514 A VES — REDBREAST. 



The black-cap visits England about the middle of April, and retires in 

 September; it is common in Italy, but in England it is rather a rare bird. 

 It frequents gardens, and its nest, which it builds near the ground, is com- 

 posed of dried grass, moss, and wool, and lined with hair and feathers. The 

 female lays five eggs, of a pale reddish brown, sprinkled with darker colored 

 spots. During the time of incubation the male attends the female, and sits 

 by turns ; he likewise procures her food, such as flies, worms and insects. 

 This bird sings sweetly, and so like the nightingale, that in Norfolk it is 

 called the mock-nightingale. Black-caps feed chiefly on flies and insects, and 

 not unfrequently on ivy, and other berries. 



THE REDBREAST. i 



Though the redbreast is generally admired for his song, he is still more ad- 

 mired for his attachment to, and confidence in, mankind. In all countries, 

 he is a favorite, and has what may be called a pet name. The inhabitants 

 of Bomholm call him Tommi Liden, the Norwegians, Peter Ronsmed, the 

 Germans, Thomas Gicrdet, and in England he is known as Robin Redbreast, 

 or by the still more familiar appellation of Bob. Buflbn describes, with his 

 usual elegance, the winter manners of this bird. " In that season," says he, 

 " they visit our dwellings, and seek the warmest and most sheltered situa- 

 tions ; and if any one happens still to continue in the woods, it becomes the 

 companion of the faggot maker, cherishes itself at his fire, pecks at his 

 bread, and flutters the whole day round him, chirping its slender pip. But 

 when the cold grows more severe, and thick snow covers the ground, it ap- 

 proaches our houses, and taps at the windows with its bill, as if to entreat 

 an asylum, which is cheerfully granted; and it repays the favor by the most 

 amiable familiarity, gathering the crumbs from the table, distinguishing 

 affectionately the people of the house, and assuming a warble, not indeed so 

 rich as that in the spring, but more delicate. This it retains through all the 

 rigors of the season, to hail each day the kindness of its host, and the 

 sweetness of its retreat." The bill of the robin is slender and delicate ; its 

 eyes are large, dark, and expressive, and its aspect mild ; its head and all the 

 upper parts of its body are brown, tinged with a greenish olive ; the neck 

 and breast are of a fine deep reddish orange ; a spot of the same color marks 

 its forehead; its belly is whitish, and the legs and feet of a dusky black. It 

 is near six inches in length, from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail ; the 

 former being about half an inch, and the latter two inches and a half. 



This bird, m England, has the sweetest song of all the feathered tribe : 

 the notes of other birds are, indeed, louder, and their inflections more ca- 

 pricious , but the redbreast's voice is soft, tender, and well supported ; and 

 the more to be valued, as we enjoy it the greatest part of the winter. 



1 Syh-ia ruhccola Lath. 



