I. THE ROBIN. I 9 



small effect it seems to have had on the minds 

 of the southern nations. I trace nothing of 

 it definitely, either in the art or literature 

 of Greece or Italy. I find, even, no definite 

 name for it ; you don't know if Lesbia's 

 *' passer " had a red breast, or a blue, or a 

 brown. And yet Mr. Gould says it is abun- 

 dant in all parts of Europe, in all the islands 

 of the Mediterranean, and in Madeira and the 

 Azores. And then he says — (now notice the 

 puzzle of this), — " In many parts of the Con- 

 tinent it is a migrant, and, contrary to what 

 obtains with us, is there treated as a vagrant, 

 for there is scarcely a country across the 

 water in which it is not shot down and eaten." 



" In many parts of the Continent it is a 

 migrant." In what parts — how far — in what 

 manner ? 



1 8. In none of the old natural history books 

 can I find any account of the robin as a 

 traveller, but there is, for once, some sufficient 

 reason for their reticence. He has a curious 

 fancy in his manner of travelling. Of all 

 birds, you would think he was likely to do it 

 in the cheerfullest way, and he does it in the 

 saddest. Do you chance to have read, in the 



