128 BIRD NOTES 



the feathers of his breast, and staggering about 

 on the other in a most painful manner. He has 

 now nearly recovered. I suspect a chaffinch of 

 having given him a vicious peck on the thigh. 



There is a curious blackbird about here just 

 now. It has a broad white band all down the 

 back from the head to the tail, and when the 

 wings are raised it is evident that the white 

 feathers cover a great part of the back. It is by 

 no means beautiful, and I think the other birds 

 are rather shy of it. 



The robins were curiously tame and sociable 

 last summer and autumn, and still, when I do get 

 out, they come to meet me. If I stoop to look 

 for violets or anything, they will sit in a bush 

 close by, and warble softly in my ear almost. 

 Quite a whispered song it is, so soft and sweet ! 

 If one did not see the little thing's throat moving, 

 and its eyes fixed upon one, it might easily seem 

 to be a bird at some distance to which one was 

 listening. There were three little robins brought 

 up in the rose bush close to my window, and it is 

 probably those that are so sociable ; but I have 

 heard of their singular tameness this year in other 

 places. Their confidence is not misplaced, for 

 they seem in high favour. I hear of no catapulting 

 this year ; and it is said that a butcher-boy is in 

 the habit of putting a little bit of meat on the 



