140 THE CHEONICLES OF A GARDEN. 



had robins frequently who continued known to us after 

 the breeding season commenced, the cock taking crumbs 

 under the bushes, with which he fed the hen, she being 

 much more timid. It was the oj^inion of the Late James 

 Wilson that the female robins migrate in winter ; in the 

 article Ornithology, in the " Encyclopaedia Britannica," he 

 says : — " We have a notion that in Scotland the female red- 

 breast is migratory. At least, in the vicinity of Edinburgh, 

 we recognise her not throughout the winter. All the in- 

 dividuals then about our gardens sing aiidjight, till, in the 

 month of March, some strangers shew themselves, but do 

 not sing, and are immediately followed and fed by the 

 resident males, at which time they (the supposed females) 

 utter a low hissing note, and flutter their wings like young- 

 dependent birds. This we have often seen and vouch 

 for." 



The first arrival of the birds of passage is always a 

 welcome event to those who like to watch the habits of 

 those feathered favourites ; not merely the swallows, (they 

 are not garden birds,) but the willow-wren, the blackcap, 

 the fly-catcher, and redstart, all of whom build in gardens 

 and shrul)bery, even when near the house. The two first- 

 named of these birds make their appearance, year after 

 year, almost on the same day, the willow- wren on or about 

 the 28tli April, the blackcap on the 2d or 3d of May, 

 after which time, the clieerful song of the one, and the 

 rich, sweet warble of the other, is to be heard all day 

 long, the blackcap singing till late in the evening. 



The increase of building round here is, however, gradually 



