THE ROBIN 



JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 



DURING the winter in the southern States the Robins 

 feed on the berries and fruits of our woods, fields 

 gardens and even of the ornamental trees of our cities and 

 villages. The holly, the sweet gum, the gall-berry, and the 

 poke are those which they first attack; but as these fail, which 

 is usually the case in January, they come nearer the towns and 

 farmhouses and feed voraciously on the caperia berry, the 

 wild orange berry, and the berries of the pride-of-India. 

 During summer and spring they devour snails and worms, and 

 at the Labrador coast I saw some feeding on small shells, 

 which they probed or broke with ease. 



Toward the approach of spring they visit the newly 

 ploughed grounds, the gardens and the interior of woods, the 

 undergrowth of which has been cleared of grass by fire, to 

 pick up ground worms, grubs and other insects, on which, 

 when perched, they descend in a pouncing manner, swallowing 

 their prey in a moment, jerking their tails, beating their wings 

 and returning to their stations. 



Whenever the sun shines warmly over the earth, the old 

 males tune their pipe and enliven the neighborhood with their 

 song. The young also begin to sing, and before they depart 

 for the east they have all become musical. By the tenth of 

 April the Robins have reached the middle district; the 

 blossoms of the dogwood are then peeping forth in every 

 part of the budding woods; the fragrant sassafras, the red 



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