THE AMERICAN ROBIN. 225 



end to her misery. The cruel spike was thrust through the skin and under- 

 lying connective tissue of the throat in a horizontally ascending direction, 

 and the bird was hanged with her feet dangling in her own nest. One egg, 

 entire but stained with ordure, and a sodden mass of broken eggs besides, 

 bore witness with sad eloquence to the tragedy. 



In spite of the law-makers, who knew exactly what they were doing in 

 declaring the Robin worthy of protection, thousands of these birds are an- 

 nually slaughtered by unthinking people because of their fondness for cher- 

 ries and other small fruits. And yet we are assured by competent authorities 

 that cultivated fruit' forms only four per cent of the Robin's food through- 

 out the year, \vhile injurious insects constitute more than one-third. 1 Robins 

 are provoking in the cherry trees, especially when they bring the whole family 

 and camp out ; but there is one way to limit their depredations without destroy- 

 ing these most distinguished helpers : plant a row of mulberry trees, preferably 

 the Russian Mulberry, along the orchard fence, and the birds will seek no fur- 

 ther. I have seen a mulberry tree s\varming with Robins, while neighboring 

 fruit trees \vere almost untouched. The plan is simple, humane, and effica- 

 cious. 



I Butler: Birds of Indiana, p. 1160. 



