Wecka A ROBIN ORPHANAGE in 



standing up much excited. Then she flew away. Later I saw the 

 male robin bringing food to the nest. 



I turned the lookout duty over to a member of the family and 

 went to school. That evening I was informed that the mother robin 

 had not been near the nest all day. I saw the male make two 

 trips to thenestbeforeitwastoodarkforobservation. Next morning 

 as I was leaving for school, I saw the male on a branch near the 

 nest. He flew away shortly afterwards and as I learned later, 

 did not return during the day. The hungry robins cried so loud 

 that they could be heard thru the open window. I made up my 

 mind to take care of them. 



As the nest is about twenty feet from the ground and the tree 

 has comparatively few branches, I thought climbing would be an 

 acrobatic feat. In a short time, however, and with not so much 

 trouble, I was on the ground again with four wee robins in a 

 case strapped to my back. The old nest was left in the tree m 

 hopes that if the parents should return, they might stay. I put 

 the baby robins in an Easter basket lined with flannel. This 

 basket was kept near a window between the kitchen and the dining- 

 room. 



The problem now was to keep the robins well fed. This was 

 not very difficult at first. By the time the birds were settled in 

 their new home, the news had spread to all the small folk in the 

 neighborhood. I extended an invitation to the little people to come 

 and see the robins and made them realize that the birds should not 

 be handled or frightened in any way. Everybody was so immensely 

 interested that an expedition set out at once to look for worms. 

 Sixty-five worms were brought in, that da}'; not a worm was 

 left that night. Discovery of the robin's voraciousness shocked 

 everybody, and some of the children began to feel great concern 

 about how we should ever manage to keep the little birds from 

 starving; for they would open their mouths so wide that pieces 

 of worm disappeared as into an immense yellow chasm. And the 

 robins, like all babies, were sure to let you know when they were 

 hungry. Even- morning promptly at four o'clock, they began 

 to call for something to eat. One practical member of the family 

 remarked that the robins would make an excellent alarm clock, if 

 they did not ring too early. 



