ROBIN, a name originally applied in Eng land to the red-breast (q.v.), a bird so familiar and so dear to the English heart that loyal colonists in many parts of the world have felt impelled to transfer the name to native species, which often resemble the original in little but the ruddy breast. The American robin is a true thrush (Merida Magratori) of the fam ily Tardier, and is found in summer through out North America from Alaska to Virginia. Robins retire from higher latitudes only as their food begins to fail, or when driven south by very heavy snows. During the winter months they are numerous in the Southern States, but even as far north as Boston robins are some times seen assembling round the open springs wherever berries may be found in the depth of winter. In the New England and the Middle States the robin is perhaps the most abundant breeding bird. Their nests of mud and grass are often seen on the horizontal branch of an apple tree, or in a shade tree, especially ever greens. The eggs, about four, are of a pale bluish-green, and without spots. They raise
several broods in a season.
Robins feed upon insects, ripe cherries and other small fruit, but are especially fond of earthworms, which they extract from their bur rows in the early morning and late afternoon with the greatest skill and industry, and of which they devour vast quantities. In spite of the fact that fruit growers consider them harm ful, the cheery whistle and vivacious manners a the robin are rapidly gaining for it a place in popular esteem analogous to its English name sake. Unfortunately there are still parts of the country, and particularly of the South, where a sordid interest leads to the slaughter of great numbers.of robins for the pot. In North Caro line they are killed at night in their roosting places. On the Pacific Coast the robin varies so the sub-species eropinqua, and in lower Cali fornia a distinct species (M. confinus) occurs. Hesperociehla nevia is sometimes called the Oregon robin,