^H The Robin, 



an origin of the aorta and pulmonary artery as above de- 

 scribed. I also refrain from offering any observations upon 

 the cause of these deviations from the natural construction 

 and arrangement of the organs in animals, because they 

 could but be mere speculations ; but as the opinion of one 

 of the ablest physiologists of our day would undoubtedly be 

 interesting to some of your readers, and as that ophiion has 

 been published m a work seldom read but by medical men, 

 I shall conclude my paper by transcribing Mr. Lawrence's 

 words from the paper before quoted : — "I ascribe, then, the 

 aberrations from the usual form and structure of the body 

 which constitute monsters, to irregular operation of the 

 powers concerned in generation, and place them on a level, 

 with respect to their cause, with unhealthy executions of the 

 nutritive, secretory, and exhalent functions." 



I am, Sir, &c. 

 Swqffham^ June 11. 1830. C. B, Rose. 



Art. IV. The Robin. By Von Osdat. 



" Secure his suit will be preferr'd, 

 No fears his slender feet deter j 

 For sacred is the household bird 

 That wears the scarlet stomacher." 



Charlotte Smith. 

 Sir, 

 Grateful for the pleasure I have received in contemplating 

 the elegance, cheerfulness, and familiarity of the robin (Mo- 

 tacilla Rubecula), I am induced to ask a small portion of 

 your publication for a few observations on his amusing 

 manners and habits. Much has, indeed, been written by 

 naturalists and poets on this confiding little bird : for who 

 with a poet's eye or heart could disregard him ? He has 

 been embalmed in the sunny pages of the immortal bard of 

 Avon, and had marvellous foul usage in the poets' corner of 

 every provincial newspaper. This, I conceive, must be in 

 part the reason that no one of your correspondents has yet 

 thought proper to dedicate the scrattle of a pen to his honour, 

 though many other birds have found in your pages a local 

 habitation and a name. 



His spring and summer habits, when he leaves the house- 

 hold gods for the haunts of the hamadryads, are quite as 

 interesting to the naturalist who strolls the fields as his winter 

 ones, when we watch him skipping about the door, or flut- 

 tering on the ledges of our frosted windows ; indeed, I would 



