THE THRUSH FAMILY 25 



at twilight, it still rises above all the sleepy notes about 

 him. Whether lightly tripping over the lawn after the 

 "early worm," or rising with his sharp, quick cry of alarm 

 when startled, to his nest near by, every motion is decided, 

 alert, and free. No p>ensive hermit of the woods, like his 

 cousins, the thrushes, is this joyous, vigorous bird of the 

 morning. 



A man of science, who devoted many hours of study to 

 learn the great variety of sounds made by common barn- 

 yard chickens in expressing their entire range of feeling, 

 from the egg shell to the axe, could entertain an audience 

 for an evening by imitating them. Similar study applied 

 to robins would reveal as surprisingly rich results, but 

 probably less funny. No bird that we have has so varied 

 a repertoire as Robin GoodfeUow: few people can recog- 

 nize him by every one of his calls and songs. His softly 

 warbled salute to the sunrise differs from his lovely even- 

 song just as widely as the rapturous melody of his courting 

 days differs from the more subdued, tranquil love song to 

 his brooding mate. Indignation, suspicion, fright, in- 

 terrogation, peace of mind, hate, warning to take flight — 

 these and a host of other thoughts are expressed through 

 his flexible voice. 



Perhaps no one thing attracts so many birds about the 

 house as a drinking dish — large enough for a bathtub as 

 well, for birds are not squeamish and certainly no bird de- 

 lights in sprinkling the water over his back more than a 

 robin, often aided in his ablutions by the spattering of 

 other bathers. But see to it that this drinking-dish is 

 well raised above the reach of lurking cats. 



Robins prefer to build near water; bringing coarse 

 grasses, roots, and a few leaves or weed stalks for the foun- 



