THE ROBIN. 
33 
derable esteem for the table, and probably not inferior to the 
Turdi of the ancients, which they bestowed so much pains on 
in feeding’ and fattening-. The young birds are frequently 
and easily raised, bear the confinement of the cage, feed on 
bread, fruits, &c. sing well, readily learn to imitate parts of 
tunes, and are very pleasant and cheerful domestics. In these 
I have always observed that the orange on the breast is of a 
much deeper tint, often a dark mahogany or chestnut colour, 
owing, no doubt, to their food and confinement. 
The robin is one of our earliest songsters ; even in March, 
while snow yet dapples the fields, and flocks of them are 
dispersed about, some few will mount a post or stake of the 
fence, and make short and frequent attempts at their song.* 
* “ The male is one of the loudest and most assiduous of the songsters that 
frequent the fur countries, beginning his chant immediately on his arrival. 
Within the arctic circle, the woods are silent in the bright light of noon-day ; 
but, towards midnight, when the sun travels near the horizon, and the shades 
of the forest are lengthened, the concert commences, and continues till six or 
seven in the morning.” Thus speaks Dr Richardson, in the Northern Zoology , 
regarding the song of this bird ; and he farther adds, regarding the breeding and 
geographical range, — “ Its nests were observed, by the last Northern expedition, 
conducted by Captain Sir J. Franklin, as high as the 67th parallel of latitude. 
It arrives on the Missouri, in lat. 41^°, from the eastward, on the 1 1th of 
April ; and, in the course of its northerly movement, reaches Severn River, 
in Hudson’s Bay, about a fortnight later. Its first appearance at Carlton 
House, in the year 1827, in lat. 53°, was on the 22d April. In the same 
season, it reached Fort Chippewyan, in lat. 55f°, on the 7th of May; and 
Fort Franklin, in lat. 65°, on the 20th of that month. Those that build their 
nests in the 54th parallel of latitude, begin to hatch in the end of May ; but 
11° farther to the north, that event is deferred till the 11th of June. The 
Snow, even then, partially covers the ground ; but there are, in those high lati- 
tudes, abundance of the berries of Vaccinium uliginosum and Vitis idea , Arbutus 
alpina, Empetrum nigrum, and of some other plants, which, after having been 
frozen up all winter, are exposed to the first melting of the snows, full of juice, 
and in high flavour : shortly after, the parents obtain abundance of grubs for 
their callow young.” 
We thus see the extreme regularity with which the migrations are performed, 
and cannot too much admire the power which enables them to perceive, and 
calculate so exactly, the time required for their journey to the climates best 
VOL. I. 
C 
