PUGNACITY OF THE REDBREAST. 
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 was again canght and 
brought into the house for safety. The intruder was now 
driven out of the premises, and in the evening, when it was 
suspected that he was in a different locality, the other bird 
was turned out ; its. wicked and pertinacious antagonist, 
however, still lay in wait, a third time attacked, and then 
killed it. The tame bird, though the inferior of the other in 
strength, always 4 joined issue ’ with it, and fought to the best 
of its poor ability.” The same gentleman was also one day at 
a place called Wolf Hill, when he saw two robins fighting most 
obstinately in the air. After a time, becoming tired and losing 
breath, they alighted on the ground to recover themselves pre- 
paratory to a renewal of the conflict ; and in due time were 
ready to commence again, when a pacific old duck, who had, 
no doubt, been calmly watching their proceedings, deliberately 
waddled up, and pushing one to the right and the other in an 
opposite direction with its beak, at once prevented further 
hostilities — at least, while the gentleman remained. 
It has been known to penetrate even the prison of its enemy 
to gratify its vengeance, as is shown by the following commu- 
nication from a correspondent : — “ The parlour window was 
open, and I was sitting close to it, in the evening, reading and 
making the most of the fading light. Presently, with a scream- 
ing and fluttering, the window entry was invaded by two little 
birds, one chasing the other. In my astonishment I pushed 
out the open book, and thus parted the belligerents, the hind- 
most one coming with a tremendous bang against the open 
pages; but, instantly recovering itself, darted out into the 
garden, leaving its companion panting on the summit of a 
clock standing on a bracket. The window was closed, and 
the prisoner robin secured and taken to another apartment. 
More than half an hour afterwards, and when it had grown 
quite dark, the window was again opened, for the purpose of 
showing a friend the exact position of things when the invasion 
occurred, when, with a sharp cry, the vindictive redbreast that 
had been shut out darted into the room, circled round it twice in 
search of its foe, and, finding it not there, scrambled through the 
window again, with a low ‘ chick, chick,’ of disappointment.” 
197 
