128 Mr. Peabody oni the 
up their nest ; if it is carried away, they will follow 
it, and retake possession as if nothing had happened. 
In eases where the young of other birds have been 
put into their nests, the female has thrown them out ` 
to make room for her own ; but the male, observing 
their distress, has taken compassion on the orphans, 
and fed them as his own. Surely, this is not a 
creature at which it is wise for man to cast the 
first, nor indeed to cast any stone. 
The American Rosin, Turdus migratorius, is not 
the earliest, but is certainly the most welcome mes- 
senger of spring; and the confidence which he 
places in us is seldom disappointed, except by boys 
taking their first lessons in cruelty, in which they 
afterwards become masters. His note is hearty and 
joyous, sometimes very musical, but always associ- 
ated with spring-blossoms and early fruit so insepa- 
rably, that his song reminds every one of something 
which he loves to remember. His familiarity is his 
greatest charm ; and he often disarms bad intentions, 
by alighting near us with a look and manner which 
seem to say, that, bad as men are, he does not think 
they mean to injure him. He is greatly respected by 
children on account of the name which he bears; 
they mistake him for the redbreast, which is said 
to have displayed so much humanity to the children 
in the wood; but, though our robin is not often 
called to such benevolent exertions, there is nO 
doubt, that in any similar case of distress, it would 
show itself as kind and thoughtful as the other. 
The robin well deserves the name of migratory; 
