AMERICAN ROBIN 239 



eyes concentrated on a given spot near by, and seems to 

 say: "Come, quick, and see how it is done!" Then, 

 lighting into the task, it takes a head dive into the grass, 

 with each assault throwing to one side a billfull of soil, 

 and between each thrust, calls to the young bird; the 

 little chubby, bobtailed fellow with its spotted first suit 

 of Robin clothes, bobs over the lawn, as though it did not 

 know what the fuss was about, until the parent bird offers 

 the youngster a big, fat, juicy angleworm. This is greed- 

 ily swallowed, while the young bird seems to say: 

 "Where in the world did you get it?" 



Robins in my yard have to do the worm digging for a 

 number of English Sparrows. These pests go hopping 

 along beside the Robin as it runs across the lawn. Some- 

 times there are as many as six English Sparrows after 

 one Robin. As soon as the latter stops to listen or look for 

 a worm the Sparrows collect in a circle within a few 

 inches of it, and as it throws the dirt from about the 

 worm, the little imposters quickly grab it and are off 

 before the Robin has had even a chance at the prize. I 

 have never seen the Robin protest against this injustice, 

 though I have seen Sparrows actually pull the worm from 

 between a Robin's bill. The automobiles in our cities 

 have made worm and insect eaters out of these gram- 

 nivorous and seed eating Sparrows. 



