THE REDBREAST. 215 



are bluish-gray, contrasting finely with the jetty black of the chin, the throat, the face, and 

 the sides of the neck. The wings are rich brown, slightly streaked with a lighter shade of the 

 same line, and the upper tail-coverts and all the tail-feathers are bright ruddy chestnut, with 

 the exception of the two central tail-feathers, which are striped with the same hue as the win°-- 

 feathers. The breast and all the lower surface is very pale chestnut, and the forehead is white. 

 The length of the bird is more than five inches. 



Another species of the same genus is occasionally, though very rarely, seen in Europe. 

 This is the Black Redstart {Rut ic ilia tithys), and is readily distinguished from the common 

 species by the sooty black hue of its breast and abdomen. This bird resembles the common 

 Redstart in many of its habits, but is seldom seen on open ground. A curious anecdote is 

 related of this bird, which well exemplifies the force of parental affection. 



A railway carriage had been left for some weeks out of use in the station at Giessen, 

 Hesse Darmstadt, in the month of May, 1852, and when the superintendent came to examine 

 the carriage, he foiind that a Black Redstart had built her nest upon the collision spring ; he 

 very humanely retained the carriage in its shed until its use was imperatively demanded, and 

 at last attached it to the train which ran to Frankfort-on-the-Maine, a distance of nearly forty 

 miles. It remained at Frankfort for thirty-six hours, and was then brought back to Giessen, 

 and after one or two short journeys, came back again to rest at Giessen after a period of four 

 days. The young birds were by this time partly fledged, and finding that the parent bird had 

 not deserted her offspring, the superintendent carefully removed the nest to a place of safety, 

 whither the parent soon followed. The young were, in process of time, full fledged, and left 

 the nest to shift for themselves. It is evident that one at least of the parent birds must have 

 accompanied the nest in all its journeys, for putting aside the difficulty which must have been 

 experienced by the parents in watching for every carriage that arrived at Giessen, the nest- 

 lings would have perished from hunger during their stay at Frankfort, for every one who has 

 reared young birds is perfectly aware that they need food every two hours. Moreover, the 

 guard of the train repeatedly saw a red-tailed bird flying about that part of the carriage on 

 which the nest was placed. 



The Redstart {SetopTiaga ruticilla). This American species is a very small but espe- 

 cially handsome bird. The bright-red patch on its sides gleams with particular brightness as 

 the bird darts through the thick green foliage. Two species, nearly allied, are respectively 

 the Painted Fly-catcher and Red-bellied Fly-catcher, both from Mexico. 



There are few birds which are more familiar to us than the Redbreast, or Robin, a bird 

 which is interwoven among our earliest recollections, through the medium of the Children in 

 the Wood, and the mournful ballad of the Death and Burial of Cock Robin. 



Although the Redbreast remains in Europe throughout the winter, it is very susceptible 

 to cold, and one of the first birds to seek for shelter, its appearance among the outhouses 

 being always an indication of coming inclemency. In cold weather, the Redbreast seldom 

 perches upon twigs and branches, but crouches in holes, or sits upon the ground. The bird 

 seems strongly attached to man and his home, and will follow the ploughman over the fields, 

 picking up the worms which he turns up with the ploughshare, or enter his house and partake 

 of his evening meal. Both bold and shy, the Redbreast is a most engaging bird, and seldom 

 fails of receiving the affection of those to whom he attaches himself. One of these birds was 

 exceedingly familiar with all our family, his acquaintance having commenced through the 

 medium of some crumbs from our hands, and would always come to us whenever we called his 

 name, "Bobby." Sometimes he would accompany us on our way to church through the 

 lanes, and I have even seen him keeping pace with us. 



Bread and butter is a very favorite dainty with the Robin, who has often been known to 

 come uninvited, and to peck from the table. "Butter," according to Mr. Thompson, "is so 

 great a dainty to these birds, that in a friend's house, frequented during the winter by one or 

 two of them, the servant was obliged to be very careful in keeping what was in her charge 



