quickly to the newly turned soil, whenever a worm is exposed on the surface. 

 On the lawn the Robin may be seen in the spring mornings hopping out from 

 the bushes to look for small worms and slugs, stopping every now and then 

 with drooping wings and elevated tail, to listen ; again he utters a few sharp 

 call-notes, ' tic-tic-tic ;' dropping little curtsies the while, and looks fearlessly at 

 you with his dark, truthful eyes. 



He is a most pugnacious bird, and lords it over the smaller birds in the 

 neighbourhood, guarding his favourite haunts most jealously, ever ready to do 

 battle with the intruder. He even fights most fiercely with his own species, 

 and a battle-royal between two cock Robins is no uncommon sight. I re- 

 member, when a small boy, trying to catch some sparrows under a garden riddle, 

 and as I was breathlessly watching from my ambush ready to jerk the string, 

 a Robin hopped boldly underneath and began to pick up the crumbs of bread. 

 Hardly had he begun his feast when another Robin darted down, and the 

 two birds engaged in a fierce combat under the riddle. In the course of 

 their struggles they knocked down the supporting stick and imprisoned them- 

 selves underneath. On going up to release them, I was surprised to find 

 them still at it, fluttering about and pecking viciously at each other. 



The food of the Robin is principally composed of small earth-worms, 

 slugs, insects, and larvae during the summer months. During the fruit 

 season it feeds on wild fruits and berries, and sometimes takes a few of the 

 currants and cherries from gardens. In the depths of winter, when its usual 

 food is scarce, the Robin frequents the farmyards, piggeries, and poultry-runs 

 for the scraps of food which it picks up there, and seems to know that it is 

 a welcome guest. 



Except during the autumn moult, the Robin sings incessantly throughout 

 the year, and although its song is not a very musical production, it has a 

 great charm about it, though it has a peculiarly sad tone. It is while singing 

 that the wonderful tameness of this little bird strikes one most forcibly. It 

 will sit within a few feet of the observer and pour forth its song, looking 

 trustfully at him, as if it knew what a general favourite it is. The call- 

 note is a sharp clear 'tic-tic-tic', uttered rapidly several times in succession, 

 and always accompanied with quick bobbing curtsies. In the nesting-season 

 it has a plaintive piping note when its nest or young are in danger, and 

 sometimes at that season it may be heard to utter a long hissing note. 



The Robin is supposed to pair for life, and is rather an early breeder. 

 Its nest is placed in a variety of situations. Sometimes in holes in walls 

 or trees, in the tufts of grass under hedgerows, banks, or in woods, and 



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