34 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES. 



rootlets and dry grass, form the outer structure, 

 which is thickly lined with hair, wool, and feathers. 

 In this the hen lays her five or six eggs, of a 

 beautiful and spotless turquoise-blue. Several 

 broods are reared in the year. Small worms, 

 insects, and larvae, and tiny seeds, are the Hedge 

 Accentor's customary food ; but in winter when 

 these are scarce or hard to find, the bird comes 

 to our windows to partake of crumbs, and then 

 frequents manure-heaps, the farmyard, or the 

 poultry-run, to pick up anything it can find to its 

 taste. 



A close companion of the Hedge Accentor is 

 the ROBIN (Erithacus rubeciila]. Every one knows 



distributed. i i i i i X 11 i 



this trim and sprightly bird of our rambles, whose 

 gay and lively presence, whose charming song 

 and winning ways, never lose their attractiveness, 

 no matter however often they may come before 

 our notice. Of all the birds that gladden our 

 country with their song, none sing more sweetly, 

 more homely, or more plaintively than the Robin. 

 "Home, sweet Home" is in every note of his 

 music. With the exception of the month's moulting 

 season, during the last half of July and the first 

 half of August, the music of this bird may be 

 heard, exceptionally sweet and beautiful in the 

 autumn days and in the first dawn of spring. Early 

 and late he warbles, with no fear of man or 

 resentment of his scrutiny, stimulated to the 

 utmost of his powers by all rival Robins within 

 hearing, and which rarely fail to answer each 

 burst of song. His call -notes are remarkably 

 loud and clear, given forth at our elbow with all 

 the assurance of welcome, and accompanied by a 

 flicking of the tail and bobbing of the head. The 



