ROBIN. 



-Turdus migratorius. Linn&us. 



PLATE XXVIII. THE ROBIN. 



THE Robin goes by several names at Hudson's Bay ; 

 some people calling him tHe red-bird ; some the black- 

 bird ; and others the American Fieldfare. They inhabit 

 the whole of North America, from Hudson's Bay to Nootka 

 Sound, and as far south as Georgia. 



Not only the plumage of the Robin, and of many other 

 birds, is subject to slight periodical changes of color, but 

 even the legs, feet, and bill : the latter, in the male, being 

 frequently found tipt and ridged for half its length with 

 black. In the depth of winter their plumage is generally 

 best, at which time the full grown bird, in his most perfect 

 dress, appears as exhibited in the plate. 



This well known bird is familiar to almost every body. 

 Innumerable thousands of them are seen in the lower parts 

 of the whole Atlantic states, from New Hampshire to Caro- 

 lina. They migrate to avoid the deep snows, from north 

 to south, from west to east. The Robin builds a large 

 nest on an apple tree, plasters it with mud, and lines it 

 with fine grass. His principal food is worms, berries and 

 caterpillars. When berries fail, they disperse themselves 

 over the fields, and along the fences, in search of worms 

 and other insects. 



The Robin is one of our earliest songsters : even in 

 March, while snow yet dapples the field, some few will 

 mount a post or stake of the fence, and make short and 

 frequent attempts at a song. His notes, in spring, are 

 universally known, and as universally beloved. They are, 

 as it were, the prelude to the grand general concert that is 

 about to burst upon us, from woods, fields, and thickets, 



