I. THE ROBIN. 21 



among green leaves, and absolutely identifies 

 itself with dead onqs, or with mossy stems. 



19, r -think I show it you more accurately 

 fti the robin's back than I could in any other 

 bird ; iXe mode of transition into more brilliant 

 colour is, in him, elementarily simple ; and 

 although there is nothing, or rather because 

 there is nothing, in his plumage, of interest 

 like that of tropical birds, or even of our own 

 gam'e-birds, I think it will be desirable for 

 you to learn first from the breast of the 

 robin what a feather is. Once knowing that, 

 thoroughly, we can further learn from the 

 swallow what a wing is ; from the chough 

 what a beak is; and from the falcon what a 

 claw is. 



I must take care, however, in neither of 

 these last two particulars, to do injustice to 

 our little English friend here ; and before we 

 come to his feathers, must ask you to look at 

 his bill and his feet. 



20. I do not think it is distinctly enough 

 i'elt by us that the beak of a bird is not only 

 its mouth, but its hand, or rather its two 

 hands. For, as its arms and hands are turned 

 into wings, all it has to depend upon, in 



