The Bluebird 
9 
living they can, but at night they collect in 
large numbers at some favourite roosting place. 
Oftentimes the weary mother birds are now 
raising second broods. We like to believe that 
the fathers return from the roosts at sun-up 
to help supply those insatiable babies with 
worms throughout the long day. 
After family cares are over for the year, robins 
moult, and then they hide, mope, and keep silent 
for awhile. But in September, in a suit of new 
feathers, they are feeling vigorous and cheerful 
again; and, gathering in friendly flocks, they 
roam about the woodland borders to feed on the 
dogwood, choke cherries, juniper berries, and 
other small fruits. You see they change their 
diet with the season. By dropping the undi- 
gested berry seeds far and wide, they plant great 
numbers of trees and shrubs as they travel. 
Birds help to make the earth beautiful. With 
them every day is Arbour Day. 
It is a very dreary time when the last robin 
leaves us, and an exceptionally cold winter 
when a few stragglers from the south-bound 
flocks do not remain in some sheltered, sunny, 
woodland hollow. 
THE BLUEBIRD 
Is there any sign of spring quite so welcome 
as the glint of the first bluebird unless it is his 
