THE ROBIN. 9 
Unlike many birds, he moves as if he were going 
somewhere. His voice is a strong clear treble, 
loud and cheerful, but he is not a musician, and 
has no one set song. His commonest call has two 
parts, each of three notes run together ; the first 
with a rising, the last with a falling inflection, 
like, tril-la-ree, tril-la-rah ; tril-la-ree, tril-la-rah. 
But he has a number of calls, and you must be 
familiar with the peculiar treble quality of his 
note to avoid confusing it with others. 
Tn the fall, Lowell says, 
‘¢ The sobered robin hunger-silent now, 
Seeks cedar-berries blue, his autumn cheer,”’ 
and this “ sobered”’ suggests a question. Why is 
it that as soon as robins form flocks, they become 
shy? Is it because they are more often shot at 
when migrating in large numbers; or because, as 
Mr. William Hubbeil Fisher suggests, they have 
left their homes, and so have lost confidence in 
the surroundings and people ? 
In some localities they live on cedar-berries in 
the fall, but here they are well -satisfied with 
mountain ash berries, wild cherries, and ungath- 
ered crab apples. Speaking of their food, what a 
pity that anglers cannot contract with them for a 
supply of bait! Woe betide the fish-worm that 
stirs the grass on the lawn within their hearing! 
How wise they look as they cock their heads on 
one side and stand, erect and motionless, peering 
down on the ground. And what a surprise it 
