THE AMERICAN JlOtiJ X. 171 



him in all the funny, catching ads ; " let the best salesman go into ecstasies over 

 the bird's delightful pipings, tameuess, amiability, acuteness in learning tricks, and 

 capabilities of piping any air played or whistled to him ; still he is refused. The 

 shop that once owns a native Robin will continue to own one for many years unless 

 the bird gets accidentally injured, or is kindly permitted to fly abroad. But there 

 is one exception. If possible, let there be a customer to whom the bird is unknown : 

 let the bird be called a "Chinese Orangiphant," and a sale at once is made. 

 Surely a rose is sweeter by any other name. The writer has no Robin Redbreast 

 for sale, but knows how companionable the bird is, and how capable of learning, if 

 taught in youth, the " Star-spangled Banner," or the "Bridal Wreath," playful 

 tricks and pantomimes. The bird is entitled to some consideration on account of 

 being a home manufacture ; but, more than this, he is both a finer musician and 

 more delightful cage-bird than many of the emigrants, of which most of us know 

 less, and in respect to which, in purchasing, we take our chances. The world is. 

 not growing conservative: "chances" have been in vogue ever since Eve used 

 Satan's horn for a fruit-picker, and are in vogue to-day more than ever before. 



The Robin is a beautiful songster, and his musical notes resemble greatly those 

 of the Thrush ; in addition, he is a constant singer, and sings during the greater 

 part of the year ; a hardier bird is not caged. He may be oftentimes seen hung 

 before the window of a house, endeavoring to shelter himself from the severest of 

 storms, and consoling himself for the carelessness of his master by singing in hi& 

 sweetest manner. Naturally very tame, even when wild, as he builds his nest in 

 summer, and seeks shelter in winter, near the habitation of man, what better 

 qualifications would the most critical bird-lover wish ? 



The young school-boys, and the old boys who have been to school, smack their 

 lips when thinking of the delicious dish known as Robin pot-pie ; and the attentive 

 city business man often wishes he could go back for a day to old times, and enjoy 

 the favorite dish. The flesh of the Robin is a tender morsel, and highly esteemed ; 

 and owing to the good care he lavishes on himself and children, and the rich diet 

 of which he partakes, his body is always found in the most satisfactory condition 

 for a meal. In former times the slaughter of Robins for this purpose was some- 

 thing immense ; and, during the sportsman's period, the cities poured out pro- 

 fessionals and amateurs in scores for the purpose of killing Robins for the markets. 

 Some humane person determined to put a stop to the reckless slaughter. The fruit 

 known as poke-berries is a favorite food of the Robins. The juice of the berries is 

 of a beautiful crimson, and they are eaten in such quantities by the birds that their 

 whole stomachs are strongly tinged with the same color. A paragraph appeared in 

 the public press, intimating, that, from the great quantities of these berries which 

 the Robins had fed on, they had become unwholesome and even poisonous food, and 

 that several persons had nearly died by eating of them. The strange appearance 

 of the entrails of the birds seemed to corroborate this account. The demand for 

 them ceased almost instantly, and motives of self-preservation accomplished more 

 than all the pleadings of humanity. 



They are exceedingly fond of gum-berries ; and, when a tree is found covered 

 with this fruit, a flock of Robins is sure to be found also : the sportsmen have easy 

 work in shooting them at this time. 



