REDBREAST. 17 
mingles at all with them. If the nest of the Robin be 
approached he utters a feeble cheep, and will occasionally 
attack even a cat, or overcome a bird of his own size. 
Mr. R. F. Logan, of Hawthornbrae, Edinburgh, relates the 
following in the ‘Zoologist,’ page 1211:—‘While busy setting 
some recent entomological captures, my attention was arrested 
by something dashing against the window of a small room 
adjoining that in which I sat. Enquiring into the cause of 
the racket, I observed a male Redbreast fly from the window, 
uttering his notes of anger and defiance. He returned in a 
few minutes, and dashed furiously against the window glass, 
striking it with his bill and feet simultaneously; this he 
repeated several times and then retreated to the top 
of an adjoining wall, where he sung loud notes of triumph, 
after which, however, he resumed his imaginary contest, aud 
kept it up at intervals, by which time he had apparently 
come to the conclusion, either that he had vanquished his 
foe, or that his efforts were of no avail, as I have seen nothing 
of him since.’ 
Two have been known to unite together in attacking a 
flock of Sparrows, and instantly to put them to flight. One 
which had become somewhat tame from being fed, on another 
being brought in a cage, attacked the cage with the utmost 
possible fury, beating it with his wings, and pecking at it 
with all his might and main. Two have been found so intent 
on single combat as to be both taken with the hand, and 
on one of them being set at liberty he set up a song of 
defiance at the other confined in a cage; and when the latter 
was released too, the original battle was again renewed. Others 
have been seen to fight till one was killed. Even within a 
house two will fight, if one trenches on the domain of the 
other. ‘Unum arbustum non alit duos erithacos.’ Thus also 
Bishop Stanley, ‘My own belief being that several species of 
birds are in the habit not only of, generally speaking, confining 
themselves to certain localities, but at certain hours of the 
day frequenting particular spots; an instance in proof may 
be given of a Robin which, during a considerable portion 
of the winter took shelter in Norwich Cathedral, perching 
during the morning service, and almost always within a minute 
or two of the same time, on a particular part of the Cathedral, 
when, after warbling a few notes for a short time, it flew to 
another particular spot, and from thence to a third, generally 
terminating its course by alighting on the pavement.’ ‘This 
VOL. Iv. C 
