186 ROBIN. 
It seems a long step from these gentle, refined 
Thrushes to their comparatively prosaic cousin, the famil- 
iar Robin.. But the Robin has his 
tise: eae place, and in March his cheery song is 
quite as effective as the Hermit’s 
hymn in June. 
During the summer Robins are distributed through- 
out North America from the Gulf States and southern 
end of the Mexican tableland, northward to Labrador and 
Alaska. In the winter they may be found in numbers 
from Virginia southward, small flocks and single birds 
being occasionally met with as far north as Massachu- 
setts. Robins are among our earliest migrants, appear- — 
ing in the vicinity of New York city between February 
20 and March 1. Nesting is begun about April 15, the 
mud-lined nest and greenish blue eggs being too well 
known to require cescription. Two, or even three broods 
may be raised. In June, the young of the first brood 
with some adult males resort each night to a chosen 
roost, often frequented by many thousands of birds. 
The fall migration begins in September, but the birds 
are with us in roving bands until December. 
About the time that we first hear the Robin’s ringing 
welcome to spring we may listen for the Bluebird’s more 
gentle greeting. Doubtless the bird 
has been with us all winter, for Blue- 
birds winter in smal] numbers as far 
north as southern Connecticut, often living near groves 
of cedars, which offer them both food and shelter, In 
the Southern States they are far more abundant at this 
season, gathering in flocks containing hundreds of indi- 
viduals, 
The Bluebird is the first of our smaller birds to begin 
housekeeping, and early in April it may be seen pro-. 
specting about the site of last year’s nest in a bird box or 
Bluebird, 
Sialia sialis. 
