EEDBREAST. 17 



mingles at all with them. If the nest of the Robin be 

 approached he utters a feeble cheep, and will occasionally 

 attack even a cat, or overcome a bird of his own size. 



Mr. R. F. Logan, of Hawthornbrae, Edinburgh, relates the 

 following in the 'Zoologist,' page 1211: 'While busy setting 

 some recent entomological captures, my attention was arrested 

 by something dashing against the window of a small room 

 adjoining that in which I sat. Enquiring into the cause of 

 the racket, I observed a male Redbreast fly from the window, 

 uttering his notes of anger and defiance. He returned in a 

 few minutes, and dashed furiously against the window glass, 

 striking it with his bill and feet simultaneously; this he 

 repeated several times, and then retreated to the top 

 of an adjoining wall, where he sung loud notes of triumph, 

 after which, however, he resumed his imaginary contest, and 

 kept it up at intervals, by which time he had apparently 

 come to the conclusion, either that he had vanquished his 

 foe, or that his efforts were of no avail, as I have seen nothing 

 of him since.' 



Two have been known to unite together in attacking a 

 flock of Sparrows, and instantly to put them to flight. One 

 which had become somewhat tame from being fed, on another 

 being brought in a cage, attacked the cage with the utmost 

 possible fury, beating it with his wings, and pecking at it 

 with all his might and main. Two have been found so intent 

 on single combat as to be both taken with the hand, and 

 on one of them being set at liberty he set up a song of 

 defiance at the other confined in a cage; and when the latter 

 was released too, the original battle was again renewed. Others 

 have been seen to fight till one was killed. Even within a 

 house two will fight, if one trenches on the domain of the 

 other. 'Unum arbustum non alit duos erithacos.' Thus also 

 Bishop Stanley, 'My own belief being that several species of 

 birds are in the habit not only of, generally speaking confining 

 themselves to certain localities, but at certain hours of the 

 day frequenting particular spots; an instance in proof may 

 be given of a Robin which, during a considerable portion 

 of the winter took shelter in Norwich Cathedral, perching 

 during the morning service, and almost always within a minute 

 or two of the same time, on a particular part of the Cathedral, 

 when, after warbling a few notes for a short time, it flew 

 to another particular spot, and from thence to a third, generally 

 terminating its course by alighting on the pavement.' This 

 VOL. iv. 



