WAYS OF NATURE 



The blackbirds devour the robins' eggs, and the 

 robins never cease to utter their protest, often 

 backing it up with blows. I saw two robins attack a 

 young blackbird in the air, and they tweaked out 

 his feathers at a lively rate. 



One spring a pack of robins killed a cuckoo near 

 me that they found robbing a nest. I did not witness 

 the killing, but I have cross-questioned a number 

 of people who did see it, and I am convinced of the 

 fact. They set upon him when he was on the robin's 

 nest, and left him so bruised and helpless beneath 

 it that he soon died. It was the first intimation I 

 had ever had that the cuckoo devoured the eggs of 

 other birds. 



Two other well-authenticated cases have come 

 to my knowledge of robins killing cuckoos (the 

 black-billed) in May. The robin knows its enemies, 

 and it is quite certain, I think, that the cuckoo is 

 one of them. 



What a hustler the robin is ! No wonder he gets 

 on in the world. He is early, he is handy, he is adap- 

 tive, he is tenacious. Before the leaves are out in 

 April the female begins her nest, concealing it as 

 much as she can in a tree-crotch, or placing it under 

 a shed or porch, or even under an overhanging bank 

 upon the ground. One spring a robin built her nest 

 upon the ladder that was hung up beneath the eaves 

 of the wagon-shed. Having occasion to use the lad- 

 der, we placed the nest on a box that stood beneath 

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