34 



THE ROBIN. 



to the grand general concert that is about to burst upon us 

 from woods, fields, and thickets, whitened with blossoms, and 

 breathing fragrance. By the usual association of ideas, we 

 therefore listen with more pleasure to this cheerful bird than 

 to many others possessed of far superior powers, and much 

 greater variety. Even his nest is held more sacred among 

 schoolboys than that of some others ; and, while they will exult 

 in plundering a jay's or a cat bird's, a general sentiment of 

 respect prevails on the discovery of a robin's. Whether lie 

 owes not some little of this veneration to the well-known and 

 long-established character of his namesake in Britain, by a 

 like association of ideas, I will not pretend to determine. He 

 possesses a good deal of his suavity of manners ; and almost 

 always seeks shelter for his young in summer, and subsistence 

 for himself in the extremes of winter, near the habitations of 

 man. 



The robin inhabits the whole of North America, from 

 Hudson's Bay to Nootka Sound, and as far south as Georgia, 

 though they rarely breed on this side the mountains farther 

 south than Virginia. Mr Forster says, that about the begin- 

 ning of May they make their appearance in pairs at the settle- 

 event is deferred till the 11th of June. The snow, even then, par- 

 tially covers the ground ; but there are, in those high latitudes, abun- 

 dance of the berries of Vacci?iium uliginosum and Vitis idea, Arbutus 

 alpina, Empetrvm nigrum, and of some other plants, which, after having 

 been frozen up all winter, are exposed to the first melting of the snows, 

 full of juice, and in high flavour : shortly after, the parents obtain abun- 

 dance of grubs for their callow young." 



We thus see the extreme regularity with which the migrations are 

 performed, and cannot too much admire the power which enables them 

 to perceive, and calculate so exactly, the time required for their journey 

 to the climates best suited to their duties at that season. We also see 

 another wonderful provision, both for the migratory species and those 

 which subsist as they best can during the winter, in the preservation of 

 the berries and fruits fresh and juicy under the snow. Were it not for 

 this, the ground, on the melting of its covering, would present a more 

 desolate appearance than in the extremest storms of winter, and all 

 animal life would inevitably perish for want of food before the various 

 and abundant plants could flower and perfect their fruits. — Ed. 



