THE ROBIN 95 



the western parts of North Africa, and the bird is 

 said to be a winter visitor to Turkestan, Persia, 

 Palestine and Egypt. Its southern range in Africa 

 is at present undetermined, but it includes the 

 Canaries, Madeira, and some of the Azores. 



The Robin is a resident in the British Islands, 

 but there can be no doubt that its numbers are 

 increased in some localities by migrants from the 

 Continent, It is a very common bird on passage 

 at Heligoland, both in spring and in autumn. 

 The haunis of the Robin are changed somewhat 

 according to season. In summer the bird shows 

 more tendency to frequent woods, shrubberies, 

 fields, hedgerows and lanes ; in winter it draws 

 nearer to houses, and then may be observed 

 more commonly in gardens, about sheds and farm- 

 yards. We hasten to qualify these remarks by 

 saying that many birds live all the year round 

 close to our habitations ; the number of these house 

 Robins increases in winter. With the return of 

 spring a marked decrease of numbers is perceptible, 

 for then the birds have retired to their more remote 

 nesting-places in woods, hedgerows and the like. 

 Robins that live in the immediate vicinity of houses 

 are most engagingly trustful in their habits, ex- 

 hibiting a fearlessness which wins all hearts. As 

 if by some subtle reasoning sense the Robin seems 

 to know that he is safe from harm ; the expression 

 in his large dark eye is one of trustfulness and 



