442 THE THRUSH FAMILY 



much the sound made by the reel of a fishing-rod when turned slowly. 

 This " reeling " is heard frequently from all directions when the birds 

 are preparing to go to roost, and it serves to give expression to various 

 of the less intense states of mind, such as mild defiance, alarm at the 

 sight of a cat or other enemy, and possibly feelings of cheerfulness 

 not strong enough for song. Related to this note, but clearly 

 distinguishable from it, is a "tsip," which sometimes precedes the 

 long-drawn "ptseef" I have heard it also frequently uttered by the 

 young, when in a militant mood, before they learned the "tik!" By 

 the adults it is often used on the same occasion in a double, some- 

 times a treble, form a sudden " tsip-pip ! " or "tsis-ip ! " Lastly, at the 

 moment when one robin is on the point of dashing upon another 

 I have occasionally heard a note which can only be described as like 

 the spit of a cat. 



The migrations of the robin, both inside our Isles as well as 

 from and to the Continent, are fully dealt with in the " Classified 

 Notes." It is enough to add here that the Continental birds, 

 those that have passed the summer in Northern Europe, may 

 sometimes be seen about October arriving in thousands on parts 

 of our east coast. For instance, in the Spurn district of Yorkshire 

 they may be found at that time swarming in the hedges and 

 gardens. Many on their arrival drop into the long sea-grass 

 on the sandhills ; others seek a meal on the shore itself, along 

 the high-water mark. Exhausted by their long flight, they are 

 so unwilling to move that caution is necessary to avoid treading 

 upon them. They easily fall victims to birds of prey, notably the 

 great grey-shrike, which arrives about the same time, and recruits 

 its strength at the expense of the smaller migrants. 1 



Even in the midst of his migratory movements the robin does 

 not lose sight of that little estate which is to be his and his alone. 

 A striking example of this is given in Rennie's Field Naturalist for 



1 For these facts I am chiefly indebted to an account by the late Mr. J. Cordeaux in the 

 Naturalist, 1893, p. 9, quoted in Nelson's Birds of Yorkshire, pp. 42-7. 



