The Russellville Democrat., 1885-06-11


 eyes downward and in an instant thrust his bill into the soil where the sod was thin. throwing up a little showerof earth. and doing this again and again, so vehemently that sometimes he was taken of his feet by tue jerk. Then he would drag ont q worm, run Q few feet farther in panic-stricken way, as though ..taking his life in his hands. again look on the, ground, and again pull out worm; all the time in ar inconsequcnt marher, as though he l had 0othing particular on his mind, and merely collected woraas by way of pass ing the time
 So he would go oa, never eating a morsel, but gathering worms till he had hree or four of the wriggling creatures
 anging from his firm little beak. Then
 would fly to low branch, run up q
 tie way, take another short flight. and I thus having. as he plainly intended by this zigzag course, completely deceived l the observer as to his destination, he would slip quietly to the nest, and quick ] ly dispose of his load In half q m mute lie 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. be keeps his mouth shut l when on the ground. In all my watch ] ing of robins for years in several places, 1 scarcely ever heard ore make sound when on the ground, near a human dwelling.
 Once 1 was looking through blinds, and the bird did not see me. He had, after much labor, secured an unusually large worm, and it lay a. few inches away where it fell as he gave it the final s.yank' This was an extraordinary case: the robin was too full 10 hold in, and there bubbled out of his closed bill a soft Cheery! cheery! be cheery " 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 a loud cry of defiance, and again without sound. but fairly flinging 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 Tn the orchard Robin voices were heard in loud cries, and instantly those near the house took l wing for the scene of distress With I about one spot, and diving one after an-
 
 great commotion and cries of some oth- CT 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 warfare, found that the creature in the grass was a hen-turkey with one chick. She was wild with rage. shaking and tossing up what looked like another young turkey. and the robins. evidently 1 taking the side of the victim. were de- livering sharp pecks and scolding vigor- 1 ously. Securing with some difficulty the object of her fury, 1 found it to be 8 l young robin, which had fallen from a nest, and which no doubt the usually meek turkey thought threatened danger to her own infant.
 l 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. It 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.
 I was surprised to discover, in my close attention to them, that although early to rise robins are by no means early to bed. Long af.er every feather was supposed to be at rest for the night, I would sit out and listen 10 the go D. the last words, the scraps of song-dif- ferent in every individual robin, yet all variations on the theme ''Be cheery," and often the sharp "He he he he he." so like a 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 l hastened to my post From the depths of thick chestnut-tree came every moment a long -drawn-out. mournful S-e-e-e-p!" as though some bird was calling its mate. It was not very loud. but it was urgent, and looked the tree over very carefully with my opera-glass before l caught sight of the culprit, and was amazed to see the robin. The tone was so entirely unlike any lever heard from him that I 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 mocking " 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 It was anxious and urgent, and it was incessant. resolved to see what was the trouble. Stealing quietly along came in sight of the bird, loudly calling. iuttering his wings, and in evident trouble, though could not imagine the cause, until looking closely l saw perched on branch of cedar tree q fat. stupid looking bird. fully as bg as the rob n, and covered with feat CTS. but with q speckled breast, and no tail worth mentioning.
 There he sat, Ike lump of dough. head down in his shoulders and bill sticking almost straight up. and neither the ienderest oodXing nor tha loudest scolding moved him in the least. In fact. thought he was dead, LII the opera glass showed that he winked But stupid and ugly as ke looked. he was the darling of the heart in that little red breast, and the parent iluttered