ROBIN ROOSTS. 165 



I had seen them gather : now a single bird, 

 now two or three, now six, or even ten. A 

 casual passer along the road would have re- 

 marked nothing out of the common course. 

 They flew low, not as if they were starting 

 upon any prolonged flight, and a goodly 

 number alighted for a little in the field 

 where I was standing. Shortly before sun- 

 rise I went into the wood and found it de- 

 serted. The robin is one of our noisiest 

 birds. Who would have believed that an 

 assembly of thousands could break up so 

 quietly ? Their behavior in this regard may 

 possibly have been influenced by prudential 

 considerations. I have said that many of 

 them seemingly took pains to approach the 

 roost indirectly and under cover. On the 

 westerly side, for example, they almost in- 

 variably followed a line of bushes and trees 

 which runs toward the roost along the edge 

 of the meadow, even though they were 

 obliged sharply to alter their course in so 

 doing. 



All this time I had been in correspond- 

 ence with my friend before referred to, who 

 was studying a similar roost, 1 in Belmont, 



1 This roost was discovered by Mr. William Brewster, 

 in August, 1884, as already mentioned. 



