Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-05-04
NOTES ONTHEFAUNA eFvEnMONT.
The IlObIn iTurdus MIgratorIus, LInn.l

DcSt knOWb anu most WclCOnlc Oh all lne
early songsicrs lie has, at first, but few
rivals in the spring choir, and we are glad to
hear his loud, emphatic voice. Knowing
well that he is no match for others who will
soon take the field, lie makes the most Of
his Short icisn every orchard and field
ringing with his characteristic notes.
A cosmopolic inhabiling the whole of
our continent from HUDSON Bay to Geor-
sia, though rarely breeding south If Viz
ginia on the Atlantic slope, he reaches lis the
middle or latter part Of March, building near
the end Of April or first of May Just as his
more crate brethren are cheering the
\ dwellcrs of the fur north.
first saw the robin IN Burlington this
year on March Both. Their tam got in late
at night, and the next morning they plinly
| announced to every one hcrca' outs that AN
important individual had arrived and WAS
about t. fix his residence. 1hty celebrated
the event If nobody else did. Fol several
lays they hung about the trees keeping
| mostly to the woods aHd showing evident
| signs Of fatigue from their journey.
1t is bright spriug day when the robin
comes. He too brings the sin.hiuc and the
| showers, and spring iuillrrc :, His back
suggests the min on the rua. nd his breast
the warm hearth, and how soon he kiudrs
fire there and sings in IL brighter dress! soon
you see him going bu.ily about with straw
and subtlc In his leak or with his mouth
full of cliv, but ! need not de- cribc
the masonry of the robins nest. Livery one
has seen his deep rolnd cup If succeed mud
aud raw, aud the four or five blue eggs
lurking in the finer liring Of gr ,sscs within,
Nor is lie particular of hls iOcgtlun, building
his home in auy convenient nook. have
seen it sadded to one OF the lower limbs of
liz by the house. or pit he'd in The cen re OF
cump Of bushes, in the w0odbiGe or on the
porch iy tue door, laid on q hram in "a she'd,
or fastened in some inaccessible crotch high
up in an elm, and some have found it on the
ground
In June the old birds are not active, hav-
ing truly laborious task to perform In sup
plying the wants OF their hungry tedslings.
Here, one or two bgopds may he reared in
The season. In Massachusetts they may at
tempt third, the last In July.
The robin belongs to that class of
birds which do not repair their oil nests,
even when they are under cover and remain
intact through the Winter They very SEN
sibly prefer to build nov sweet home every
season. have seen three such nests IN row
taken from II barn or si,d where they were
saddlcd to beam, indicating the number
of years the bird lad occupied the place.
This bird is unpopular still with many IL
norsnt agriouluists, because he muks II raid
among the cherries and small fruits. Bat he
only takes trilug toll Tor the valuable SER
vices which he renders. Without robins ana
a few other birds gardening would be very
prccarious If not wholly Impossible business.
lie is properly luseClvUrOus in lis diet par
taking of fruit merely as o lieh, iii'ic
mild acid being pect s5 ,ry to corr C. 81 many
grubs and caterpilia'g. oGi tGuGcllly consid-
ered he belongs to the family OF IGrdtdIe or
rhIushes, which includes some If our COM
monest and best known BIRDS as the brown
thrush, the cat-bird and veery ten species
have been noted in New England.
1t seems To lc the mission OF the thrushcs
to rid the surface OF the ground Of all i'll
sects niqriops to vegetation, and they are
most faithful to THAR trust. VIVA, sad havoc
must Il thousand of their bills work in II sin
glc day in any community, hammtrng away
at beetles, CUBS and Ca,eTplllers from day
break until dark. VIVA, nroads do these
fellows make in gras,hupperdom in the
breeding season, Staying whole ranks OF The
immature and full gown insects ; Telling
down the crickcls and snaiRln9 upthe apple
worms which leave the irul! Ihcy are on
hand In the carly morning to take the sub
terranCan Cut-wOrin, who comes 10 the sur
face in the night ia search of food, before he
goes back to lis retreat, Earth worms,
pupae, and grubs OF all kinds which the
plough discovers, are eagerly caught up 10y
the robin aud devourcd 10y his. insatate
brood. 1t has been proved ny experiment
that the young robin will ,a (aud ho requires
it41 per cent mole than lis own weight, of
nj blr a Ny,.ly
have heard of Strengthening robins for the
table, but could less readily sympthize
with such spicnres than with party Of men
who went about the county ktlllng pet AMI
mails, for the latter are endcarcd Only to in
dlyiduuls. while the robin should be u uni
versal friend us lie is universal beneiactor.
A white robin has been reported, probably
the fcs,hcred dl6ino of the family.
Wells he ban.cd he migratory thrush.
They illcct in the woods 10 Artumn, and
fly northwald in h1cks, spending the
Winter in the South Atlantic States,
though some may tarry in Mass. or
Southern New England, if they find spiirg
run or meadow 10 tbc.r liking. They are
said TO be especially fond Of ne blnish
drupes of the lur gum tree Nyssa Uultifo,d,
aud the crimson iuccd berries If the Poke
(fhytolGca dec,indra, are held III great es-
teen.
On Nov. 18th heard The distant peep OF a
bird in the air, and looking up, recognized
the familiar form of robin flying YEARLY 10
the north. lie uttered a mourniul note and
| saw that something must be wrong hat lie
should this be Ietracing his steps. A mem
Der of the family did net agswer TO his roll
call, perhaps, and he was going IL his
search.
think the boys are beginning to respect
and protect the robin, since it is nothing to
possess his eggs. He lives with most impu-
nifty nearest u man. /. wish the hunters
would pet him him equally well.
NOTES ON THE FLORA OF vER-
MONTH";.