AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 



135 



is so frequently domesticated, agrees better with confine- 

 ment, or sings in that state more agreeably than the Robin. 

 They generally suffer severely in moulting time, yet often 

 live to a considerable age. A lady who resides near Tarrj^- 

 town, on the banks of the Hudson, informed me, that she 

 raised, and kept one of these birds for seventeen years; 

 which sung as well, and looked as sprightlj^, at that age as 

 ever; but was at last unfortunately destroyed by a eat. 

 The morning is their favourite time for song. In passing 

 through the streets of our large cities, on Sunday, in the 

 months of April and Ma}'^, a little after day-break, the 

 general silence which usually prevails without at that hour, 

 will enable you to distinguish every house where one of 

 these songsters resides, as he makes it then ring with his 

 music. 



Not only the plumage of the Robin, as of many other 

 birds, is subject to slight periodical changes of colour, but 

 even the legs, feet, and bill; the latter, in the male, being 

 frequently found tipt and ridged for half its length with 

 black. In the depth of winter their plumage is generally 

 best; at which time the full-grown bird, in his most perfect 

 jdress, appears as exhibited in the plate. 



BLUE-BIRD. 



S. SMLIS. 



[Plate XII.] 



Le Rouge gorge bleu, Bufpon, v. 212, PI. Enl. 390. — 

 Blue Warbler, Lath ii, 446. — Catesb. i, 47. — Mota- 

 cilla sialis, Lijstn. Syst. 336. — Bartram, ji. 291. — 

 Motucilla sialis, Linn. Syst. i,p. 187,Ed. 10. — Gjiel. 

 Syst. I, p. 989. — Sylvia sialis. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii, 

 522. — ViEiLLOT, Otis, de l\im. Sept. pi. 101, male; 

 \02, female; 103, young. — La Gorgerouge de la Ca- 

 roline, Burr. PI. Enl. 396, Jig. 1, male; Jig. '2, fe- 

 male. — J. Dotjghty's collection. 



The pleasing manners and sociable disposition of this 

 little bird entitle him to particular notice. As one of the 

 first messengers of spring, bringing the charming tidings to 

 our very doors, he bears his own recommendation alwa3-s 

 along with him, and meets with a hearty welcome from 

 every body. 



Though generally accounted a bird of passage, yet so 

 earl)' as the middle of Februar}', if the weather be open, he 

 usually makes his appearance about his old haunts, the barn, 

 orchard and fence posts. Storms and deep snows some- 

 limes succeeding, he disappears for a time; but about the 



middle of March is again seen, accompanied by his mate, 

 visiting the box in the garden, or the hole in the old apple- 

 tree, the cradle of some generations of his ancestors. 

 "When he first begins his amours," sa3's a curious and 

 correct observer, "it is pleasingto behold his courtship,his 

 solicitude to please and to secure the favour of his beloved 

 female. He uses the tenderest expressions, sits close by 

 her, caresses and sings to her his most endearing warblings. 

 When seated together, if he espies an insect delicious to her 

 taste, he takes it up, flies with it to her, spreads his wing 

 over her and puts it in her mouth."* If a rival makes his 

 appearance, (for they are ardent in their loves,) he quits her 

 in a moment, attacks and pursues the intruder, as he shifts 

 from place to place, in tones that bespeak the jealousy of his 

 affection, conducts him with many reproofs beyond the ex- 

 tremities of his territor)', and returns to warble out his 

 transports of triumph beside his beloved mate. The preli- 

 minaries being thus settled, and the spotfixedon, they begin 

 to clean out the old nest, and the rubbish of the former year, 

 and to prepare for the reception of their futiu-e offspring. 

 Soon after this another sociable little pilgrim {JMotacilla 

 domestica. House Wren,) also arrives from the south, and 

 finding such a snug birth pre-occupied, shows his spite, by 

 watching a convenient opportunity, and in the absence of 

 the owner popping in and pulling out sticks; but takes 

 special care to make off as fast as possible. 



The female lays five, and sometimes six eggs, of a pale 

 blue colour; and raises two, and sometimes three broods in 

 a season; the male taking the youngest under his particular 

 care while the female is again sitting. Their principal food 

 are insects, particularly large beetles, and others of the cor 

 leopterous kinds that lurk among old dead and decaying 

 trees. Spiders are also a favourite repast with them. In 

 fall they occasionally regale themselves on the berries of the 

 sour gum; and as winter approaches, on those of the red 

 cedar, and on the fruit of a rough hairy vine that runs up 

 and cleaves fast to the trunks of trees. Ripe persimmons 

 is another of their favourite dishes; and many other fruits 

 and seeds which I have found in their stomachs at that sea- 

 son, which, being no botanist, I am unable to particularize. 

 They are frequently pestered with a species of tape-worm, 

 some of which I have taken from their intestines of an 

 extraordinary size, and in some cases in great numbers. 

 Most other birds are also plagued with these vermin; but 

 the Blue-bird seems more subject to them than any I know, 

 except the Woodcock. An account of the different species 

 of vermin, many of which I doubt not are non-descripts, 

 that infest the plumage and intestines of our birds, would of 

 itself form an interesting publication; but as this belongs 



* Lclter from Mr. William Bartiam to the author. 



