSON,.

found 10 Nebraska there are none OF
more beautiful plumsgs. more pleasing
in song, or OF q eater help and benefit to
the horticulturist than the BaIti-
more oriole. For his food consists al
most entirely OF those destructive worms,
bugs and beetles that do such great dam
age 10 the trees, vines and growing crops.
Often have seen then in the corn
field near some grove where the corn
was just tasseling out. catching the
moth and its eggs or the worm that had
already b.gun its work Of destroying the
young milky ears. We have no harder
and more cheerful worker among oil OF
our birds than the oriole. The Balti-
more 10 q migratory bird, arriving late
in April when all nature is awakening
to the gentle touch of spring, and the
trees are dressing themselves in their
rich gowne OF emerald. Here we fad
him at his best. perched high up in his
leafy bower. on come slender bOugh OF
the cottonwood or willow, Graded by the
soft south winds from early dawn till
late in the evening when the sun has set.
A happy 60 lucky fellow he. whistling
HE Joyous song all day long with the
carslessness Of school boy. Here, too,
he likes to build his nest, choosing that
side Of the tree which faces the rising
sun. ~ that whom the young birds are
Matched they receive the early warmth
from kind mother natures big stove,
the sun. What wonderful little archi-
tects they are. have one OF their lit
tie homes before me % write. 1t il four
inches deep with an opening at the top
Of two inches, and in circumference il
measures twelve and one half inches.
The outer walls are composed Of long
horse hairs and soft hemp carefully
stitched and interviewer. Some Of these
hairs are fully twenty five inches long.
At the bottom and around the inside
where the eggs have been deposited is
q lining OF fine. soft cows hair and bits
OF cotton. When these little builders
begin their work OF making home they
select one Of these long hairs. carefully
wrap it about long, slender twig and
me it 20 another close by. This they
continue to do until they have circu-
lar network of hairs suspended from the
twige. working Just as We do in build
ing q suspension bridge across a large
river. When they have completed this
Important part Of their home, Mrs. Bal
timore is left to do most Of the weaving,
like all good housewives, while Mr.. b.
goes in search OF more material When
the nest lie completed five or six pale.
pinkish Blown eggs are laid, dotted at
the large end with small spots of the
same hue, finely mingled with delicate.
chooolat C olorei lines at the small end.
Mrs. Bsitimore's whole time is now alb
eorbe1 10 the interesting duty Of hatch
ing q happy family while Mr.. Baltimore
provides the necessaries OF life. 1t is
difficult to describe the beautiful plum
age Of these little mechanics. The male
bird when he has attained his full plum
age has a dark glossy head of jet black
the same back markings extending half
way down the back. covering the wings
which are interlaced with white. The
tail is o, light orange color, ribboned
with black, making it look when spread
like fan of orange and black. The
breast is crimson, shading down the
body 70 light orange. The plumsge of
the female, while not 60 brilliant, 10 yet
very pleasing in it's more quiet olive
brown colors. For the first two years