THE REDBREAST. 
165 
inmates of the house. It sang in a low tone, and never burst 
forth into full song but once, — “a song of triumph,” — just 
after it had nearly killed a blue tit-mouse, its companion in 
captivity. 
Well known as is the pugnacity of robins, one or two instances 
may be given. Their being so wholly absorbed during combat as 
to be regardless of all else, was ludicrously evinced at Springvale, 
by a pair fighting from the air downwards to the earth, until 
they disappeared in a man's hat, that happened to be lying on the 
ground, and in which they were both captured. On one occasion 
two of these birds caught fighting in a yard in Belfast were kept 
all night in separate cages. One was given its liberty early in the 
morning, and the other being tamer — possibly from having been 
the better beaten of the two — was kept with the intention of being 
permanently retained. So unhappy, however, did the prisoner 
look, that it too was set at liberty in the yard, which was believed 
to be its chosen domicile. The other came a second time, and 
attacked it, when my informant who was present, hastened to the 
rescue, and the wilder bird flew away. The tamer one was again 
caught, and brought into the house for safety. The intruder was 
now driven out of the premises, and in the evening, when it 
was expected that he was in a different locality, the other bird 
was turned out; its wicked and pertinacious antagonist, how- 
ever, still lay in wait, a third time attacked, and then killed 
it : — the tame bird, though the inferior of the other in strength, 
always "joined issue” with it, and fought to the best of its poor 
ability. Some years ago, at Merville (co. Antrim), a robin kept 
possession of the green-house, and killed every intruder of its own 
species, amounting to about two dozen, that entered the house. 
This had been so frequently done, that my informant became 
curious to know the means resorted to for the purpose ; and on 
examination of two or three of the victims, he found a deep wound 
in the neck of each, evidently made by the bill of the slayer. The 
lady of the house hearing of the bird's cruelty, had the sharp 
point of its beak cut off, and no more of its brethren were after- 
wards slaughtered ; but it did not itself long survive this slight 
