26 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



In autumn and winter each rufous feather beneath is bordered Ijy a more 

 or less conspicuous crescent of white ; in addition to this, most of the hghter 

 individuals ( 9 ?), at this season, have an ashy suffusion over the breast and 

 flanks ; and this, we liave observed, is more general and more noticeable in 

 western than in eastern specimens. In fall and winter the color of the bill, 

 too, changes, becoming at this season either partially or wholly dusky, instead 

 of almost entirely yellow, as seen in spring and summer examples. 



Mexican specimens, found breeding in the Alpine regions as far soutli 

 as Orizaba and Mirador, most resemble the western series ; one, however 

 (No. 38,120 (?, Orizaba), but in the autumnal plumage, and therefore 

 very possibly a migrant from the North, is hardly distinguishable from 

 No. 32,206, Georgia; it is about identical in proportions, and the rufous is 

 of a castaneous shade, like the deepest colored eastern examples ; the white 

 tip to the outer tail-feather is as broad and conspicuous as is ever seen in 

 the latter. 



Habits. Scarcely any American bird has a wider range of geographical 

 distribution, or is more numerous wherever found, than this thrush. From 

 Greenland on the extreme nortlieast to the plateau of Mexico, and from 

 the Atlantic to the Pacific, the Robin is everywhere a very abundant species. 

 Single specimens have been obtained as far south as Cohan, Guatemala. Its 

 distribution in the breeding season is hardly less restricted, occurring alike 

 on the shores of the Arctic Seas and on the high lands of Vera Cruz. 

 In the winter months it is most abundant in the Southern States, while 

 in the Middle and even the Northern States, in favorable localities, it 

 may be found throughout the year ; its migrations being influenced more 

 by the question of food than of climate. In the valleys among the White 

 Mountains, where snow covers the ground from October to June, and where 

 the cold reaches the freezing-point of mercury, flocks of the Eobin remain 

 during the entire winter, attracted by the abundance of berries. 



On the Pacific Coast the Robin is only a ^\'inter visitant in California ; a 

 very few remaining to breed, and those only among the hills. They reach 

 Vancouver Island early in March, and are very abundant. 



In New England, where the Robins are held in great esteem, and where 

 they exist under very favorable circumstances, their numbers have very 

 largely increased, especially in the villages. They cause not a little annoy- 

 ance to fruit cultivators by their depredations upon the productions of the 

 garden, especially cherries and strawberries. They are a voracious bird, and 

 no doubt destroy a large quantity of small fruit, but there is abundant evi- 

 dence that this is more tlian compensated by their destruction of the most 

 injurious insects, upon which they wage an incessant war. The investiga- 

 tions of Mr. J. W. P. Jenks and Professor Tread well establish conclusively 

 their great services in this direction. 



The experiments of tlie latter gentleman show that the nestlings of the 

 Eobin require a vast amount of animal food, forty per cent more than their 



