January in Berkeley. 



joy and vivacity. Some deep, brood- 

 ing sorrow seems to have fallen upon 

 it to quench its song and leave it medi- 

 tative and lonely. It seldom congre- 

 gates in flocks of any considerable size, 

 although two or three are as a rule in the 

 same vicinity. In size this species is 

 about the same as the common robin, 

 from which it may be instantly distin- 

 guished, however, by the presence of 

 a black crescent upon the breast, extend- 

 ing up the sides of the head. A 

 conspicuous stripe of buffy yellow or 

 brown above the eye is also a distin- 

 guishing mark. The throat and breast, 

 except where black, are yellowish or 

 orange brown in color, while the Ameri- 

 can robin is brick red or chestnut on 

 the breast. The back of both species 

 is slate or plumbeous in color. 



The wren-tit does its best to atone 

 for the meditative ways of the varied 

 robin. Considerably less than half its 

 size, it is, nevertheless, such a bustling 

 little chatterbox that its presence is soon 

 128 



