ROBIN ROOSTS. 161 
fectly clear I hoped to make a gain upon all 
my previous figures. But the fair weather 
was perhaps a hindrance rather than a help; 
for the robins came later than before, and 
more in a body, and continued to arrive long 
after it was impossible to see them. I 
counted 1480, — 53 less than on the 1st. 
I attempted no further enumeration until 
the 18th. Then, in an hour and ten min- 
utes, 1203 birds were seen to enter the roost 
at the eastern end. But they arrived more 
than ever in flocks, and so late that for much 
of the time I missed all except the compar- 
atively small number that passed in my im- 
mediate vicinity. Many were flying at a 
great height, —having come from a long 
distance, as I inferred, —and sometimes I 
knew nothing of their approach till they 
dropped out of the sky directly over the 
wood. Qn this occasion, as well as on many 
others, — but chiefly during the latter part 
of the season, — it was noticeable that some 
of the robins appeared to be ignorant of the 
precise whereabouts of the roost; they flew 
past it at first, and then, after more or less 
circling about, with loud cackling, dived 
hurriedly into the wood. I took special note 
