et eee UeDUeB ON; BULL LB TIN 
with his three broods each year and his mates, 
who were not always kind to him. 
We will never forget him trying to feed 
raisins to his brood, and as they grew older, 
trying to teach them to eat (both worms and 
our food which now consisted of raisin bread, 
cooked raisins, peanut butter and water). He 
also taught them to bathe, which they all en- 
joyed several times a day. 
Robbie became so much a part of our lives 
that when we left for weekends or vacations 
we arranged with family, friends and neigh- 
bors to take care of our little feathered friends. 
Our robin is basically a timid creature ex- 
cept when his young are in danger or their food 
is threatened. He will not allow his mate to 
feed at our back door, although she does when 
he is not present. He extends the eating priv- 
ilege to his young until they are able to eat by 
themselves, and then he chases them. 
Again, in 1971 we were thrilled to see our 
first robins early in March but were worried 
that Robbie was not among them. He finally 
arrived March 14 looking tired, a little grayer, 
and with one wing hung lower than the other. 
Once again he took up his old eating habits at 
our back door and responded to my call. 
Robbie and many of his family from pre- 
vious years now have spent summers with us. 
They've had to meet the challenges of a cardinal 
and blue jay family for their favorite eating 
spot. We've learned to recognize many of the 
robins by various shapes and markings and 
even personalities. One of the females and her 
offspring all cluck constantly. 
During the past few weeks of this summer, 
the robins are beginning to show ‘‘winter 
coats.’ Their under - feathers get white and 
downy and the corners of their tail are now 
tipped with white. 
These past four years with Robbie have 
taught us that the joy which we find in na- 
ture... with kindness as its only price, brings 
far greater rewards than money could ever buy. 
—14510 Eggleston Ave., Riverdale 
39 
