156 ROBIN ROOSTS. 
with a sprinkling of maples and other decid- 
uous trees. It is bounded on the further 
side by a wet meadow, and at the eastern 
end by a little ice-pond, with a dwelling- 
house and other buildings beside it, all within 
a stone’s throw of the wood. 
This discovery was made on the evening 
of July 25th, and I at once crossed a narrow 
field between the wood and the highway, and 
pushed in after the birds. It was too dark 
for me to see what was going on, but as I 
brushed against the close branches the rob- 
ins set up a lively cackling, and presently 
commenced flying from tree to tree before 
me as I advanced, though plainly with no 
intention of deserting their quarters. The 
place was full of them, but I could form no 
estimate of their number. 
On the following evening I took my stand 
upon a little knoll commanding the western 
end of the wood. According to my notes, 
the birds began to arrive about sunset, — 
but this was pretty certainly an error, — and 
though I did not undertake an exact count 
until the flight was mainly over, it seemed 
likely that at least three hundred passed in 
at that point. This would have made the 
