on Robins, and some others.



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the real work of nesting has begun. Many a time have “ Bob ” and

“Bess ” stood by me, she, stolid and greedy, opening her beak wide

to be fed, and “ Bob,” looking so pretty and eager, picking up meal¬

worm after mealworm and dropping them down her throat. He

was such a generous little bird, and often, to test him, we would

put down an odd number of worms, and it was always “ Bess ” who

got the largest shai'e.


I shall never forget a tragic little scene that happened one

day as I was feeding the Robins. “ Bess ” had consumed a

large number of worms, each one brought to her by “ Bob,” and at

last she was quite satisfied. There was one worm left, and twice

“ Bob ” offered it to her, holding it to her beak in a very coaxing

way. But “ Bess ” was obstinate, she kept her beak close shut; she

did not even seem to say “ Thank you.” It was a nice worm, and

“ Bob ” evidently thought it a pity to waste it, so he ate it himself

Just as the worm was partly down his throat, “Bess ” changed her

mind and solemnly opened her great beak for the worm to be put

down. But, alas ! it was too late, the dainty was just disappearing

and the look on “Bob’s” face—evidently anticipating trouble to

come—would have been amusing if one had not felt so sorry for

him.


“ Bob ” came to a very sad end, after giving us all great

pleasure for several years, and the fault was mine, which made the

sorrow all the more bitter. We had been troubled with mice, and

I had put a break-back trap in the porch (between the double doors)

of an aviary near the house. On a shelf in the porch I kept the

food for my outside flight of Barbary Doves, who used to come at

meal-times to be fed. One day I took out the food and forgot, for

the moment, to close the outer door. It was only open a minute or

two, and suddenly remembering “ Boh,” who was playing about,

I turned to close it, but too late, our little friend had slipped inside

and was quite dead, caught by his beak in the trap. I am not

ashamed to say I cried bitterly, for I felt by my carelessness I had

murdered my pet. I missed him terribly, and for a long time took

no special interest in other Robins. I had a miserable feeling that

to tame another was only to court disaster.


But Robins will appear on the scene whether you want them



