XXIII. KOBIN. 



(Erythaca rubecula.) 



EOBINS are very numerous here, and very tame ; they 

 frequently come into the house in winter, which necessitates 

 saucers being set with water and crumbs all about the staircase 

 for their convenience. One used to come in at the dining-room 

 window daily at breakfast time and hop about the table, selecting 

 what it liked best, principally butter, of which it was very fond, 

 then warbling a little song of thanks. One used to come to the 

 kitchen in winter for butter, and also in summer, carrying off* 

 some to feed its young. 



" One summer (at Doonholm, in Ayrshire) a Eobin built its 

 nest in one of the drawing-room curtains, inside where it is 

 looped up. The curtains had to be pushed back every evening 

 to allow the shutters to be shut, but it did not mind that. 

 It reared and took away, I think, six young ones. The next 

 year it built its nest in the footman's hat in the pantry, but, 

 unfortunately, the pantry had to be painted, and the hat was 

 hung outside the window, and it deserted. Several Robins used 

 to live in the house in winter ; they were very tame, and used to 

 sit on the clock on the drawing-room chimneypiece and sing. 

 One of them used always to put itself to bed on the top of the 

 canopy of the bed in one of the spare rooms." J. F. 



The Kobins, old and young, in the picture are from life. 



51 



