BIRDS IN THE CALENDAR 
It has long been the pardonable fancy of 
Englishmen exiled to new homes under the 
palms or pines, in the scorching tropical sun 
or in the biting northern blast, to misname 
all manner of conspicuous birds after well- 
remembered kinds left at home in the woods 
and fields of the old country. As might be 
expected of a bird so characteristic of 
English scenes, and so closely associated 
with the festival that always brings nostalgia 
to the emigrant, the robin has its share of 
these namesakes, and several of them bear 
little likeness to the original. In New South 
Wales, I remember being shown a " robin " 
which, though perhaps a little smaller, was 
not unlike our own bird, but the " robin " 
that was pointed out to me in the States, 
from Maine to Carolina, was as big as a thrush. 
Yet it had the red breast, by which, par- 
ticularly conspicuous against a background 
of snow, this popular little bird is always 
recognisable, the male as well as the female. 
Indeed, to all outward appearance the sexes 
are absolutely alike, a striking contrast to 
the cock and hen pheasant, the first bird 
dealt with in these notes, as this is the last. 
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