The nest of the meadow lark is made of grass, etc., built on the ground, often arched over, and sometimes at the foot of a bush or weed.
The eggs are four to six in number; crystal white, more or less marked with reddish-brown dots; average size, 1.10x.80.
And now, having called the bird a “lark” all through the article, let me say that it is not a lark at all, but a starling. The old name is, however, too firmly established to permit of a change.
The Baltimore oriole is a summer resident and quite common. The males arrive about the middle of April, and the females about ten days later. In 1887, the males arrived on the 13th, the females on the 23d. On the 30th, I found a nest nearly finished; and May 7th it contained five fresh eggs. Unfortunately the boy who tried to secure them broke the whole set.
The oriole is one of our most brilliantly plumaged birds, and on that account is much persecuted. I have heard that they stand captivity well, but as yet I have had no opportunity to try.
But it is in the nest that the chief interest in the study of this species centers. It is a closely woven pouch of various substances, grass, wool, thread, string, hair, lace, ribbons, rags, paper, leaves—all these and many more have been found in their nests. I have one by me now which is composed entirely of horsehair, with the exception of a white string around the rim to bind the hairs together; and I was shown one in Fulton, Kentucky, made entirely of long blades of grass.
I made a careful examination of the nest mentioned in the first part of the sketch. The foundation was made entirely of white wrapping twine, lined with dried grass; and as if to render it less conspicuous, it was covered with green locust leaves—it was in a locust tree—and suspended as it was, among a bunch of leaves, it was next to impossible to see it. I discovered it by watching the bird. One string in the nest was over five feet long. It was wrapped again and again around a limb, then to the nest, woven down one side under the bottom and up the other side to the rim where it was securely fastened.
The eggs are white, with blackish spots and scrawls irregularly distributed over the surface, especially toward the larger end. The average size is 1.00x.65, according to Coues; .92x.65 according to Davie. I consider the latter more correct so far as it applies to eggs taken here.
The bird is known by the various names of fire-bird, golden robin, hang nest, etc., besides the one given above.