22 ROBIN. 
slaughter has been made among them with little fatigue. When ber- 
ries fail, they disperse themselves over the fields, and along the fences, 
in search of worms and other insects. Sometimes they will disappear 
for a week or two, and return again in greater numbers than before ; 
at which time the cities pour out their sportsmen by scores, and the 
markets are plentifully supplied with them at acheap rate. In Janu- 
ary, 1807, two young men, in one excursion after them, shot thirty 
dozen. In the midst of such devastation, which continued many 
weeks, and, by accounts, extended from Massachusetts to Maryland, 
some humane person took advantage of a.circumstance common to 
these birds in winter, to stop the general slaughter.. The fruit called 
poke-berries (1’hytolacca decandra, Linn.) is a favorite repast with the 
Robin, after they are mellowed by the frost. The juice of the berries 
is of a beautiful crimson, and they are eaten in such quantities by 
these birds, that their whole stomachs are strongly tinged with the 
same red color. A paragraph appeared in the public papers, intima- 
ting, that, from the great quantities of these berries which the Robins 
had fed on, they had become unwholesome, and even dangerous food ; 
and that several persons had suffered by eating of them. The strange 
appearance of the bowels of the birds seemed to corroborate this ac- 
count, The demand for, and use of them, ceased almost instantly ; 
and motives of self-preservation produced at once what all the plead- 
ings of humanity could not effect.* When fat, they are in consider- 
able esteem for the table, and probably not inferior to the T'urdi of 
the ancients, which they bestowed so much pains on in feeding and 
fattening. ‘The young birds are frequently and easily raised, bear the 
confinement of the cage, feed on bread, fruits, &c., sing well, readily 
learn to imitate parts of tunes, and are’ very pleasant and cheerful 
domestics. In these I have always observed that the orange on the 
breast is of a much deeper tint, often a dark mahogany or chestnut’ 
color, owing, no doubt, to their food and confinement. 
The Robin is one of our earliest songsters ; even in March, while 
snow yet dapples the fields, and flocks of them are dispersed about, 
some few will mount a post or stake of the fence, and make short and 
frequent attempts at their song.+ Early in April, they are only to be 
* Governor Drayton, in his View of South Carolina, p. 86, observes, that “ the 
Robins in winter devour the berries of the bead-tree (Melia azedarach) in such large 
quantities, that, after eating of them, they are observed to fall down, and are readily 
taken. This is ascribed more to distention from abundant eating, than from any 
deleterious qualities of the plant.” The fact, however, is, that they are literally 
choked, many of the berries being too large to be swallowed. 
+ “The male is one of the loudest and most assiduous of the songsters that fre- 
een the fur countries, beginning his’ chant immediately on his arrival. Within 
e arctic circle, the woods are silent in the bright light of noon-day ; but, towards 
midnight, when the sun travels near the horizon, and the shades of the forest are 
lengthened, the concert commences, and continues till six or seven in the morning.” 
Thus speaks Dr. Richardson, in the Northern Zoology, regarding the song of this 
bird; and he further adds, regarding the breeding and geographical range, —“ Its 
nests were observed, by the last Northern expedition, conducted by Captain Sir J. 
Franklin, as high as the 67th parallel of latitude. It arrives on the Missouri, in Jat. 
414°, from the eastward, on the 11th of April; and, in the course of its northerly 
movement, reaches Severn River, in Hudson’s Bay, about a fortnight later. Its 
first appearance at Carlton House, in the year 1827, in lat. 53°, was on the 22d 
April. In the same season, it reached Fort Chippewyan, in lat. 55°, on the 7th 
