Songs of the Fields 



cation, and by noon JNionday I resumed a series 

 of pictures of her nesting history. There were sev- 

 eral dozen of them, repi'esenting every pliase of 

 lier home hfe, the one I use here being es]:)ecially 

 individual. 



Both birds attended the young alternately, 

 with the difference that when the father fed them 

 he removed a fieces and flew away. When the 

 mother arrived slie performed the same oi)eration, 

 and then, setting her breast feathers on end, sloA\'ly 

 moved over the young, Avho thrust their lieads 

 against her breast, and she brooded them luitil the 

 male returned. I loved to see the young move 

 toward her and watch the sudden swell of the 

 feathers to admit them. Several times I was 

 tempted to record it, but thought the act was too 

 fast for my lens. However, as I had almost every- 

 thing else, I decided to try, and tliat morning as 

 I detected the impidse to lift the featliers with the 

 snuggling of tlie young, I snap])ed. The bird that 

 disdained shelter and ke])t his head out when tlie 

 mother moved over the nest, left it before the day 

 was done. 



Robins are true orchard birds, wonderfully 

 fi-iendl}^ and great worm consmners; in fact such 

 fabulous numbers are fed to young robins that The Value 

 many times over one is repaid for the few apples °^ ^ Robin 

 and cherries they pick later. They are invaluable 

 aids in agriculture, and every robin nest a farmer 

 '7 257 



