The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-11-23

| self that all was safe, he would turn his
ewes downward. and in an instant
thrust his bill into the soil where the
sod was thin, throwing up q little
shower of earth, and doing this again and
again, so vehemently that sometimes
he was taken off his feet by the jerk.
Then he would drag out worm, run
few feet father in a panic-stricken
way. as though taking his life in his
hands," again look on the ground, and
again pull out o worm; all the time in
an inconsequent manner, as though he
had nothing particular on his mind, and
merely collected worms by way of pass
ing the time.
So he would 60 on, never eating
morsel, but gathering worms till he had
three or four of the wriggling creatures
hanging from his firm little beak. Then
he would fly to low branch, run up q
little way, take another short flight, and
thus having. as he plainly intended by
this zigzag course, completely deceived
the observer as to his destination, he
would slip quietly to the nest, and quick
" dispose of his load. In half q minute
he was back again, running and watch
ing. and digging as before. And this
work he kept up nearly all day. In
silence, too, for noisy and taikative as
the bird is, he keeps his mouth shut
when on the ground. In all my watch
ing of robins for years in several places,
[ scarcely ever heard one make sound
when on the ground, near human
dwelling.
Once I was looking through blinds,
ha trI IL N
after much labor, secured an unusually
large worm, and it lay few inches
away where it fell as he gave it the final
"yank." This was an extraordinary
case; the robin was too full to hold in,
and there dubbed out of his closed bill
soft "Cheery! CHEEKY! be cherry"
hardly above whisper and half fright
ened withal. Then catching the trophy
he flew away, doubtless to show his
luck. and tell his tale at home.
The robin has been accused of being
quarrelsome; and to be sure he does de-
fend his home with vigor, driving away
any bird which ventures to alight on his
special maple-tree, sometimes with
loud cry of defiance. and again without
a sound. but fairly fiinging himself after
the intruder so furiously that not even
the king bird-noted as a tyrant over
much larger birds-can withstand him.
But jealous as he is of his own, he is
equally ready to assist neighbor in
trouble. One day while was studying
him great uproar arose IN the orchard.
Robin voices were heard in loud cries,
and instantly those near the house took
wing for the scene of distress. With
my glass l could see many robins flying
about one spot, and diving one after an
other into the grass, where there was
great commotion and cries of some 9TH
er creature-I thought hen. The rob-
ins were furious, and the fight grew
very warm, while every now and then
small object was tossed into the air.
Hurrying down to the scene of the
grass was hen-turkey with one chick.
She was wild with rage, shaking and
tossing up what looked like another
young turkey, and the robins, evidently
taking the side of the victim. were de-
livering sharp pecks and scolding vigor-
ously. Securing with some difficulty
the object of her fury, found it to be q
young robin, which had fallen from a
nest, and which no doubt the usually
meek turkey thought threatened danger
to her own infant.
The poor little fellow was too badly |
hurt to live, and although the turkey
was removed, some time passed before |
calmneSS was restored to the neighbor- |
hood. 1t seemed to me that the chat |
ter in the trees that evening was kept |
up longer than usual, and fancied that
every little youngster still living in the |
nest heard the direful tale, and received |
a solemn warning.
was surprised to discover, in my |
close attention to them, that although |
early to rise robins are by no means |
early to bed. Long after every feather
was supposed to be at rest for the night, |
1 would sit out and listen to the gossip,
the last words, the scraps of song-dif-
ferent in every individual robin, yet all
variations on the theme "Be CHERRY"
and often the sharp HE he he he he!"
so like girls laugh, out of the shad-
owy depths of the maple.
Once saw performance that looked
as if the robin wanted to play joke
with intent to deceive" Hearing a
strange bird note, as usual / fastened
to my post. From the depths of a thick
chestnut-tree came every moment a
long drawn-out. mournful "S-e-e-e-p!"
as though some bird was calling its
mate. 1t was not very loud, but it was
urgent, and looked the tree over very
carefully with my opera-glass before 1
caught sight of the culprit, and was
amazed to see the robin. The tone was
so entirely unlike any lever heard from
him that should not have suspected
him even then, but 1 saw him in the
very act. No sooner did he notice that
he was observed than he gave a loud
hooking "He he he !" and flew across
the lawn to his own tree.
One morning he was not to be seen
at his usual work, but furious calling
came from the other side of the lawn.
1t was anxious and urgent, and it was
incessant. resolved to see what was
the trouble. Stealing quietly along, I
came in sight of the bird, loudly calling,
fluttering his wings, and in evident
trouble, though could not imagine the
cause, until looking closely l saw
perched on branch of cedar tree
fat, stupid-looking bird, fully as big as
the robin, and covered with feathers,
but with speckled breast, and no tail
worth mentioning.
There he sat, like lump of dough.
head down in his shoulders and bill
sticking almost straight up, and neither
the tenderest coaxing nor the londest
scolding moved him in the least. In
fact. 1 thought he was dead, till the
opera-gIass showed that he winked.
But stupid and ugly as he looked, he
was the darling of the heart in that