192 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:5— May, 1917 



SOME ROBIN ANNALS 



Georgia Sweetlaxd, Ithaca, N. Y. 



An old apple tree in our back yard, which has housed many 

 generations of robins, has furnished a fine opportunity co observe 

 the individual traits of these birds. I saw in early Spring two 

 birds flitcing about in the apple tree, and wacched them for a time. 

 The male robin was hopping^ about a promising looking sice, made 

 by the separating of three branches. He turned his head on one 

 side and then on the ocher in the knowing way robins have, and 

 called to the lady to look, then sac down flat on the place and fitted 

 himself to it and nestled around as they do when placing materials 

 in che nest, as if to show her how fine a place it was. She assumed 

 an air of indifference and continued investigating on her own respon- 

 sibility. Again he would fly to the place of his choice and measure 

 it and call to Mrs. Robin, but she paid no attention, and later chose 

 a place in our neighbor's pear tree, way up on the tip of a limb, an 



entirely different sort of place from the one selected by him. 



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One male tenant of the apple cree seemed to think his judgment 

 of building material w^as superior co his lady's, and he industriousls^ 

 flew about getting suitable material for building, according to his 

 way of thinking; but as soon as she saw him with anything in his 

 mouth she would fly at him and he would obediently drop it. 

 This sort of thing went on for several days. I really felt sorry for 

 the disappointment of the bird. He would slyly take up pieces 

 of twig and weight them in his bill and look towards che nest, but 

 invariably he was apprehended and in no gentle way made to 

 understand that his services were not then required. Bub one 

 rainy day, when che nest was near completion, I saw her sitting on 

 a limb high up, and seeming to direct the labors of the father as he, 

 down on the ground, was gathering mud. When he had a suitable 

 load, they both flew to the nest and he kept this up till he had 

 carried the amount of mud required by his exacting mate, and a 



woe-begone looking bird he was before its finish. 



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A neighbor of ours rescued a young robin from a cat and brought 

 him to me. His wing was badly torn and only one tail feather was 

 left. I put him in a cage on the back ])orch and he soon became 

 tame and seemed to enjoy his house. I sometimes took him out 



