THE ROBIN. 



Young Robins, when they 

 grow their first coats of fea- 

 thers, do not have red breasts 

 like their parents, but are 

 dressed in varying shades of 

 brown that render them very 

 difficult to see when sitting 

 still, amongst the lights and 

 shades of a hedgerow. Di- 

 rectly they have donned their 

 second coats of feathers, which 

 happens in July and August, 

 and become like their parents 

 in appearance, they com- 

 mence to try to sing. It is 

 said that when they have 

 been bred near Nightingales 

 they borrow notes from that 

 sweet-voiced bird, and 

 introduce them into 

 their own songs. I 

 can readily believe this, 

 because I have heard 

 a Redbreast imitate 

 the song of a Sedge 

 Warbler so well that 

 I was completely de- 

 ceived until I saw the 

 vocalist. 



It is unnecessary to 



