156 FAMILIAR FEATURES OF THE ROADSIDE. 



thrushes are pitched high. The robin delights in the 

 close-clipped lawn, the thrush prefers the forest 

 tree ; he rarely comes within a hundred yards of a 

 house, but the robin often socially greets us quite 

 near the piazza steps. The true thrush is a woodland 

 bird ; the robin delights in the open country, and he 

 is companionable, but the thrush is timid and retir- 

 ing, and his plumage is colored so nearly like the 

 gray limbs of the tree, or the dead leaves below them 

 where he is always flitting, that we can scarcely see 

 him twenty feet away. But on the green lawn the 

 rusty breast and the slate-black crest of the robin 

 are prominent bits of color which are visible far 

 away. 



The robin's warble is so very well known to us 

 that it seems unnecessary to take any note of it here ; 

 but for the sake of a little interesting comparison 

 with other bird music, I give two bits of his cheery 

 song which I think will sound familiar : 



His notes are generally delivered staccato and in 

 couplets or triplets, but frequently he gives us a few 

 with caressing modulations, and still others slurred, 

 thus : 



