WAYS OF NATURE 



The blackbirds devour the robins' eggs, and the 

 robins never cease to utter their protest, often 

 backing it up with blows. I saw two robins attack a 

 young blackbird in the air, and they tweaked out 

 his feathers at a lively rate. 



One spring a pack of robins killed a cuckoo near 

 me that they found robbing a nest. I did not witness 

 the killing, but I have cross-questioned a number 

 of people who did see it, and I am convinced of the 

 fact. They set upon him when he was on the robin's 

 nest, and l^t him so bruised and helpless beneath 

 it that he soon died. It was the first intimation I 

 had ever had that the cuckoo devoured the eggs of 

 other birds. 



Two other well-authenticated cases have come 

 to my knowledge of robins killing cuckoos (the 

 black-billed) in May. The robin knows its enemies, 

 and it is quite certain, I think, that the cuckoo is 

 one of them. 



What a hustler the robin is ! No wonder he gets 

 on in the world. He is early, he is handy, he is adap- 

 tive, he is tenacious. Before the leaves are out in 

 April the female begins her nest, concealing it as 

 much as she can in a tree-crotch, or placing it under 

 a shed or porch, or even under an overhanging bank 

 upon the ground. One spring a robin built her nest 

 upon the ladder that was hung up beneath the eaves 

 of the wagon-shed. Having occasion to use the lad- 

 der, we placed the nest on a box that stood beneath 

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