200 
SINGING BIRDS. 
ing “babes in the woods,” is held in universal respect in every 
part of Europe, where he is known by endearing names, and so 
familiar in winter that he sometimes taps at the window or 
enters the house in search of crumbs, and like the domestic 
fowls, claims his welcome pittance at the farmer’s door. 
The nest of this species is often on the horizontal branch of 
an apple-tree, or in a bush or tree in the woods, and so large 
as to be scarcely ever wholly concealed. The parents show 
great affection, courage, and anxiety for the safety of their 
young, keeping up a neisy cackling chirp when the place is 
approached, sometimes even boldly pecking at the hand or 
flying in the face of the intruder ; and they have often serious 
contests with the piratical Cuckoo, who slyly watches the ab- 
sence of the parents to devour their eggs. To avoid these 
visits and the attacks of other enemies, the Robin has been 
known to build his nest within a few yards of the blacksmith’s 
anvil; and in Portsmouth (New Hampshire) one was seen to 
employ for the same purpose the stern timbers of an unfin- 
ished vessel, in which the carpenters were constantly at work, 
the bird appearing by this adventurous association as if con- 
scious of the protection of so singular and bold a situation. I 
have also seen a nest of the Robin bottomed with a mass of 
pine shavings taken without alarm from the bench of the car- 
penter. From the petulant and reiterated chirp so commonly 
uttered by the Robin when surprised or irritated, the Indians 
of Hudson’s Bay call him, from this note, Pee-pee-tshu. They 
often also utter a loud echoing 'kh 'kh 'kh, and sometimes 
chirp in a high or slender tone when alarmed, and with an 
affectation of anger sharply flirt the tail and ends of the wings. 
They raise several broods in a season, and considerable num- 
bers flock together in the latter end of summer and autumn. 
When feeding on cherries, poke, sassafras, and sour-gum ber- 
ries, they are so intent as to be easily approached and shot 
down in numbers ; and when fat are justly esteemed for food 
and often brought to market. In the spring they frequently 
descend to the ground in quest of worms and insects, which 
then constitute their principal support. 
