328 HISTORY OF CALIFORN'U. 



quently descend to the ground in qnei 



insects, which then constitute their principal support. 



" They are commonly brought up in the cage, and 

 seem very docile and content. They sing well, readily 

 learn to imitate lively parts of tunes, and some have 

 been taught to pipe forth psalms even to so dull and 

 solemn a measure as that of " Old Hundred /" They 

 acquire also a considerable taste for mimickry, imitat- 

 ing the notes of most of the birds around them, such 

 as the blue bird, pewee, whip-poor-will, and others. 

 On being approached with the finger, they usually 

 make some show of anger, by cracking and snapping 

 the bill. At times they become very tame, and will 

 go in and out of the house with domestic confidence, 

 feel uneasy when left alone, and on such occasions, 

 have sometimes the sagacity of calling attention by 

 articulating endearing words, as, pretty, pretty, &c, 

 connecting, apparently with these expressions, their 

 general import of attentive blandishment. They be- 

 come almost naked in the moulting season, in which 

 they appear to suffer considerably, yet have been 

 known to survive for seventeen years or upwards. The 

 rufous color of the breast becomes deeper in those 

 birds which thus live in confinement. Their principal 

 song is in the morning, and commences before sunrise, 

 at which time it is very loud, full and emphatic. 



u This bird, according to Richardson, inhabits every 

 part of the fur countries. Nests of the Robin are 

 found as high as the 67th parallel ; and from the 

 reports of travellers it is known to visit the north- 

 west coast of America. It arrives in the Missouri 

 (in lat. 41 J ,) from the eastward, on the 11th of 

 April ; and in the course of its northerly movement, 

 visits Severn River, in Hudson Bay, about a fort- 



