BIRDS IN THE CALENDAR 



It has long been the pardonable fancy of 

 Englishmen exiled to new homes under the 

 palms or pines, in the scorching tropical sun 

 or in the biting northern blast, to misname 

 all manner of conspicuous birds after well- 

 remembered kinds left at home in the woods 

 and fields of the old country. As might be 

 expected of a bird so characteristic of 

 English scenes, and so closely associated 

 with the festival that always brings nostalgia 

 to the emigrant, the robin has its share of 

 these namesakes, and several of them bear 

 little likeness to the original. In New South 

 Wales, I remember being shown a " robin " 

 which, though perhaps a little smaller, was 

 not unlike our own bird, but the " robin " 

 that was pointed out to me in the States, 

 from Maine to Carolina, was as big as a thrush. 

 Yet it had the red breast, by which, par- 

 ticularly conspicuous against a background 

 of snow, this popular little bird is always 

 recognisable, the male as well as the female. 

 Indeed, to all outward appearance the sexes 

 are absolutely alike, a striking contrast to 

 the cock and hen pheasant, the first bird 

 dealt with in these notes, as this is the last . 

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