38 LAND-BIRDS. 



The eggs of each set are four or five,* delicate greenish 

 blue,t and about 1.15 X .80 of an inch. I have found freshly 

 laid eggs of this species from May first until the twentieth of 

 July Ttwo or even three broods being usually raised if the 

 parents are undisturbed. 



c. The Eobins are undoubtedly in summer the most abun- 

 dant of all the birds in Massachusetts, and to most country- 

 residents in this State are probably the most familiar ; but in 

 northern New England they are much less common than in 

 most other parts of the Eastern States. Dr. Brewer, however, 

 has written that " in the valleys amongst the White Moun- 

 tains, where snow covers the ground from October to June, 

 and where the cold reaches the freezing-point of mercury, 

 flocks of Eobins remain during the entire winter, attracted by 

 the abundance of berries." A few certainly spend the winter 

 about us, in the swamps, and also in cedar-woods ; for, though 

 these latter contain but few berries, or none, yet the thick foli- 

 age of many of the trees affords safe shelter from heavy 

 storms of snow, when protection is much needed. Though 

 I have seen companies of Robins in February, it is not usually 

 until the early part of March that they come from the South ; 

 on their arrival, collecting in flocks and feeding on barberries, 

 small fruits of the same kind, and such other suitable food as 

 they can find. They retire, at this season, a few minutes before 

 the hour of sunset, generally passing the night in spruces ; 

 and, in the early morning, arising before the sun, they betake 

 themselves to the southern slope of some hill, where the snow 

 has melted, thus offering to them the comfort of a little bare 

 ground, and there they pass the day. 



It is very wonderful that birds employed in active exercise 

 throughout the day, perhaps a bright one, when the heat of the 

 sun is strong, can pass the night in sleep and inactivity, when 

 but little shielded from the bitterness of the weather in March, 

 that month which in New England is, with ghastly inappro- 

 priateness, called the first month of spring. It is also wonder- 



* Sets of more than four eggs are times (but very rarely) marked -with 

 very uncommon. — W. B. fine, faint, but perfectly distinct spots 



t The eggs of the Robin are some- of reddish brown. — W. B. 



