The Robin 8i 



again for a second brood, which was reared without 

 accident. 



There being no distinguishing marks on the male, 

 he was lost sight of on August twentieth. The female 

 was last seen on September twenty-sixth. The dis- 

 appearance of the old birds ended the observations for 

 the year. The results had been successful beyond 

 my expectations. I hoped to carry the study farther 

 the next season, and assist my young friend in answer- 

 ing the question which is so hard to answer, "Do 

 birds return to the san^e nesting place year after year, 

 and do they remember their human friends?" 



The most direct benefit of the study, aside from 

 the knowledge gained, was the conversion of the 

 boy egg-collector into a protector of birds ; and strange 

 as it may seem, his first real interest came with the 

 keeping of notes. 



During the following winter the old nest was blown 

 from the lilac bush. When March came, we kept a 

 careful watch for the robins, and by the fifteenth 

 several had been seen. On March twentieth one of 

 our old friends appeared. It was the female, unmis- 

 takable because of her peculiar markings. She seemed 

 as tame as when she left on her fall migration. For 

 a week she remained about the lawn and old orchard, 

 and then disappeared for a few days, but on April 



