5SO MY GARDEN. 



form and his action. Redbreasts breed with us, and are as familiar as 

 they are in most other gardens. One always accompanies me when 

 I am at work, and pounces upon the turned-up worm, and then sits 

 upon the nearest branch watching my operations, giving me at intervals 

 strophes of his high-pitched song. 



" Here in safe covert, on the shallow snow. 

 And, sometimes, on a speck of visible earth, 

 The redbreast near me hopp'd."^WORDSWORTH. 



One dear little robin used to perch upon the table while I lunched, 

 to receive his share of the bread-crumbs. Sometimes, in cold weather, 

 we catch a robin and place him in the Fernery to eat any insects 

 which may be there. 



We never can have too many of the soft-billed birds in the garden, 

 and we rigidly protect their nests and eggs from all intruders. 



Fig. 1189. -Missel Thrush. FiG. iigo.-Fiddfare. 



Missel Thrushes {Turdus viscivorus, fig. 1189) live around us, espe- 

 cially in the Park. The Fieldfare {Tiirdus pilaris, fig. 1190) visits 

 us in autumn. The Redwing {Turdus Iliaca, fig. 1191) has of late 

 years become much more numerous round London, and in some 

 winters visits our neighbourhood in considerable numbers. 



The two birds which really, upon the whole, are the best songsters 

 which build in my garden, where they exist in large numbers, are the 

 Song Thrush {Turdus musiais, fig. 1 192) and the Blackbird {Turdus 

 merula, fig. 1193). 



