132 



VEIITEBRATA. 



TUE AMERICAN ROBIN, OR JilGRATORT THRUSH. 



ested. He whistles for the dog — Caesar starts up, wags his tail, and runs to meet his master. He 

 squeaks out like a hurt chicken — and the hen hurries about with hanging wings, and bristled 

 feathers, clucking to protect its injured brood. The barking of the dog, the mewing of the cat, 

 the creaking of a passing wheelbarrow, follow, with great truth and rapidity. He repeats the 

 tune taught him by his master, though of considerable length, fully and faithfully. He runs over 

 the quiverings of the canary, and the clear whistlings of the Virginia nightingale, or redbird, with 

 such superior execution and effect, that the mortified songsters feel their own inferiority, and be- 

 come altogether silent ; while he seems to triumph in their defeat by redoubling his exertions. 



"This excessive fondness for variety, however, in the opinion of some, injures his song. His 

 elevated imitations of the brown thrush are frequently interrupted by the crowing of cocks; and 

 the warblings of the bluebird, which he exquisitely manages, are mingled with the screaming of 

 swallows, or the cackling of hens ; amid the simple melody of the robin, we are suddenly sur- 

 prised by the shrill reiterations of the whippoorwill; while the notes of the killdeer, blue jay, mar- 

 tin, Baltimore, and twenty others, succeed, with such imposing reality, that we look round for 

 the originals, and discover, with astonishment, that the sole performer in this singular concert is 

 the admirable bird now before us. During this exhibition of his powers, he spreads his wings, 

 expands his tail, and throws himself around the cage in all the ecstasy of enthusiasm, seeming 

 not only to sing, but to dance, keeping time to the measure of his own music. Both in his na- 

 tive and domesticated state, during the solemn stillness of night, as soon as the moon rises in 

 silent majesty, he begins his delightful solo, and serenades us the livelong night with a full dis- 

 play of his vocal powers, making the whole neighborhood ring with his inimitable medley." 



The American Robin is familiarly known from Texas to Labrador, and throughout this vast 

 region is a universal favorite. It is a totally different bird from the Robin Redbi-east of Eng- 

 land, being nine inches long, and therefore nearly twice the size of that celebrated little pet. 

 It is in fact a thrush, and is about the size of several English thrushes, and has their man- 

 ners ; it is called the Migratory Thrush by naturalists, T. miffratorius, on account of its wan- 

 dering habits. The bill is strong, and of a yellow color; the head, back of the neck, and tail, 

 black ; the back and rump ash-color ; the wings black, edged with light ash ; the breast of the 

 male a deep orange-red. The colors of the female are somewhat fainter. It arrives from the 

 south early in the spring, and usually builds its nests in the orchards; its eggs are five, and of a 

 beautiful sea-green color. It feeds on worms, caterpillars, cherries, wild cherries, currants, and, 

 various other berries. It frequently produces two broods in a season. It has a pleasant, lively j 

 song, and during the period of rearing its young, the most confiding manners; and hence it is not| 

 only tolerated, but protected and cherished by general consent. After the family cares arc over, | 



