8o The Robin 



On April twenty-sixth the first egg was laid. On 

 the second day following, another, and so on, until the 

 nest contained four eggs. The eggs were deposited 

 in the morning between the hours of eight and twelve, 

 and were of a beautiful greenish blue color, charac- 

 teristic of the family to which the robin belongs. The 

 female was on the nest but little until April thirtieth, 

 but on May second the serious business of incubation 

 began. In this the female took the most active part, 

 being relieved about an hour and a half each day by 

 the male, and with one exception she covered the 

 eggs at night, although there was no apparent reason 

 why the male should have assumed the responsibility 

 on this particular night. Sometimes the male brought 

 food to the female while she was on the nest. 



On the eleventh day after incubation began, the 

 first young robin appeared, and two days later the 

 other three eggs were hatched. The young birds 

 grew very rapidly, and in twelve days were ready to 

 leave the nest. During the time the young were in 

 the nest the old birds constantly took food from the 

 board, particularly worms. The young robins were 

 quite tame at first, but, as time went on, gradually 

 grew wilder, and finally disappeared altogether on 

 June fifteenth. We often saw the female about the 

 house, and the first week in July the old nest was used 



