had the effect of deterring some of the occasional visitors from
alighting here in their periodical migrations." Signed "Tereus."

A short time after the appearance of this letter in the 'Star' on the
16th of May, 1878, Mr. MacCulloch himself wrote to me on the subject and
said:--"I had yesterday a very satisfactory interview with Mr. George
Métivier. He is now in his 88th or 89th year. He told me he was about
thirteen when he went to reside with his relations, the Guilles, at St.
George. There was then a great deal of old timber about the place and a
long avenue of oaks, besides three large cherry orchards. One day he was
startled by the sight of a male Oriole. He had never seen the bird
before. Whether it was that one that was killed or another in a
subsequent year I don't know, but he declares that for several years
afterwards they were seen in the oak trees and among the cherries, and
that he has not the least doubt but that they bred there. One day an old
French gentleman of the name of De l'Huiller from the South of France,
an emigrant, noticed the birds and made the remark--'Ah! vous avez des
loriots ici; nous en avons beaucoup chez nous, ils sont grands gobeurs
de cerises.' It would appear from this that cherries are a favourite
food with this bird, and the presence of cherry orchards would account
for their settling down at St. George. I believe they are said to be
very shy, and the absence of wood would account for their not being seen
in the present day."

I have no doubt that Mr. MacCulloch is right that the cherry orchards,
to say nothing of other fruit trees, tempted the Golden Orioles to
remain to breed in the Island, for they are "grand gobeurs" not only of
"cerises," but of many other sorts of fruit, particularly of grapes and
figs--in grape countries, indeed, doing a deal of damage amongst the
vineyards. This damage to grapes would not, however, be much felt in