THE REDBREAST. 165 



inmates of the house. It sang in a low tone, and never burst 

 forth into full song but once, — "a song of triumph," — just 

 after it had nearly killed a blue tit-mouse, its companion in 

 captivity. 



Well known as is the pugnacity of robins, one or two instances 

 may be given. Their being so wholly absorbed during combat as 

 to be regardless of all else, was ludicrously evinced at Springvale, 

 by a pair fighting from the air downwards to the earth, until 

 they disappeared in a man's hat, that happened to be lying on the 

 ground, and in which they were both captured. On one occasion 

 two of these birds caught fighting in a yard in Belfast were kept 

 all night in separate cages. One was given its liberty early in the 

 morning, and the other being tamer — possibly from having been 

 the better beaten of the two — was kept with the intention of being 

 permanently retained. So unhappy, however, did the prisoner 

 look, that it too was set at liberty in the yard, which was believed 

 to be its chosen domicile. The other came a second time, and 

 attacked it, when my informant who was present, hastened to the 

 rescue, and the wilder bird flew away. The tamer one was again 

 caught, and brought into the house for safety. The intruder was 

 now driven out of the premises, and in the evening, when it 

 was expected that he was in a different locality, the other bird 

 was turned out ; its wicked and pertinacious antagonist, how- 

 ever, still lay in wait, a third time attacked, and then killed 

 it : — the tame bird, though the inferior of the other in strength, 

 always "joined issue" with it, and fought to the best of its poor 

 ability. Some years ago, at Merville (co. Antrim), a robin kept 

 possession of the green-house, and killed every intruder of its own 

 species, amounting to about two dozen, that entered the house. 

 This had been so frequently done, that my informant became 

 curious to know the means resorted to for the purpose ; and on 

 examination of two or three of the victims, he found a deep wound 

 in the neck of each, evidently made by the bill of the slayer. The 

 lady of the house hearing of the bird's cruelty, had the sharp 

 point of its beak cut off, and no more of its brethren were after- 

 wards slaughtered ; but it did not itself long survive this slight 



