8 Massachusetts Audubon Society 



Our watches, our keys and penknives were all brought into use as 

 playthings, and each provided fun. A farm-hand, returning from the field 

 with his team, was hardly noticed by Billy, who simply stepped to one 

 side to let them pass. But when Mr. Armstrong's airedale terrier came 

 romping down the lane in search of his master, the partridge at last seemed 

 suddenly to awake to his normal instincts and hastily disappeared into 

 the woods. We did not try to call him out again, feeling that he had 

 already been generous enough in the thrills with which he had provided 

 us and deserved a well-earned rest from our further attentions. 



OUR ROBIN PET 



By Grace E. Wilder 



In a big oak in East Lynn was a robin's nest with two eggs in it. July 

 11, 1915, early in the morning, a crow came to eat the babies, which then 

 were four days old. The parents objected strenuously, thereby attracting the 

 attention of a kingbird and English sparrows, who came to assist the parents. 



The nest was dislodged, one birdling was half eaten, and the second 

 fell with the nest. The family went out to see the cause of such noises, and 

 took pity on the live birdling by placing it in a basket (on wool), suspended 

 on a clothes-line. The parents of birdie, not understanding human motives, 

 attacked their benefactors. 



The nest on the clothes-line did not interest the parents, and off they flew, 

 leaving their one offspring to the humans to care for. It was fed four angle- 

 worms every fifteen minutes, about seven pieces every half -hour. In the 

 fall, "Timmie," as it was named, was placed in a very large oblong cage. 

 It had been brooded all summer by an apron over the basket, so was at first 

 much afraid in the cage. 



There was only of the family of three which it chose for special atten- 

 tion, so when Timmie began roosting on chair rounds, Miss Grace induced 

 him to use the cage-roost instead. At last he became contented and now can 

 not be persuaded under any circumstances to leave his house. The following 

 year all agreed that the birdling had been misnamed, but she is called by the 

 original name still. Being reasoned with and spoken to as if a child, Timmie 

 seems to understand well and when excited, an explanation quiets her. 



She has favorite hymns and shows strong preferences for many things, 

 and answers her friend with yips like talking. She seems inquisitive and 

 knowing and is beloved by all who see her. In these five years she has learned 

 many cunning tricks. One thing she does is to put her bill up through the 

 wires to kiss her friend. 



Things are given her for amusement. Once a piece of calico was placed 

 inside and she tossed it about awhile, then left it. Quite a while afterward 

 her friend asked her where it was. She immediately picked it up ! 



Her food is everything — worms, grasshoppers, flies, cheese, onions, rais- 

 ins, bananas, ice-cream, cake, tomatoes — whatever is given to her. She is fat 

 and well-colored and healthy-appearing. Her leg was broken by the fall 

 from her nest and one wing also was injured. She could not be given free- 

 dom. Nor is it necessary. She is happy as can be, and a hundred amusing 

 stories may be told of "Miss Timmie" and her ways. 



