The Robin 209 



this reason this is one of the best of birds for the 

 young ornithologist to begin to observe. 



A few years ago I interested one of my young boy 

 friends, who for two years past had been inclined to 

 rob birds' nests, by making with him a careful and 

 systematic study of the robin. 



On April twelfth a pair of these birds was dis- 

 covered building a nest in a lilac bush close to the 

 house, and but a few feet from the dining room window. 

 The nest had scarcely been begun when discovered, 

 and I determined, for the sake of my young friend, 

 to cultivate friendly relations between ourselves and 

 the robins. 



The female was a half albino, the wings being 

 partly white, and she had a few white feathers on her 

 breast. The male was so much like other robins 

 that, only as he grew tame, could we distinguish him. 

 As it has been found that most animals are 

 made more approachable by satisfying the appe- 

 tite for food even man being no exception we 

 decided to take advantage of this fact. Accordingly, 

 on April fourteenth we placed a small board in the 

 fork of two limbs of the lilac bush, on which we 

 intended to offer food to the robins. We made it 

 our business to be about the lilac bush and at the 

 window as often as convenient, at first without ap- 



