Xl. 
F THE birds of Pine Hills none takes so 
great a range for building nests as does the 
robin. He evidently gives thought to locating 
and placing his nest. Where and how to build 
is as serious a question to the robin as is the same 
question to his neighbor, man. Indeed, the suc- 
cess and happiness of his home largely depend 
on the putting of the nest. If he errs in this it 
frequently results in tragical loss of home and 
family. 
In May of 1910 a pair of robins came into a 
cherry tree standing near a rear piazza of a home 
on South Allen street. It was on a Sunday 
morning, clear and cold, with a northeast wind 
blowing a serious gale. For some time they 
capered about the tree in a frolicking way, then 
settled to a three-branched fork half the tree’s 
height from the ground. 
To all appearance the robins were giving 
thought to the problem of nest-building, madame 
at least plainly showing she was on business bent. 
After a somewhat incoherent chatter both sir 
and madame flew out and away. In not more 
than ten minutes they returned, their beaks filled 
with dry grass. Going at once to the site selected, 
they made a strenuous effort to lay the grass as 
a base for their nest, but the wind was too violent. 
Their every effort was defeated. For an hour 
they kept diligently busy, doing over many times 
the little round of first work without making any 
57 
