THE REDBREAST. 



55 



it : " Clear and sharp it sounds in the fresh morning air, whilst still the 

 hoar frost hangs upon the trees, or glitters on the threads of endless gossamer. 

 The sportsman hears it by the covert side as at midday he rests awhile, and 

 seeks refreshment after all his toils; and later still, as he "homeward plods 

 his weary way," that simple note, in some mysterious manner, awakens 

 recollections of the past, when the same sport was shared with dear and 

 absent friends. Again, in the months of September and October, as the day 

 declines and the evening " draws in," how we listen to him in our gardens 

 and shrubberies now chattering his little mandibles as he jerks up and down 

 on some projecting branch, now singing sweetly, or at short intervals waiting 

 for, and answering some neighbouring songster." 



It has been said that the Robin sings best in the autumn and winter, 

 but this is not the case ; the song is best heard when Nature is asleep, yet 

 is quite as charming in the spring, when he carols to his mate as she sits 

 upon her dappled eggs ; yet he often wanders far away at this period and 

 she, disconsolate and hungry, calls to him with her far-reaching melancholy 

 tseet, until he reappears and brings some appetizing morsel to reward her patient 

 toil : for it must not be supposed that Finches alone feed their hens upon the 

 nest, many other birds do the same and often have I seen the Robin do so.* 



The food of the Robin is very varied ; small worms, spiders, centipedes, 

 insects and their larvae forming its staple diet during the open months, but 

 it by no means despises currants and cherries, and during the winter it largely 

 subsists upon berries, probably seeds of weeds, and all kinds of household 

 refuse picked up in the farmyard, or purposely thrown out for him by those 

 who love to see a little bright life about their homes during the desolate 

 months of the year. 



As a cage-bird the Redbreast is a great favourite, but it is almost a sin 

 to confine this trusting little fellow, and it is somewhat risky to turn him 

 out into an aviary ; for, although at various times I have kept Robins which 

 never molested other birds, individuals have been known to prove dangerous 

 companions to less active species. A friend of mine, who turned loose a 

 Robin into his aviary, lost a Bullfinch, Goldfinch, and Linnet in a single night, 

 the Redbreasted little ruffian having drilled a neat hole into the skull of each 

 of them. 



My first experience of Robins in captivity was in the winter of 1886-7, 



* The American Blue-bird is most attentive in this respect, constantly and most unselfishly giving every 

 insect to his wife, from the time of courtship until the young are hatched. The ordinary call-note of our 

 Robin is a short sharp whistled note. 



