206 BIRDS OF THE PUBLIC GARDEN 



In 1908 the number of nests located in 

 May was twenty-five. 



The Robin is one of the earliest birds to 

 appear in the spring. A single male bird 

 commonly arrives first, and the same morn- 

 ing it is usual to see several song and fox 

 sparrows and a grackle or two. The earli- 

 est date of arrival of the Robin was in 1908, 

 in which year one came to the Common on 

 March 12. In 1902 and 1903 the arrival 

 was on March 13, on which day in each 

 of those years two male birds came to the 

 Garden. 1 In 1901 and in 1904 the arrival 

 was on March 24 ; in 1905, on March 18 ; in 

 1906, on March 28 ; in 1907, on March 21 ; 

 a single bird came in every instance. If the 

 arrival of the first bird be unusually early, 

 commonly it is a week or ten days before 

 it is joined by a few companions. Then 

 successive additions are made to the flock 

 of nesting birds even up to the early days 

 of May. * 



1 In 1909 two robins arrived on March 15. A song 

 sparrow preceded them by one day. They were joined 

 by a third robin on March 21, and by four others two 

 days later. 



