266 BRITISH BIRDS. 



fragments that are scattered for the poor frozen-out birds, and for " Cock 

 Robin " in particular. At this season the Robin is also found in the farm- 

 yards, and about manure-heaps, stables, and piggeries, the latter places 

 especially, where he takes his meal from the troughs with the greatest 

 confidence, seeming to know that he is a welcome and invited guest. 



The Robin is one of our few perennial songsters, and warbles incessantly 

 throughout the year, except for a few weeks in early autumn whilst under- 

 going his annual change of dress. We have scarcely a bird in Britain that 

 possesses a song so rich and plaintive as that of the Robin a song that pos- 

 sesses so peculiar a charm as to border on sadness, especially when it greets 

 the ear in the decline of autumn when the year is fast ebbing away. 

 When the Robin is in song the observer may have a convincing proof 

 of his trustfulness and familiarity. He will approach quite closely 

 within a few feet of your head, or sit unconcerned in the branches near 

 you, with his bright dress contrasting with the surrounding foliage, and 

 his soft dark eyes looking trustfully at you, and pour forth his charming 

 song. Regularly every day the Robin will frequent some chosen perch to 

 warble forth his notes, and will strictly guard this place from all intruders. 

 The Robin is the countryman's best weather-guide ; for when he sits high 

 up in the branches it is a true sign of fine weather ; or should he skulk 

 down in the lower cover, it is a bad sign, and almost invariably fortells a 

 wet day. Robins often sing in response to each other ; and these concerts 

 not unfrequently lead to combats, especially in the spring. The Robin is 

 one of the first birds to greet the dawn with its song, and also one of the 

 last, possibly the last, to retire in the evening, singing very often at mid- 

 night in early summer. The autumn song of the Robin is, perhaps, his 

 best performance ; or it may be that the total absence of other songs and 

 the dreamy state of all nature at that season of the year lend it an additional 

 charm. In the moulting-season the Robin is seen but occasionally and 

 is never heard to sing ; the young birds are most frequently seen, easily 

 recognized in their sombre dress ; and it is their sharp call-notes that are 

 most frequently heard. Our other songsters, with few exceptions, lose 

 their music with the autumn moult; but the Robin, as soon as this im- 

 portant operation, which takes place in July, is over, regains his powers of 

 voice to warble throughout the winter. First we hear them sing in very 

 small numbers ; but as August passes away these numbers increase, and 

 when September arrives they are in full song once more. There is nothing 

 at this season of the year more beautiful than the song of the Robin. 



The call-note of the Robin is a wonderfully sharp and clear one, and 

 usually uttered several times in rapid succession, accompanied with a quick 

 bobbing motion of the body. Its alarm-note in the nesting-season is a 

 plaintive piping one, monotonously given forth every few moments, more 

 quickly uttered should its nest be threatened by danger. 



