Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-05-27
STUDIES In !.
NATURAL HISTORY {;
BY JAMES HENRY RICE, Jr.
THE. BALTIMORE oRroLE

Ordcr-Passcres: Family Isteridae;
Genus, Tcterus; subgenus, !Hyphantes;
Species. Galbula. ..
Icterus means yellow, and Hyphan+
tes is from the Greek verb, Hyphanino.
[ weave; hence, a weaver (hyDhan-
'tes) is from the Greek verb, Hyphaino,
Latin name for some small yellow
bird. '&.1.,r !...i 4
The name. Baltimore .Oriole... is, from
Sir George Calvert, First Baron of
Baltimore who chose the color OF
the bird for his livery. The name
'hyphantes, Isl applied because of the
marvellous woven nest that the Oriole
builds, with narrow neck and a deep
pocket, five or six inches deep, and
about half as wide.
The range is Eastern North Amer
lea and Northern South America. 1t
winters in n:South America. and passes
north in April and May, reaching the
Northern States about. the middle of
May. 1t breeds nearly throughout its
North American range; although spar
ingly in the mountainous and semi
mountainous regions of the Southern
states.
Male Black. and Orange.
me IIldlS SlS UldCh elHu VI dhS C.
Head and neck all round and back,
black; rump, upper tan- coverts; less
er and under Wing-coverts, most tail
feathers: and all under parts from
throat, fiery orange, or varying in
tensity, according to age and season.
Middle tail feathers black; wings
black, the middle and greater coyerts,
and inner. quills, more or. less edged or
tipped with white, but white on COW
erts not forming continuous patch.
Bill and feet blue black, or dark gray
ish- blue. Length ;7.50.to 500 inches;
extent 11.50 to 1850 inches. The fe-
male smaller and much .paler.",
Dr., Elliott Coues says:--"This is
one of our famous beauties of bird
life, noted alike for its flash and color.
it's assduity in singing. and it's skill
at the loom; it's elaborately fabricated
and perfectly pensile. nests, swaying
from the tops of our shade. trees
which have one charm added when
fired with such brilliancy as. the Oriole
brings to contrast with verdure.
There are from four to six eggs,
ground color a shaded white, spotted,
blotched or clouded with .blackish-
brown and other heavy surface colors,
together with subdued shell markings.
The Baltimore Oriole is famous
songster, and the female also sings,
although with less brilliancy OF exc:
cution than the male.
A Destroyer Of Insects. .. :,
Moreover the Oriole is a tireless
searcher out and destroyer of Insects.
In this regard few birds rank higher.
One Of its most pleasing qualities is
its devotion to offspring. Many cases
are cited where the male has fought
with energy any and all enemies, and
often sacrificed his life to protect the
young, and when these are killed both
parents show unmistakable signs OF
grief and affliction, wandering long
about the scene of the tragedy and ut
tering plaintive notes. 100
Orioles soon become tame and make
themselves ut home about the prem.
ises, when they are shown kind treat
ment ..,'s.,.
There are records of. the oriole
from Hudsons bay and other points
in the far interior of Canada. There
are records likewise from Cuba. ;s
Has South American kinsmen.
The celebrated CassiQue of Guiana
and other South American countries.
which also builds pensile nest, is
kinsman of the Oriole.
DR.. Ridgeway showed me a fine col
lection of their nests. taken in Costa
Rica, when he was guest OF Don
Jose C. Zelidon, one OF our mutuai
friends, whose beautiful home IN SAN
Jose. was long a gathering place for
scientific men. Here 5000 feet above
the sea, with volcanoes smoking g.
500 feet higher, our Oriolc spends his
winters: at least some Of them do.
Even there, in a region far richer in
beautiful birds than our own, the Bal
timore Oriole is still a distinguished