FOR CAGES AND A VIARIES. 173 



is stationary, but in the more northern parts of the 

 Continent he wanders about, probably in search of food, 

 and migrates southwards till the return of the warm weather. 



Naturally of a bold and fearless disposition, the Robin 

 very frequently avails himself of the protection that is 

 usually extended to him by man, and will venture into 

 the house and take up his abode there of his own free 

 will; and if trapped or taken when full-grown he very 

 soon becomes reconciled to captivity, providing he is 

 supplied with suitable food and is not unnecessarily 

 alarmed and interfered with. It is unfortunate that he 

 should be of such unsocial habits, that he cannot have 

 a companion of his own species, male or female, without 

 a deadly feud springing up between them, for it is a 

 pretty sight to see him hopping about the room in the 

 free and easy manner he is accustomed to assume, when 

 he honours anyone with a visit. 



If kept in a cage, it does not much signify what its 

 shape may be, providing a portion of it is shaded off 

 from public view, for the Robin likes to retire to a quiet 

 corner now and then, and there he will sit and sing to 

 himself for hours, particularly in the evening. 



Less stress is laid upon the size and shape of the 

 cage, because the door of it should often be opened and 

 the bird permitted to fly about the room, always returning 

 to the cage to sleep and feed. 



The Robin in a state of nature feeds principally on 

 insects, and is of much service in clearing off multitudes 

 of the gardener's worst enemies ; he also eats earth- 

 worms, and makes no difficulty of disposing of one 

 as long as himself. In the house he should be treated on 

 the same lines, that is to say, have a diet consisting for 

 the most part of ants' eggs (those provided by Mr. E. 

 Romans of Llanelly, South Wales, are excellent), maggots 

 of the flesh-fly, blackbeetles, otherwise cockroaches, 

 and garden worms; but any of the latter that are deep red, 

 ringed and pointed at both ends, must not be used, as 

 they possess poisonous properties, and care must also be 

 taken that the beetles have not been killed by means of 

 phosphor paste, or any other deleterious substance. 



