"The afifection this bird has for man- 

 kind, is also recorded in the ancient bal- 

 lad, 'The Babes in the Woods'; a com- 

 position of a most beautiful and pa- 

 thetic simplicity. It is the first trial of 

 our humanity; the child that refrains 

 from tears on hearing that read, gives 

 but a bad presage of the tenderest of 

 his future sensations." 



Our own Robin is not without its part 

 in legend. There is an Algonquin In- 

 dian legend regarding the origin of the 

 Robin in which a young Indian boy, the 

 son of a great chief, had reached the 

 age when it became necessary for him 

 to receive the discipline of severe trial. 

 The poet Whittier has placed the legend 

 in verse. The chief left his son 



When the boy was well-night grown, 

 In the trial-lodge alone. 

 Left for tortures long and slow, 

 Youths like him must undergo. 

 Who their pride of manhood test, 

 Lacking water, food, and rest. 



For seven days the boy fasted, and 

 for seven nights he did not sleep, when, 



Weak from Nature's overstrain. 

 Faltering, moaned a low complaint: 

 "Spare me, father, for I faint!" 

 But the chieftain, haughty-eyed. 

 Hid his pity in his pride. 



The next morning, however, the chief 

 took food to his son, but found the boy 

 was dead. He was buried, and 



On the lodge-top overhead. 

 Preening smooth its breast of red 

 And the brown coat that it wore, 

 Sat a bird, unknown before. 

 And as if with human tongue, 

 "Mourn me not," it said, or sung; 

 "I, a bird, am still your son. 

 Happier than if hunter fleet. 

 Or a brave, before your feet 

 Laying scalps in battle won. 

 Friend of man, my song shall cheer 

 Lodge and corn-land; * * *" 



Thus the Indian legend saith 

 How, at first, the Robin came 

 With a sweeter life than death, 

 Bird for boy, and still the same. 



Mr. John Burroughs has called the 

 Robin, "the most native and demo- 

 cratic" of birds. The Robins are sturdy 

 birds and possess a notably aggressive 

 personality. The Robin is par excel- 

 lence, the "bird of freedom." It will 

 frequent the gardens with the sparrows ; 

 the groves with guackles and sister 

 thrushes, and the swamps with the red- 



wing blackbirds. Toward other birds the 

 Robin seems to exhibit a kindly feeling, 

 and one would hardly think that these 

 quiet and unobtrusive birds as they 

 hop around our yards could ever be any- 

 thing but gentle in their demeanor. Yet 

 during the time of mating many of the 

 males are obliged to defend themselves 

 from rivals and there are many "hard- 

 contested battles before peaceful pos- 

 session is assured." Robins are re- 

 vengeful and will fight a hated rival with 

 much spirit. They fight "beak and 

 claw," until one is vanquished. 

 ' The presence of Robins is always in- 

 spiring. This is especially true when 

 they remain with us during a part or all 

 of the winter months. At the present 

 time, early in January, 1905, there is a 

 small flock at Lake Forest, Illinois. 

 They seemingly disregard the severe 

 weather of the season, and are con- 

 tented while apparently feeding on the 

 fruits of an abundant supply of barberry 

 bushes. It may be of interest to know, 

 so far as I have been able to ascertain, 

 that not one robin or other song bird 

 has been molested or shot from Evans- 

 ton through Lake Forest to Wauke- 

 gan, Illinois, for some years. As a re- 

 sult, the Robins during the past season 

 were so tame and friendly that a pair 

 nested in a city lamp at Lake Blufif, 

 Illinois, and three pairs raised their 

 young in a small summer house, all oc- 

 cupying their respective nests at the 

 same time. 



In years gone by, thousands of Rob- 

 ins have been destroyed because of their 

 fondness for small fruits. It is also 

 true that many are killed at the present 

 time for the same reason, but I am 

 happy to be able to say that pubhc sen- 

 timent is growing stronger every year 

 against the slaughter of Robins because 

 they help themselves to a few of the 

 farmer's ripe cherries. The farmers are 

 beginning to realize that these compan- 

 ionable birds have rendered them a 

 great service in the destruction of num- 

 erous harmfull insects, and are fully en- 

 titled to a few cherries. It has been 

 conclusively shown that cultivated fruits 

 form but four per cent of the Robin's 

 food and injurious insects form more 

 than one-third of its diet. If the 

 Robins are an annoyance in the 



