THE HUDtiRJEAST. 11 



THE REDBREAST, 



(Sylvia rubecula.) 



PLATE V. FIGURE III. 



A RED bird of the wood, is the meaning of the scientific name, 

 which naturalists have given to our old friend Robin, Robinet, or Rud- 

 dock, whichever it pleases one to call him; he is the prime favourite 

 of our childhood; the hero of nursery song and story; the lover of 

 Jenny Wren, who was killed by that wicked Sparrow, with his bow 

 and arrow; at whose death, "All the birds of the air fell to sighing 

 and sobbing/' but although he was dead, and of his burial there is 

 a very circumstantial account given, yet he is alive still, and has 

 been at any time through the past centuries; he covered the children 

 in the wood with leaves, when they laid them down to die of hunger 

 and fatigue, and sang a dirge over them; and from the very begin- 

 ning to the end of every year, may his sweet warble be heard in 

 the leafy woods during the summer weather; in the cold, and bleak, 

 and bare season, close about our habitations, into which he comes 

 with a trusting confidence which insures his safety and welcome, to 

 feed and be thankful. 



Thankful for his dole of crumbs, 

 In the winter Eobin comes, 

 Pays us with a warble sweet 

 For the food lie has to eat. 



We could fill this volume with extracts from the prose and poetical 

 writers who have written about the Robin; but this would never do, for 

 we have many other feathered clients who claim a place here, and 

 we must be just to them; so to "the household bird with the red 

 stomacher" we shall only give his due share of notice, and of the 

 songs which have been sung in his honour, shall but quote a few 

 snatches here and there- 



"Art thou the bird whom man loves best, 

 The pious bird with the scarlet breast, 



