PASSE RES. ( 50 ) SYLVIID^. 



THE REDBREAST. 



ROBIN, ROBINET, RUDDOCK. 



Erithaca rubecula. 

 ^^z laobin, Ct)e laobin laetibreagft* 



And thou the bird whom men love best. 

 The pious bird iviih scarlet breast. 

 Our little English Robin ; 

 The bird that comes about our doors 

 When Wifiter winds are sobbing. 

 Art thou the Peter of Norway boors. 

 Their Thomas in Finland, 

 And Russia far inland ? 

 The bird who, by some name or other. 

 All men who know thee call their brother. 

 The darling o^ children and men. 



Wordsworth. 



The Robin Eedbreast is one of our most favourite birds, not 

 only on account of its associations with our earliest years, 

 but also from its fearless and confiding habits^ in winter, 

 and its cheerful song in early spring and autumn. 



It is to a great extent a migratory bird in Berwickshire ; 

 a large proportion of those which are bred in this county, 

 being joined by migrating Eedbreasts from the north of 

 Europe in September and October, shortly afterwards depart 

 with them towards the south,^ and leave only a few, which 



1 The earliest Scottish poet who mentions the Redbreast is Holland in The 

 Houlat, written about 1453, and, apparently from its familiar disposition, he 

 calls it the "henis-man," or family servant. — Sibbald, Chron. Scot. Poet. vol. ii. 

 p. 369. 



2 Mr. Seebohm says that in those districts where the winters are severe, it 

 migrates southwards in autumn to South Europe, North Africa, Palestine, and 

 the cultivated districts of North-West Turkestan. — Seebolim, Hist. Brit. Birds. 

 vol. i. p. 262. 



