The robin is one of our most abundant summer residents and is 
known to almost everyone. He comes to us in March when signs of 
winter are still lingering. How it stirs our hearts after the long winter 
months to see our first robin. How joyfully we exclaim: "The robms 
have come." The robin is one of a number of birds which seem to act 
as scouts to the great army of bird life which comes into and passes 
through Vermont during the migration period. 
Being friendly and sociable these birds give us a good opportunity to 
study their habits, often building their nest in houses, fence posts or 
trees near our houses. The first opportunity the school children have, I 
wish they would study the family life of a pair of robins. Watch them 
as they build their nest ; notice the protecting care of the loving husband, 
and the faithfulness of the trustful wife as she sits upon the eggs; ob- 
serve how industriously the father and mother work to fill the mouths 
of their young, continually asking for food; and note with what wisdom 
and patience the parents teach them to fly. 
The robin sometimes troubles farmers and gardeners by eating 
strawberries, currants and other small fruits, but he more than offsets 
this by eating caterpillars, grasshoppers and other insects injurious to the 
farmer. The Department of Agriculture upon examination of the stom- 
achs of 500 robins collected from different parts of the country found 
that less than 8 per cent, of the robin's food was composed of cultivated 
fruits, while wild fruit constituted more than 43 per cent Thus we see 
that nearly one half of the food is animal, consisting of worms and 
insects. 
There are two records of robins remaining with us throughout the 
winter, one at St. Johnsbury, the other at Brattleboro. 
BLUEBIRD— (5*za/m sialis.) 
Upper parts, wings and tail bright blue; throat and breast reddish 
brown; belly white. 
Female, upper parts grayish blue; under parts duller. 
Length about seven inches. 
Arrival. March i to 25. 
Favorite Haunts. Around the orchards, farms buildings and high- 
ways. 
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