REDBREAST. 
HRirilACUS RUBECULA. 
The reasons why this universal favourite does not increase in numbers appear to have exercised the 
minds of several of our writers on British birds : some declare that the old birds drive off their youn-r. and 
others that the juveniles slay their parents: oats also are credited witll a share in the work of extermi- 
nation In addition to these causes, it is asserted that, in straggling parties, large quantities leave our sliores 
as autumn draws to a close, and make their way to distant climes, from wliich few, it anv, return the 
gourmands of the south of Europe and the birds of prey that frequent their supposed winter haunts 
accounting satisfactorily for tliosc that reach so far on their journey. Possibly there is some truth in these 
sta einents, though Kolnns, according to my own observations, only appear inclined to pick quarrels 
mv no ier 7 u “““S'* “ 
asLbed to tl,rwl l“f r I ‘■“'■y i" t'>e had characters 
. ed to w hole feline tribe. H ith regard to the migratory habits of our familiar friends. I have 
passmf lL7tlfe N 1-ving ever been seen while on 
p..s.„e ore the berth Sea or the English Channel. I also failed to gain the slightest information 
jcernmg their movements from the crews of the light-ships off the east coast. The utter disregard 
1 anger evinced by Eohins and their disposition to enter dwellings prove injurious to them °and 
totho '“ tlie situations chosen for nesting-purposes are also often undes’irable 
se w lose precincts they intrude on, and their nests not unfrequently being destroyed tends to keen 
down the numbers of young that are reared. How relentlessly these birds pm-sist in'driWng off tW 
in the act of nitd ■ T r ‘'“■"“■y ‘Pi* morninir 
into tlm cler crone of “ »» “*1 -‘-‘ed 
larger plants and finallv a sought refuge in the foliage of some of the 
pursuer Thou-h left ‘fa ncacrfo t' ^ “l ““" “-PO**- shelter for a while from liis active 
at last, when nil dlabJeranfhdlrt 
evidently bent on puttimr an end to llis e °"'y saved by Ins persecutor, who was 
to the garden the poor lUtle hi ■ I 1 ^** driven off. After being rescued and returned 
itself among he bushes Eepeatedm “ H T* ““<=‘0 
on the top of one of the ler w a ““ 
jerking his fail and bowing his head to loiTlhuselT off “1 
... I mmarked that n^o nest was eorenlr :i: ‘ill r tv t 
