SMALL BIRDS IN THE GARDEN 71 
SMALICO BIRDS IN THE GARDEN, 
By GEORGE BOLAM. 
(Author of Birds of Northumberland and the Eastern Borders, etc.). 
IT has long been well known that many of our Warblers and 
other small birds are considerable pilferers of currants and 
like small fruits, so that this note betrays no secrets; neither 
must it be taken as defamatory of a family whose usefulness 
in the garden is patent to and appreciated by everybody. 
But I had occasion to be a good deal amongst fruit 
bushes last autumn, during the early hours of the morning 
—always the best time for observing wild life—and was 
rather surprised to notice how regularly certain Warblers 
seemed to take a berry or two, or a bite out of a rasp, as 
a sort of relish to their caterpillar breakfast. 
Frequently the garden has been filled, figuratively 
speaking, with mixed roving bands of Tree-pipits, Wood-, 
Willow-, Blackcap-, and Garden-warblers, Robins, Wrens, 
Whitethroats (of both species), Hedge-sparrows, Tits, Gold- 
crests, and Chaffinches ; whilst almost every morning family 
parties of several of these species, as well as occasional Bull- 
finches, have been under observation. Of the whole 
assemblage, Robins have been the most conspicuous fruit- 
eaters, possibly by reason of what I would call their precocity 
rather than their fearlessness, and black currants have 
been distinctly their favourite fruit. My closest attendants 
have been young birds in their mottled plumage, just 
beginning to show a few chestnut feathers upon their 
breasts, and also just starting to attempt a first low 
warble. 
The familiarity of the Robin is proverbial, and the 
manner in which characters are transmitted from parent 
to offspring has often enough been dilated upon; yet it 
never fails to strike me as most extraordinary how tame 
some young Robins are, or become with the slightest 
encouragement. Their parents may have learned during 
hard weather that their trust will not be imposed upon, but 
