134 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



flocks of Robins in the neighbourhood, the sportsman need 

 only take his stand near it, load, take aim, and fire; one 

 flocksucceeding another, witli little interruption, almost the 

 whole da}-; by this method prodigious slaughter has been 

 made among them with little fatigue. When berries fail 

 they disperse themselves over the fields, and along the 

 fences, in search of worms and other insects. Sometimes 

 they will disappear for a week or two, and return again in 

 greater numbers than before; at which time the cities pour 

 out their sportsmen by scores, and the markets are plenti- 

 fully supplied with them at a cheap rate. In January, 

 1807, two 3'oung men, in one excursion after them, shot 

 thirty dozen. In the midst of such devastation, which con- 

 tinued niany weeks, and by accounts extended from Massa- 

 chusetts to Maryland, some humane person took advantage 

 of a circumstance common to these birds in winter, to stop 

 the general slaughter. The fruit called poke-berries {Phy- 

 tolacca decandra, Linn.) is a fiivourite repast with the 

 Robin, after they are mellowed by the frost. The juice of 

 the berries is of a beautiful crimson, and they are eaten in 

 such quantities by these birds, that their whole stomachs 

 are strongly tinged with the same red colour. A paragraph 

 appeared in the public papers, intimating, thatfrom the great 

 quantities of these berries which the Robins had fed on, 

 they had become unwholesome, and even dangerous food; 

 and that several persons had suflered by eating of them. 

 The strange appearance of the bowels of the birds seemed 

 to corroborate this account. The demand for, and use of 

 them ceased almost instantly; and motives of self-preserva- 

 tion produced at once what all the pleadings of humanity 

 could not effect.'* When fat they are in considerable 

 esteem for the table, and probably not inferior to the I urdi 

 of the ancients, which they bestowed so much pains on in 

 feeding and fattening. The young birds arc frequently and 

 easily raised, bear the confinement of the cage, feed on 

 bread, fruits, &c. sing well, readily learn to imitate parts of 

 tunes, and are very pleasant and cheerful domestics. In 

 these I have always observed that the orange on the breast 

 is of a much deeper tint, often a dark mahogany or chesnut 

 colour, owing no doubt to their food and confinement. 



The Robin is one of our earliest songsters; even in 

 March, while snow yet dapples the fields, and flocks of 

 them are dispersed about, some few will mount a post or 

 stake of the fence, and make short and frequent attempts at 

 their song. Early in April, they arc only to be seen in 

 pairs, and deliver their notes willi great earnestness, from 



* Governor Drayton, in his •■ View of South Cnrolina," p. 86, observes, tliat 

 "the Robins in winter devour the berries ol' tlie Bead tree (Mdia Azcdarach ) 

 m .■such large quantities, thai alter eating of them they are observed to fall down 

 and are readily taken. This is aseribed more to distension from abundant eatins 

 th„n from any deleterious (|nalities of the plant" The lUet, however, 'is, that they 

 are literally choked.many of the berries being too large to be swallowixi. 



the top of some tree detached from the woods. This song 

 has some resemblance to, and indeed is no bad imitation of 

 the notes of the Thrush or Thrasher ( Tardus rufus;) but 

 if deficient in point of execution, he possesses more simpli- 

 city, and makes up in zeal what he wants in talent; so that 

 the notes of the Robin, in spring, are universally known, 

 and as universally beloved. They are as it were the pre- 

 lude to the grand general concert, that is about to burst upon 

 usfrom woods, fields, and thickets, whitened with blossoms, 

 and breathing fragrance. By the usual association of ideas, 

 we therefore listen with more pleasure to this cheerful bird 

 than to many others possessed of far superior powers, and 

 much greater variety. Even his nest is held more sacred 

 among school boys than that of some others; and while they 

 will exult in plundering a Jay's or a Cat-bird's, a general 

 scntimentof respect prevails on the discovery of a Robin's. 

 Whether he owes not some little of this veneration to the 

 well known and long established character of his namesake 

 in Britain, by a like association of ideas, I will not pretend 

 to determine. He possesses a good deal of his suavity of 

 manners, and almost always seeks shelter for his young in 

 summer, and subsistence for himself in the extremes of 

 winter, near the habitations of man. 



The Robin inhabits the whole of North America from 

 Hudson's Bay toNootkaSound, and as far south asGeorgia, 

 tliough they rarely breed on this side the mountains farther 

 south than Virginia. Mr. Foster says, that about the be- 

 ginning of May tliey make their appearance in pairs at the 

 settlements of Hudson's Bay, at Severn river; and adds, a 

 circumstance altogether unworthy of belief, viz. that at 

 Moose fort tiiey build, lay, and hatch in fourteen days! but 

 that at the former place, four degrees more north,, they are 

 said to take twenty-six day.s.* They are also common in 

 Newfoundland, quitting these northern parts in October. 

 The young during tiie first .season arc .spotted with white 

 on the breast, and at that time have a good deal of resem- 

 blance to the Fieldfare of Europe. 



Mr. Hearne informs us, that the red-brcastcd Thruslics, 

 are commonly called at Hudson's Bay the Red-birds; by 

 some the Black-birds, on account of their note; and by 

 others the American Fieldfares. That they make their 

 appearance at Churchhill river about the middle of May, 

 and migrate to the south early in the fall. They are seldom 

 seen there but in pairs; and are never killed for their flesii 

 except by the Indian boys.t 



Several authors have asserted, that the Red-breasted 

 Thrush cannot brook the confinement of the cage; and 

 never sings in that state. But, except the Mocking- 

 bird ( Tardus polyglullos,) I know of no native bird whicli 



» Phil. Trans. Ixii. 399. 



t Journey to the Northern Oeean, p. 418, quarto. I^nd. \'Sr>. 



