54 THEROBIN. 



fences, in search of worms and other insects. Some timet 

 they will disappear for a week or two, and return again in 

 gijater numbers than before; at which time the cities poui 

 out their sportsmen by scores, and the markets are plenti* 

 folly supplied with them at a cheap rate. 



ILLUSTRATIVE ANECDOTES. 



In January, 1807, two young men, in one excursion, shot 

 thirty dozen Robins. In the midst of such devastation, 

 which continued many weeks, and, by accounts, extended 

 from Massachusetts to Maryland, some humane person took 

 advantage of a circumstance common to these birds in 

 winter, to stop the general slaughter. The fruit called 

 poke-berries is a favourite repast with the Robin, after 

 they are mellowed by the frost. The juice of the berries 

 is of a beautiful crimson, and they are eaten in such quanti- 

 ties by these birds, that their whole stomachs are strongly 

 tinged with the same red colour. 



A paragraph appeared in the public news papers, inti- 

 mating, that, from the great quantities of these berries 

 which the Robins had fed on, they had become unwhole- 

 some, and even dangerous food ; and that several persons 

 had suffered by eating of them. The strange appearance of 

 the bowels of the birds seemed to corroborate this aoconnt. 

 rho demand for, and use of them, ceased almost instantly; 



