36 HOME STUDIES IN NATURE. 



about me that it was almost deafening. Their cries 

 would call the other feathered tribes to the scene of 

 action, but finding nothing to alarm them, they soon 

 returned to their quarters. Day after day I tried every 

 means in my power to win these birds from their war- 

 like attitude. At last I succeeded in this way : I took 

 a box of whortleberries from which I had been in the 

 habit of feeding the tame robins, and with this in my 

 hand they would follow me to the orchard, where I 

 threw out the berries as near as I could get to these 

 belligerent fellows, when my pet robins would come 

 close to me to eat the fruit. I would then walk away, 

 and from a safe distance watch their proceedings. Af- 

 ter several such attempts, I at last had the satisfaction 

 of seeing the hostile male fly down and partake of the 

 berries. He was a fine -looking bird, with a blacker 

 htead and redder breast than any of his relatives, all of 

 whom he could master. The female also came and par- 

 took of the fruit, and by the time the young were 

 fledged I could feed them all. They no longer threat- 

 ened me, but were still a little shy. At last they came 

 to the shrubbery to bathe, and were now fully domes- 

 ticated. 



