64 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 



" The blackbird's song at eventide, 



And hers, who gay ascends, 

 Filling the heavens far and wide, 

 Are sweet. But none so blends 



As thine 

 With calm decay and peace divine." 



It is rather singular that, while the robin remains 

 with us throughout the hardest winters, it suffers much 

 less from cold than many other birds. It is stated by 

 Bechstein that in Germany it migrates to warmer 

 climates at that season, leaving in October and return- 

 ing in March, the few that venture to remain paying 

 for their want of prudence with their lives. A writer 

 in The Field on the natural history of Malta states the 

 same fact. He says : " Robin Redbreast comes hopping 

 in about the same time, and through the sunny winter 

 day sits on the bare bough of the fig, ' piping discon- 

 solate ' until early spring, when, with such of its kin as 

 have passed Malta in autumn and struck Africa, pene- 

 trating even to the oasis of the Sahara, again it returns 

 to Sicily and Southern Europe to rear its young. Why 

 is the robin of the south such a valetudinarian, whilst 

 his brother of the north braves the severest winter of 

 England ?" The answer to this question is not easy to 

 give, but it opens a point of much interest. With us it 

 is very hardy, and perhaps one reason why it bears the 

 cold better than others may be that, from its fearless 

 and familiar nature, it obtains food in places where 

 other birds dare not venture, and thus is better fortified 

 to resist the rigours of winter. 



The apex of the gable end of a building is a spot 

 often chosen by the robin from which to pour forth its 

 song in the autumn, and even in the depth of winter ; 

 and I once in January, at the close of a long frost, 



