6 THE SECOND BOOK OF BIRDS 
The best known of this family is the robin, 
American Ropsrn, to give him his whole name. 
He is found all over the United States. In the 
summer he lives in the Eastern and Middle 
States, in the winter he lives in the Southern 
States, and he lives all the year round in Cali- 
fornia. 
The California robin is called the Western 
Robin, and is a little lighter in color than his 
Eastern brother; but he is the same jolly fellow 
under his feathers, and robin song is about the 
same from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 
I’m sure you all know how he looks, with 
black head, slate-colored back and wings, streaked 
throat, and dull red or chestnut breast. His 
mate is not quite so dark in color. 
Robins start for their nesting-place, which is 
their real home, very early, almost the first of 
the birds. They make a nest, not very high, in 
a tree or about our houses, with a good deal of 
mud in it. Not all nests are alike. Sometimes 
a bird will show a fancy for a pretty-looking 
nest. J have seen one made of the white flowers 
of life-everlasting. The stems were woven to- 
gether for the framework, and the little clusters 
of blossoms left outside for ornament. 
The young robin just out of the nest is a 
pretty fellow, with spots all over his breast and 
