REDBREAST. 307 



influence attects, though in a less degree, many if not most of 

 the Reclhreasts which remain at home. Content as they are 

 during the autumn to occupy the woods, hedges and gardens 

 which form their usual haunts, the first sharp frost has a 

 decided eflect upon their distribution, while a heavy fall of 

 snow drives them towards the homesteads for the supplies of 

 food they find there ; but should severe and long-contiimed 

 hard weather supervene, and sustenance become more scarce, 

 even these stranger birds vanish — one knows not whither, 

 leaving only the few which had before become almost domes- 

 ticated ; and it need scarcely be said that in winter every 

 country and many a suburban dwelling has its attendant 

 pensioner, who, being " sacred to the household gods," 

 requires but little invitation to become an indoor guest. 

 Thomson indeed has truly described the half-confident, half- 

 doubtful manner of the Redbreast when he ventures to enter 

 the cottage to pick up the proffered crumbs : 



" then, hopping o'er the floor. 



Eyes all the smiling family askance, 



And pecks, and starts, and wonders whei-e he is." 



The Seasons. — Winter. 



The sprightly air of this bird, the full dark eye and the 

 sidelong turn of the head, give an appearance of sagacity 

 and inquiry to its character which, aided by its confidence, 

 has gained it friends ; and Robin-Redbreast has accordingly 

 acquired some familiar domestic name in almost every 

 country of Europe*. 



The song of this species is sweet and plaintive, but not 

 very powerful. White of Selborne says that Redbreasts 

 " sing all through the spring, summer, and autumn. The 

 reason that they are called autumn songsters is, because in 

 the two first seasons their voices are drowned and lost in the 

 general chorus ; in the latter their song becomes distinguish- 



* In common English the word " Robin" has come to be used as equivalent 

 to " Redbreast," and thus in various jmrts of the world colonized by our country- 

 men the former term is generally applied to any well-known redbreasted bird, as 

 in North America to a species of Thrush {Tardus rn.i(/ratorius) and in Australia 

 to several species of the genus Petrceai. 



