238 BIRDS 



protest, to your near approach to its nest and young. 

 Just try to invade the sanctity of its home in your door- 

 yard, and notice the difference. Its voice, protest and 

 physical bluff are in keeping with its feelings. As the 

 Indian sign language is understood among the tribes, so 

 is the distress signal of the Robin understood among all 

 of its bird friends, regardless of species. Its language 

 is precise and emphatic and easily understood. Famil- 

 iarity here breeds contempt. 



Some springs the Robin arrives a few days ahead of 

 the season, when a late cold snap stops nest-building and 

 angleworms become scarce. It is then that the Robin, 

 of all birds, shows its disappointment in life's pursuits, 

 and may be seen perched on a limb in some sunny place, 

 with drooping tail and wings, and every aspect of dis- 

 gust with the weather and a Robin's life in particular. 

 No Song Sparrow spirit is shown in the actions of a 

 disappointed Robin ; but its * * cheerie, cheer up ! cheerie ! ' ' 

 is soon heard again on the first warm day. 



During the summer months the Robin is the optimist 

 of the bird kingdom. Rain or shine it is the same cheer- 

 ful singer. Have you not seen it and heard its words of 

 good cheer when the rain was falling in torrents? The 

 Robin belongs to the Thrush family of sweet singers 

 and enters the competition in Class A of our best song- 

 sters, beside the Wood Thrush, and Verry. (Fig. 141.) 



Do not be surprised if you find a Robin's nest in 

 almost any locality, under a bridge, in the barn, in an 

 oak or elm tree or even in a niche in a bank. The nesting 

 material is usually composed of fine grasses and sticks, 

 abundantly plastered with mud. Robins frequently re- 

 pair and occupy a last-year's nest or they may hatch two 

 broods in one season in the same nest. Why abandon a 

 good home that has been occupied by four pale blue eggs 

 for only two weeks and the young birds for ten or twelve 

 days? 



I know of no more interesting sight in a bird's life 

 than that of a parent bird teaching its young how to pro- 

 vide for themselves. The Robin as it entices the nestling 

 first out on a nearby limb, and finally to the ground, to 

 give it instruction in "bait" digging, is an interesting 

 example. Observe the parent bird as it runs a few feet, 

 pauses, turns its head in an attitude of listening, with its 



