186 ROBIN. 



It seems a long step from these gentle, refined 



Thrushes to their comparatively prosaic cousin, the famil- 



EoWn ^^^ Eobin. But the Eobin has his 



Meruia migratoria. place, and in March his cheery song is 



Plate Lxxxix. quite as effective as the Hermit's 



hymn in June. 



During the summer Robins are distributed through- 

 out ^N'orth America from the Gulf States and southern 

 end of the Mexican tableland, northward to Labrador and 

 Alaska. In the winter they may be found in numbers 

 from Virginia southward, small flocks and single birds 

 being occasionally met with as far north as Massachu- 

 setts. Robins are among our earliest migrants, appear- 

 ing in the vicinity of New York city between February 

 20 and March 1. Nesting is begun about April 15, the 

 mud-lined nest and greenish blue eggs being too well 

 known to require description. Two, or even three broods 

 may be raised. In June, the young of the first brood 

 with some adult males resort each night to a chosen 

 roost, often frequented by many thousands of birds. 



The fall migration begins in September, but the birds 

 are with us in roving bands until December. 



About the time that we first hear the Robin's ringing 



welcome to spring we may listen for the Bluebird's more 



Bluebird gentle greeting. Doubtless the bird 



tiiaiia siaiis. lias been with us all winter, for Blue- 

 Piate xc. birds winter in small numbers as far 



north as southern Connecticut, often living near groves 

 of cedars, which offer them both food and shelter. In 

 the Southern States they are far more abundant at this 

 season, gathering in flocks containing hundreds of indi- 

 viduals. 



The Bluebird is the first of our smaller birds to begin 

 housekeeping, and early in April it may be seen pro- 

 specting about the site of last year's nest in a bird box or 



