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Birds of Massachusetts. 129 
though some remain with us in ordinary winters, 
retreating from the cold into the depth of evergreen 
woods. 'lhey spread themselves over the whole 
continent; they are found in all the fur countries, 
and almost all places where man has ever been. 
They are never stationary, except when rearing their 
young ; for we sometimes find that in the summer, 
_ they will leave a place where they have abounded, 
“and for days together not one of them can be found. 
Their movements are irregular, depending probably 
on the supply of food which they find in different 
parts of the country. They migrate in large flocks, 
flying high and far without resting ; sometimes, if 
the weather is fine, they continue their course by 
night. 
The nest of the robin is found in various situ- 
ations, most commonly in an orchard tree. It is 
composed ‘of dry leaves, grass and moss, connected 
together by mud; the lining is of fine grass, some- 
times in part of feathers. The eggs are from four 
to six, of bluish green. It is not necessary to be 
particular in these matters, the nests being almost 
always made near human dwellings, and often with- - 
in the reach of man. It is supposed that it chooses 
these resorts in order to escape from the cuckoo, 
which sucks its eggs wherever it dares venture ; 
but the robin soon forms a strong local attachment, 
and often returns in successive years, not only to 
the same spot, but the same nest which it has occu- 
pied before. One has been known to build in the 
stern timbers of an unfinished vessel in New Hamp- 
VOL. IIL— NO. I—II, 17 
