THE PERCHING BIRDS. 29 



British America. Everywhere it is one of the earliest birds to nestle, 

 and in the southern part of its range raises two or more broods in a 

 season. In the Middle States the robins have paired by April I, and 

 have begun to build their homes before the middle of the month. 

 As far north as Detroit, fresh eggs are to be had the second and third 

 weeks of April in abundance, while even on the Upper Missouri and 

 at Puget Sound, the first broods of young are out early in June, and 

 a second brood prepared for." ERNEST INGERSOLL. 



As everybody knows the robin, and most of us 

 have told innumerable stories about the bird, perhaps 

 the least said the 

 better; but the 

 subject cannot 

 be passed over 

 in positive si- 

 lence. The robin 

 is wandering Robin, 



rather than sys- 

 tematically migratory. The northern birds drift 

 southward, and those of the Middle States go far- 

 ther south, but in no regular way; and if the 

 weather is mild, they drift back in midwinter, and 

 add their mite to our midwinter minstrelsy. The 

 January robin is a lively fellow, and his clear, metallic 

 chirp goes a great way towards enlivening the land- 

 scape ; but this same noisy chatter in May is an 

 intolerable nuisance. 



Robins have no remarkable habits, and are pat- 

 terns of propriety when keeping house and con- 

 cerned with the care of their offspring. Later in the 

 season they lead restless, wandering lives, a great 

 many being together often, but not closely flocked 

 as are the red-winged blackbirds. This disposition 

 3* 



