THE REDBREAST. 195 



object of strife, but the robin kept watcli in the 

 neiglibourhood clm-ing the rest of the day, and 

 was singing his triumphs even in the shades of 

 the evening." 



Country people say, that if a robin shows 

 particular attachment to any person, it is a fore- 

 runner of his decease. A very little acquaintance 

 Avith these birds will, however, show the fallacy 

 of this opinion, for they are much pleased to be 

 noticed, and quarrelsome as they are with other 

 birds, are easily won into friendship with man. 

 The writer of these pages had a robin which came 

 daily and pecked the crumbs from the table ; it 

 would answer by a chirp, if spoken to caressingly, 

 and througliout the winter slept in her bedroom, 

 roosting on a nail in a corner near the ceiling. 

 At night, while tlie candle was burning, it would 

 sit perfectly still with its bright eyes peering at 

 all that was going forward; and in the morning 

 would hop and chirp about the room, most 

 merrily, coming quite near for its breakfast. 

 After this, it generally flew out at the open 

 window, and at about four o'clock would hop 

 about on the sill waiting for its re-opening, when 

 it would dart in, and take its accustomed seat, 



