166 
SYLVIAM. 
mutilation. The following came under my own observation at 
Wolf-hill : — two robins fighting most wickedly in the air alighted 
to take breath ; — having recovered a little, and approached within 
a foot of each other ready to recommence the charge, a duck that 
had witnessed the combat quickly waddled up, and in the most 
gentle and pacific manner shoved with its bill the one to the right 
and the other to the left, thus evidently separating them to pre- 
vent a renewal of the conflict. Having alluded to their evil 
propensities, the following note must be introduced. Mr. Poole 
having a slate-trap once set for birds, saw, on going up to it, a 
robin perched outside. On opening the trap, one of these birds 
was found within. It was carried off, and the other with amiable 
intent followed the captor of its companion (as it was presumed) 
even into the house. 
The robin is not subject to much variety in plumage, but fawn- 
coloured specimens have occasionally come under my notice in 
Ireland. In the Belfast Museum, there is one having the whole 
upper plumage a very light fawn-colour ; the quills and larger 
feathers of the wings, whitish : the red breast is retained. The 
tarsi and toes, as may be anticipated from the tendency of the 
plumage towards albinism, are much lighter coloured than usual. 
A relative, who has attended particularly to the changes of plumage 
in birds, has noticed in a particular year, that scarcely an adult 
robin had his breast of a bright red, at the beginning of July ; 
and that on the 29th of the month, the first was seen in full 
adult garb. 
Dr. J. D. Marshall states that the species is very rarely met with 
in the island of Bathlin, off the northern coast of Antrim. Mr. 
Macgillivray remarks, that it is “ found in all parts of England 
and Scotland” (vol. ii. p. 270.) During the three months of 
August, September, and October, spent by friends at Aberarder, 
Inverness-shire, in each of the five years, from 1838 to 1842, in- 
clusive, one robin only appeared, and this was seen by myself on 
the 4th of Sept., 1842. There is abundance of wood in the dis- 
trict, but it alone is not a sufficient attraction to the familiar bird. 
