50 OUR IRISH SONG BIRDS. 



to say that any two cadences are exactly alike. " It 

 consists," as has been well observed, " of simple trills, in 

 a soft tone and minor key, interspersed with pauses 

 more solemn than sound. There are also occasional 

 faintly whispered notes, especially a plaintive, prolonged 

 final note, peculiarly touching ; yet, as if by some power 

 of chastened fortitude, the bird sustains his cheerfulness 

 withal." 



Mr. Burroughs, the American ornithologist, says : 

 " His song abounds in the purest and most piercing 

 tones to be heard." 



The " shilling note " of the Robin is well known. It 

 can be readily imitated by tapping two shillings briskly 

 together a performance that is said sometimes to bring 

 a neighbouring Robin quickly to the spot. There is 

 also a deep-drawn note, something like a sigh, which we 

 frequently hear before we are aware that poor Robin is 

 so near us. 



The Robin sings all the year round, except for about 

 six weeks in summer, from the last week in June until 

 the second week in August. From the middle of 

 December to the middle of January, he can be heard in 

 the morning only ; but further on towards spring, his 

 voice takes up its evening hymn as well. Frost does 

 not much affect his song, for we hear him in the severest 

 weather, when no other songs, save the Wren's, are ever 

 heard. 



There is reason to believe that about October the 

 resident Robins are reinforced by the arrival of birds 

 from more northern regions, and that in this way we 

 may account for the great number of Robins we hear 

 singing in all parts of the country. At times a flood of 



