ANOTHER MAY MORNING. 71 



Though he bears the familiar name of robin, he is not 

 a real representative of the "household bird with the 

 red stomacher,'' as one • of our old divines calls the 

 English redbreast, yet the name seryes to recall to the 

 Canadian' immigrant, in his far-off wilderness, the 

 homely little bird that so fearlessly entered Open door 

 or window as a familiar guest, loved and cherished by 

 man, woman and child alike. The little bird that hops 

 about their path and carols gaily at their side when 

 all the other songsters are silent or have-left for fairer 

 climes and fruitful fields, holds a warm place in every 

 heart. 



The redbreast is held sacred; even the village boy, 



when out bird-nesting in grove or field, would not touch 



the nest of the sitting bird nor hurt the tiny fledglings. 



How often, as a child, have I heard the Suffolk distich 



from the lips of the country peasant boy : 



' ' The robin and the chitty wren 

 Are God Almighty's cock and hen " — 



a rude rhyme, but spoken with reverence by the simple 

 lad, and good in its teaching for the harmless bird's 

 safety. 



The American Robin is not a true thrush, but is a 

 near relative to those sweet songsters, the Merle and the 

 Mavis. He is one of the first of our early visitants. 

 Before the snows of midwinter have quite melted, he 

 comes across the St. Lawrence at different points, and 

 spreads through the country on the lookout for a favor- 



