12 REDBREAST. 



[Cyanecula suecica — Red-spotted Bluethroat.] 

 \Ruticilla suecica — Yarrell^ 

 An occasional visitor. 



Genus -ERITHACUS. 

 ERITHACUS RUBECULA— Redbreast. 



The brisk, bold Robin. 



Mackay. 



The Eedbreast whistles from a garden croft. 



Keats. 



That swells its little breast so full of song, 

 Singing above me in this mountain ash. 



Coleridge. 



The Ruddock warbles soft. 



Spencer. 



And glancing all at once as keenly at her, 

 As careful Robin's eye the delver's toil. 



Tennyson. 



The bold friendly " Robin," to the joy of every household, is 

 abundant throughout the county. It is an universal favourite, 

 always ready, with the least encouragement, to make itself at home. 

 In the garden, it will sit on one shoulder of the spade as the gar- 

 dener digs the ground, with his foot on the other, or it will even 

 perch on the gardener's boot. He will enter the house or cottage 

 if invited to do so, or will even invite himself, when the snow 

 is on the ground, to feast on the crumbs that fall from the table, as 

 Thomson so happily describes — 



Half afraid, he first 

 Against the window beats ; then brisk alights 

 On the warm hearth ; then hopping on the floor 

 Eyes all the family askance. 

 And pecks and starts, and wonders where he is, 

 Till, more familiar grown, the table crumbs 

 Attract his slender feet. 



Thomson— 2%6 Seasons. 



