THE BLUE ROBIN. 5 



in consequence of the birds having too much tempting 

 food at their disposal they over-eat themselves and 

 become so heated that their instinct prompts them to 

 commence breeding again. Others, however, assert that 

 the young are neglected because the parents, not being 

 supplied with food to their liking", namely live insects, 

 refuse to give them what they know to be unsuitable, 

 and that if they were correctly dieted they would do 

 their duty by their offspring and rear them to maturity. 



Possibly; but a correspondent in Hampshire, who 

 is a great admirer of these beautiful birds, and has 

 received some direct from North America, of which 

 part of the world they are natives, has tested them in 

 every way, and been unfortunate each time. Once or 

 twice success was almost attained, and in a day or 

 two more the young would have left their birthplace, 

 when, lo and behold! on going to visit the aviary one 

 morning the poor little Robins were found lying stark 

 and stiff below the nest, from which they had wriggled 

 in the last agonies of starvation ; or they were all huddled 

 up together in their cradle with their heads turned to the 

 opening and equally past recovery. 



It was very provoking, and my correspondent tried 

 all means to bring the delinquents to a sense of their 

 duty, but in vain, and at last was so disgusted by 

 their cruel behaviour that, pretty as they were, and 

 sweet singer as was the cock, they were exchanged 

 for sqme other feathered bipeds of a rqore c|omestic^ 



