BIRDS 
29 
those rare, exotic visitants, as the 
Orchard-Starling or Rose-Breasted Gros¬ 
beak, with their distant, high-bred ways. 
Hardy, noisy, frolicsome, neighborly and 
domestic in his ways, strong of wing and 
bold in spirit, he is the pioneer of the 
Thrush family, and well worthy of the 
finer artists whose coming he heralds and 
in a measure prepares us for. 
I could wish Robin less native and 
plebeian in one respect,—the building of 
his nest. Its coarse material and rough 
masonry are creditable neither to his skill 
as a workman nor to his taste as an artist. 
1 am the more forcibly reminded of his 
deficiency in this respect from observing 
yonder Humming-Bird's nest, which is a 
marvel of fitness and adaptation, a proper 
setting for this winged gem,—the body 
of it composed of a white, felt-like sub¬ 
stance, probably the down of some plant 
or the wool of some worm, and toned 
down in keeping with the branch on 
which it sits by minute tree-lichens, 
woven together by threads as fine and 
frail as gossamer. From Robin's good 
looks and musical turn we might rea- 
