CH. XXX. PUGNACITY OF ROBINS. 161 



having a very great partiality for raw meat and 

 dead animals. 



Although so much protected, and in fact enjoying 

 an almost entire immunity from all human perse- 

 cutors, the robins do not appear to increase in 

 numbers ; this is, in all probability, occasioned by 

 the bird generally breeding on the ground, and 

 being thereby exposed to the attacks of weasels, 

 rats, &c. Were it not for this, the almost sacred 

 character the robin has always held amongst bird- 

 nesting schoolboys and juvenile sportsmen must 

 have caused its numbers to increase ; but we still 

 see the same dead branch or the same railing head 

 occupied by a single robin year after year ; no 

 rivals spring up to dispute the favourite perch. 



Of all pugnacious birds the robin is the most 

 determined fighter. When snow and frost cover 

 the ground, and we feed the birds at the windows 

 and on the gravel walks, thrushes, blackbirds, 

 sparrows, and many other birds come to share the 

 crumbs, but none dare eat if any robin is there, 

 until the fiery little fellow permits him. Thrushes 

 and all are beaten and driven away, and even after 

 he has crammed himself to repletion, the robin will 

 sit at the window and drive away with the most 

 furious attacks every bird whose hunger prompts 

 him to try to snatch a morsel of his leavings. 



