THE ROBIN. 157 



of the plant, been indiscriminately consumed, the 

 tree would probably have died, or its summer 

 growth been materially injured : we may thus lose 

 our fruit this year, yet the tree survives, and hope 

 lives, too, that we may be more fortunate the next. 

 The Tartarian honeysuckle (lonicera Tart.) and 

 corchorus Japonicus, when growing in the shrub- 

 bery, are very commonly stripped of their bloom 

 by bull-finches : the first incloses many separated 

 blossoms in its calyx before expansion, and in that 

 particular is analogous to the buds of icosandrious 

 trees in the garden ; and the full-petaled, swelling 

 bloom of the latter affords a fine treat for their 

 feasts ; but we may permit these pretty birds to 

 banquet here, though, if we expect a supply of 

 summer fruit, we must unsparingly drive them 

 away from the branches of our frugiferous trees. 

 The blossoms of the peach, nectarine, and almond, 

 I have never observed to be injured by these 

 birds : the sparrow will pick away the buds of 

 trees against walls when they frequent such places ; 

 but with this exception, I know none but the 

 bull-finch which resort to that food as a regular 

 supply. 



The robin (motacilla rubecola), associated with 

 malignants, is not, perhaps, in the place where it 

 generally would be sought ; but sad truths might 

 be told of it too. It might be called pugnacious, 

 jealous, selfish, quarrelsome, did I not respect an- 

 cient feelings, and long-established sentiments. A 

 favourite by commiseration, it seeks an asylum 



