AVES—ROBIN. 499 
display of his vocal powers, making the whole neighborhood ring with his 
inimitable medley. 
The mocking-bird is nine and a half inches long. The upper parts ef the 
head, neck, and back, are a dark brownish ash; the under parts are of 3 
brownish white. His figure is well proportioned, and handsome. 

THE ROBBEN +t 

Tus well known bird is familiar to almost every body. Innumerable 
thousands of them are seen in the lower parts of the whole Atlantic states, 
from New Hampshire to Carolina. They migrate to avoid the deep snows, 
from north to south and from west to east. The robin builds a large nest 
on an apple tree, plasters it with mud, and lines it wich fine grass. His 
principal food is worms, berries, and caterpillars. When berries fail, they 
disperse themselves over the fields, and along the fences, in search of worms 
and other insects. 
The robin is one of our earliest songsters; even in March, while snow yet 
dapples the field, some few will mount a post or stake of the fence, and 
make short end frequent attempts at a song. His notes, in spring, are uni- 
versally known, and as universally beloved. They are, as it were, the pre- 
lude to the grand general concert that is about to burst upon us, from woods, 
fields, and thickets, whitened with blossoms, and breathing fragrance. By 
the usual association of ideas, we therefore listen with more pleasure to this 
cheerful bird, than to many others of far superior powers, and much greater 
variety. Even his nest is held more sacred among school-boys than that of 
some others; and while they will exult in plundering a jay’s or a cat-bird’s, 

1 Turdus migratorius, Lin. 
