84 Bird-keeping. 



of a very inquisitive nature, and will hop about the 

 table, and examine anything that he sees in the room 

 with the greatest interest. 



Robins choose most extraordinary situations for 

 their nests. There are many instances on record of 

 their building in churches and schools, on shelves in 

 store-rooms, etc. One Robin built in a water-pot, 

 another in the mouth of a shark, in a bird-stuffer's 

 apartment filled with formidable-looking creatures. 

 Curiously enough, this bird was not deceived into the 

 belief these were living animals ; although another 

 Robin attacked a stuffed bird of his own species, under 

 the impression that he was alive. Robins are so pug- 

 nacious that it is impossible to keep more than one male 

 in an aviary. One of these birds killed more than twenty 

 of his kind for venturing into a greenhouse which 

 he inhabited. They are jealous, too, of the affection 

 of their human friends, and will sometimes drive away 

 their young if they approach too near to them. One 

 bird whom we used to feed through the winter, and 

 who came regularly to our table for his breakfast of fat 

 and bread crumbs, had a nest in the following summer 

 in a rhododendron-bush near the drawing-room win- 

 dow ; and on occasion of a long drought, when it was 

 difficult to get insects and worms, and many birds suf- 

 fered from want of water, our old friend brought his 

 family to the window regularly for a supply of food, as 

 long as they were in need, and followed us whenever 



