Middletown transcript., 1897-06-19
BIRDs.-THE ROBIN MERULA MI
GRATORIA.
SECOND PRIZE ESSAY.

1 OhA4OtSlAs
SECOND PRIZE ESSAY.
The robin arrives here in large number
from the first of March to the tenth. 1t il
medium sized bird, about ten inches il
length. 1t has variety of colors; head anC
back of neck black; throat black streakei
with white; breast chestnut brown; wing
dark brown, some of the feathers with ligh
edges; tail black, slightly rounded, outside
feathers tipped with white; bill yellow, feel
dark, legs long and slender which is pc
culiar feature in proportion to the size Of
its body.
1t begins to build about the last part Of
March. 1t will build in shade trees and de-
lights to build in the smooth open crotch
of an old tree, or the stout naked limb Of
an apple tree, on which it will saddle its
nest fmud and sticks. The robin builds
a very large and quite exposed nest. The
nest is made of sticks, hair, strings, and is
plastered inside with very fine grass. These
nests are very hard to pull apart as they
are firmly constructed. The female rules
the whole affair, even to the carrying of
the material and the building of the nest.
She seldom allows the male to help with
the work. She drops her tail over the rim
Of the nest, then turns round, and her
breast and tail give shape to the nest. Usu-
ally three or four days are sufficient for the
nest building. When the nest is built, an
egg daily is laid in it,and the nest may con-
sist of only two eggs, or as many as seven.
Most Of robins lay five eggs. They measure
from an inch and one-eighth to an inch
and one-fourth in length by three-fourths
in breadth, and are of rich greenish blue
color, without any spots. The female does
the main part of the Matching, the male
sitting only while she is off for food. In
eleven days the young make their appear
ance. In seven or eight more their eyes
will be open. In eighteen or twenty days
they are fedged and ready to leave the nesti
Frem the day the young make their ap-
pearance the work of the male begins. He
has to feed the young and himself. The
young require large amount of food. San
observation was made on young robin
kept in captivity and it required sixty
eight worms day. or more than its weight.
The length of these worms if laid end to
end, would be fourteen feet" Their food
consists of insects and worms, and they are
very fond of cherries and gum berries. 1t
is in teresting to watch a robin searching
for worms. It does not run, it cannot; it
hops, then its listens. It stoops its head,
gives it turn and puts one ear towards
the ground; then takes another hop or two.
Now it hears something. The worm is
about half an inch from the surface,-the
birds bill nips 1t.
The robin remains with ms until fall
when it starts south and remains there all
winter. Large focks are to be seen IN the
Southern States in winter, where great
numbers are killed for the table, the mar
kets being often glutted with them.
The robin is a very brave bird. Once
saw sparrow hawk flying in the air. He
saw sparrow perched on the top of a
small tree. and swooped down, seized and
carried high into the air the poor sparrow.
A robin saw the affair from its perch in
tree near by. The robin lost no time max
ng pursuit of the sparrow-hawk. Soon it
caught up with the hawk. was on its back
and fought desperately The robin was victor
ious. The hawk dropped the sparrow, and
few away. The sparrow reached the
ground unhurt, but badly scared.
The robin does not rank high as singer.
yet there are some good singers among |
hem. A singer has long neck, long
.ail. dark, rich plumage, soft like satin.
The robin is not very swift aier; he gen.
orally flaps his wings when flying. All
birds Of prey. birds that swim. and birds
hat scratch for their food, walk. All other
birds hop.
Song birds should not be killed, only
birds fit for food, because song birds are not
rood for eating.
The crow, English sparrow and some
lines the meadow lark. North Carolina
wren and hawk remain all winter. The
others go to warm climates.
The feathers Of birds should not be worn
IN hats because the birds have to have
heir wings cut off while they are alive, in
,rder to give nice plumage to the feath-
'rs. If the birds are to be continually killed
or their feathers, they will soon be ex-
inct; and destructive insects will multiply.
Birds nests should not be robbed, be-
;ause it is very cruel. and the persons that
'ob birds nests are thoughtless, to say the
east. FRANK ]. McLEAR,
Henry Clay, Del.