Bobin WESTERN BIRDS 



of me, and, moreover, the gathering darkness was making 

 it more and more difficult to see any birds except such 

 as passed above the dark tree line ; and from what went 

 on just about me, it was evident that the number of 

 arrivals was increasing rather than diminishing as my 

 count fell off. There seemed to be no good reason for 

 doubting that at least two thousand Robins entered the 

 wood at the extreme end." Mr. Torrey spent many 

 nights watching the in-coming of these birds and his 

 account of the wonderful sight is well worth reading. 



This habit of roosting in large flocks has led to the 

 slaughter of hundreds of them in a night by the market- 

 hunters of the south. In central Tennessee large tracts 

 of cedars attract myriads of birds for the berries, of 

 which they are very fond. We are told that one small 

 hamlet in this district annually sends to market five hun- 

 dred dollars' worth of Robins sold at five cents per 

 dozen, equal to 120,000 birds. 



We certainly hope that the Federal Migratory Bird 

 Bill will end this needless slaughter of our Robins. 



The song of the Robin is loud and melodious, and it 

 is given throughout the day, all summer long, so that 

 it is a well-known and welcome note. There are various 

 call notes; one is Tut-tut, and another, Wheat, wheat, 

 in a high-pitched tone. 



Experiments with young Robins has brought out the 

 fact that they daily consume one half their own weight. 

 We are told, also, that a grown bird requires one third 

 its own weight daily. An instance is given where a 

 young Robin was fed from 50 to 70 cutworms and earth- 

 worms a day for fifteen days; and on one day the bird 

 ate 165 cutworms, or one and five-sixths times its own 

 weight. In view of such testimony as to the great eco- 

 nomic value of these birds, as well as from an esthetic 

 standpoint, it seems a great pity that any of them should 

 be killed. 



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