52 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 
whether the combatants were young birds of the previous season ; 
but the early occupation of the nest so soon after the arrival of 
the birds induces me to think that they already knew of its 
existence, and had resolved to secure it for their domestic 
quarters. As no fewer than three successive broods were reared 
in the coveted nest during that season, we may hope that the 
dispute was ultimately settled in a manner satisfactory to all 
concerned. The nest was occupied during the following summer, 
apparently without further dispute as to rightful ownership. 
On several occasions I have seen a cat put to flight by swallows. 
If she is in an exposed place, where they can get readily at her, 
they raise a shrill cry, and make a rapid downward swoop, so as 
to pass close to her head, picking out a few hairs with their bill 
as they pass. The cat soon learns to dread the approach of 
the swallows, whose movements are much too rapid for her to 
evade. Sometimes a little bald spot may be seen on a cat’s head 
between the ears, caused by swallows picking out the hairs. 
Rosin (Lrythacus rubecula, Linn.). 
The robin’s character is a curious mixture of amiable and 
unamiable qualities; and while we cannot but love him for his 
confiding ways, we must admit that he is both selfish and cruel, 
as well as a perpetual quarreller, whose mellow voice is too often 
raised in battle-cry. Even the modest little hedge-sparrow 
comes in for a good deal of persecution from her ungallant rela- 
tion, especially when she ventures to approach the winter feeding- 
place. 
Young robins, with their first mottled plumage, are often 
exceedingly tame, and may then be very easily petted. We have 
had several pets, but never for a longer period than two years, 
after which time they probably fell a prey to some feline wanderer. 
Twice have I had them so tame as to fly to my finger and pick 
from it a little piece of butter, of which they soon became remark- 
ably fond. During the warm summer months, when the windows 
of the house had been left open, the condition of the butter-pats 
sometimes showed that the birds had found their way thither and 
helped themseives. 
It is a remarkable fact, which I have repeatedly confirmed by 
observation, that these birds seem to maintain among themselves 
