66 BIEDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Among a large series of specimens, such as that contained in the 

 U. S. National Museum, there is of course, a very considerable 

 range of individual variation, but the extremes of normal variation 

 are included in the general terms of the above diagnoses. The 

 deepest-colored specimen in the series is an adult male obtained at 

 Laurel, Maryland, April 3, 1879, (No. 82,539 ; H. Marshall). In this the 

 dorsal feathers are all black, but distinctly bordered with slate-gray. 

 All the wing feathers are decidedly black centrally, this showing 

 very conspicuously on the tertials, while the primaries, with their 

 coverts and alulae are deep slate-back, narrowly, but very sharply 

 edged with pale gray. The black of the head is very intense, while 

 the black streaks on the throat, are much broader than the white 

 ones. The lower parts are of a very rich, bright, uniform rufous. 

 The bill, in the fresh specimen, was a pure, rich, golden-yellow, 

 with the extreme tip black. This specimen I do not consider to be 

 at all abnormal in the respects indicated, however, but believe 

 that it represents merely the most perfect plumage of the fully 

 adult male. 



The palest colored individual is a female from the District of Colum- 

 bia, obtained October 15 (No. 59,304; D. W. Prentiss), and in the plu- 

 mage described above as that of the young in first autumn. The 

 entire upper parts are a uniform ash-gray (slightly tinged with olive 

 anteriorly), the feathers of the pileum darker centrally. The entire 

 throat is white, very narrowly streaked with dusky. The breast and 

 sides pale rufous, or bright reddish ochraceous, strongly shaded 

 with ash-gray across the jugulum, and posteriorly broken into large 

 spots by the broad white borders to the feathers. 



The habits of the American Robin are too well known to require 

 particular description. With many characteristics which of them- 

 selves should endear him to every lover of birds, he possesses cer- 

 tain bad qualities which have made him enemies. Seeking the so- 

 ciety of man, he "outwears his welcome" by pilfering cherries and 

 other small fruits with most provoking industry and pertinacity ; 

 and though a persistent singer during early morn, he delivers his 

 sweet carol in a vacillating manner and quite spoils its effect by 

 the interspersion of harsh, squeaky notes, while as the "evening 

 shades deepen" his sharp complaining chirps annoy us by their too 

 frequent repetition ; and the twilight seems to make him all the more 

 vociferous. However, "with all his faults, we love him still." 

 No American orchard would be complete without its pair of Robins, 



