2706 The Zoologist — August, 1871. 



on fruit. The robin is a great favourite : the author of that 

 universal nursery ballad, * The Children in the Wood,' whoever he 

 was, has rendered it inviolable. A happy prejudice saves it from 

 persecution : tlie rudest schoolboy withdraws his mischievous hand 

 from its nest, remembering the touching part it played in the ballad, 

 or bearing in mind the injunction of his elders, that it is not " lucky" 

 to rob a robin ; so, finding itself a favoured one, the robin becomes 

 more and more trusting and familiar : this familiarity and boldness, 

 acquired through ages of favour and veneration, has at length become 

 an instinct: young robins from the nest have the same ways as their 

 parents. Man is friendly, and this friendliness is reciprocated; 

 were he hostile the robin would be as shy as other birds. It sings 

 " all the year round," but its song is loudest in April. In orchards 

 it feeds much on the ground, on worms, centipedes and larvae : 

 when the gardener is digging in winter it keeps close to the spade, 

 and picks up the worms and grubs as soon as they are uncovered. 

 The male bird has a great affection for his mate : in spring he has 

 a habit of providing food for her before she begins to sit on her 

 eggs, and also while she is sitting: when he finds a nice portly 

 grub or caterpillar he repairs to his expectant and industrious 

 partner, and gently and carefully drops it into her bill : this kind 

 act is acknowledged by complacent gestures, a soft note, and other 

 significant signs of gratefulness. It cannot be too often recorded 

 that farmers and gardeners never shoot this familiar and much- 

 admired songster. 



26. Harvest commencing. 



August. 

 2. Aphides increasing on turnips. 



4. Oats cut. Noticed larvae of ladybirds on ears of wheat 

 infested with Aphides. 



17. Observed adult ladybirds creeping up the stems of wheat, 

 Vnd some perched on the tops of the ears. One beetle, T particularly 

 noticed, had an Aphis in its jaws. Some of the ears were covered 

 with reddish brown Aphides. 



18. Admiral butterflies abroad. 



20. (Destructive power of Cecidomya Tritici evident in the 

 corn-fields between Hovingham and Malton : the grub feeds on the 

 anthers of the flowers. — P. /.) 



21. Large numbers of sand martins about. Blackberries ripe. 



