Evening star., 1945-07-05
This and That
By Charles r. TrdceweA.
TENTH STREET,

Dear Sir:
II would greatly appreciate it If,
through your interesting column, some
Of your many readers would be good
enough to inform me where any Balti-
more orioles may be seen.
very truly yours, C. w. A., M. D."
DR. A. has been trying faithfully for 10
years to see an oriole, and as far as this
column knows has not been able to find
one.
He has visited nearby Maryland and
Virginia, and spent hours in the search,
but so far has not been fortunate enough
to see or hear one Of these beautiful
birds.
If any reader knows where a pair is
nesting, and will communicate with us.
we will be glad to give DR.. A. the in
formation.
Surely there is no bird more WORTH
while than the Baltimore oriole.
With its black and gold, its interest,"
ing habits, and merry whistle. it has en-
deared itself to all friends of birds.
It's habit of building its nest at the
end of long branch hanging out over
a garden has made it a favorite to watch.
The entire nest building is done by
the female She weaves 1t and hangs
it. In the latter phase she uses various
cords and ties which would do credit
to human ingenuity.
Engineers who have examined these
nests and the way they are hung and
strung have been unanimous in their
praise. This is perhaps the only species
for which lengths of yarn and cord
should be left long. But even with her
there Is chance that she may hang
herself by getting entwined with long
length, so it is best, all considered to
put out pieces no longer than 3 or
inches, or thereabouts.
Various experiments have been tried
to induce the mother to take colored
yarns, and some report success and some
say she will not use them There is
more likelihood that she will use scarlet,
ETC., than other birds, because she uses
them in q different way, so that most of
the length Is inside. Most species
realize that any bright color will attract
other birds and squirrels and chipmunks.
The mother oriole puts as much Of the
bright yarns inside the nest as she can.
Sometimes when offered colored cord
and yarn she will use little, then sud-
denly desert the nest, as II dissatisfied
with the effect. The male occasionally
brings her material, but she does all
the building, especially the weaving in
of the cords which tie it to the end of
the branch.
Only once in 16 years has an oriole
pair nested in our own yard, and then
they left before the eggs were laid, al
though the nest was completely built.
About q week after they left, the
long branch from which the nest was
suspended was blown down in late
afternoon storm.
The question was, did the mother
sense the impending disaster?
The grackles, cowbirds and meadow
larks are cousins of the Baltimore oriole,
but the orioles have none of the dig
agreeable traits of either the grackle or
the cowbird.
When Cecil Calvert, second Baron of
Baltimore, came to Maryland, he dis
covered bird which seemed to resemble
the European oriole. So he called it
"oriole," and the Baltimore was tackled
on out OF compliment to him. as was the
custom in those days.
The Baltimore part OF the name lis all
right, because orange and black we're
the family colors OF Lord Baltimore, but
the "orioles part Is no closer to fact
than is the name robin" for the big.
friendly thzsash We call robin Usage.
however, zsalEs - oriole and the other
retln. 80 49, akthak