Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/708

 694: ORIOLE ORISSA short and strongly scaled ; toes moderate, the lateral ones usually unequal. In the typical genus oriolus (Linn.), besides the above charac- ters, the tail is moderate and rounded, and the claws long, strong, and curved. These orioles are migratory, scattered over various parts of the old world ; they are usually found singly or in pairs, sometimes in small flocks, on the edges of woods and in fields and orchards, feed- ing on fruits and insects, flying in an undulating manner from tree to tree ; their notes are loud, but mellow and somewhat plaintive ; the plu- mage is generally brilliant yellow, more or less interrupted by deep black markings ; the form is stout, and the power of flight considerable ; some of them display great ingenuity in the construction of their nests. The European golden oriole (0. galbula, Linn.) has the body clear brilliant yellow, the wings and space be- tween the bill and eye deep black ; the quills are edged and tipped with yellowish white, which sometimes extends to the tips of the secondaries ; a triangular spot of yellow on the closed wing; two central tail feathers black, European Golden Oriole (Oriolus galbula). the lateral ones with yellow tips increasing to the outside ; the female is yellowish green above, shading below into yellowish and pure white, the wings brownish black with an ashy tinge ; it is about as large as the blackbird, 9 in. long. This species is found abundantly in S. Europe, Asia, and N". Africa, and some wan- der as far north as Great Britain and Sweden. The nest is skilfully made, of the ordinary round shape (according to Yarrell), and placed in the horizontal cleft of a branch, each side of which is included in the substance of the nest ; the eggs, four to six, are clear white, with brownish black spots most numerous on the larger end ; the parents defend their nests with great courage. Though possessing small powers of song, their beauty makes them in request as cage birds ; but they are difficult to raise, and rarely live more than two years in captivity. In the districts where they feed on figs the flesh becomes very fat, and is consid- ered excellent eating ; they are very shy. The African golden oriole (0. auratus, Yieill.) is about as large as the preceding species, which it much resembles ; but the black stripe on the side of the head extends behind the eye, and there is much less black on the wings ; the bill is red ; it migrates southerly from equatorial Africa. More than 20 other species are de- scribed in Africa, Asia, and the Indian archi- pelago. In the genus sphecotheres (Vieill.) of Australia, the bill is shorter, stouter, and more curved, and the tail long and even ; the species are few, frequenting the tops of lofty trees, feeding on fruits and insects. In the genus sericulus (Swains.), also Australian, the bill is longer and more slender, and the wings and tail moderate ; these birds live in the large bushes, feeding principally upon figs. The name oriole is erroneously given to many coni- rostral birds of the starling family, especially the subfamily icterince or hang-nests of North and South America. (See BALTIMOEE BIRD.) ORION, a Greek mythical hero, son of Hy- rieus, of Hyria in Bceotia, called, by the Boeo- tians Oandaon. He was a giant, strong and handsome, and, coming once to Chios, fell in love with ^Ero or Merope, the daughter of (Enopion. To please her, he cleared the island of wild beasts; but (Enopion constantly put off the marriage, and Orion, being intoxicated on one occasion, forced his way into Merope's chamber. To avenge this insult, the father with the aid of Bacchus and the satyrs put out Ori- on's eyes. Having recovered his sight by going toward the east and exposing his eyeballs to the rising sun, he returned to Chios for the purpose of punishing (Enopion ; but being un- able to discover him, he went into Crete, where he lived as a hunter with Diana. Four ac- counts of his death are given : that he was killed by Diana for attempting to violate her ; that Apollo, indignant at Diana's love for him, challenged her to hit with an arrow a distant point in the sea, which proved to be the head of Orion swimming ; that, he having been car- ried off by Aurora, Diana, to please the indig- nant gods, put him to death ; and that, having boasted he would clear the earth of wild beasts, the earth sent forth a scorpion which killed him. After his death he was placed among the stars, where he appears with a girdle, sword, lion's skin, and club, the brightest constellation in the northern heavens. ORISSA, an ancient province of India, now forming a commissionership of Bengal, extend- ing about 250 m. along the W. side of the bay of Bengal, and bounded S. by Madras and W. by the Central Provinces ; area, 23,901 sq. m. ; pop. in 1872, 4,317,999. It consists of three seaboard districts, Balasore in the north, Pooree in the south, and Cuttack between them, with 19 tributary states in the interior. The three maritime districts consist of low and nearly flat plains, varying in width from 9 m. in Bala- sore to 40 m. in Cuttack. The geological for- mation of the tributary states belongs to the metamorphic series, and the general surface is composed of successive ranges of mountains