88 



THE REDBREAST. 



The plaintive melody of its song, the fami- 

 liar boldness of its disposition, and the ex- 

 treme confidence which it seems to place in 

 the human race, has long rendered this bird 

 an universal favorite, not only in Great 

 Britain, but also in every other country in 

 Europe, insomuch that it is generally known 

 by some familiar name : thus, in Norway, 

 it is called Peter Ronsmad ; in Sweden, 

 Tomi Liden; in Germany, Thomas Gierdit; 

 and with us, Robin Redbreast. 



In its plumage, the redbreast is rather 

 sober than otherwise, the upper part being 

 of brown olive ; the eye is full and black ; 

 the legs and bill are dusky ; the breast and 

 forehead are of a deep orange red, and the 

 belly and vent are of a greyish white : the 

 female may readily be distinguished from 

 the male, by the red being much paler in 



