. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. 182 OKDBRS OF BIEDS—PEECHERS AND SINGERS planted six feet from the edge of the main walk, and directly in front of our head-quarters, a Rob- in built her nest, only five feet from the ground; and there she reared her young. To many visit- ors who loved birds, her nest was shown, but to the Robin-killers and the nest-robbers no one said a word. On Gardiner's Island, where cats live not, the Robins nest on fence-rails only two feet from the ground, in full view of the bird- l
. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. 182 OKDBRS OF BIEDS—PEECHERS AND SINGERS planted six feet from the edge of the main walk, and directly in front of our head-quarters, a Rob- in built her nest, only five feet from the ground; and there she reared her young. To many visit- ors who loved birds, her nest was shown, but to the Robin-killers and the nest-robbers no one said a word. On Gardiner's Island, where cats live not, the Robins nest on fence-rails only two feet from the ground, in full view of the bird- loving inhabitants of that small WOOD-THEUSH. Often we have been greatly interested by the keenness of sight of the Robins which visit our lawn. After every shower, certain Robins of our acquaintance take possession of the lawn, and stride over the grass with an air of great importance and earnestness of purpose. After several wise and sidewise cocks of the head, a Robin will suddenly drive his bill far down into the grass, and brace himself for a hard struggle. By dint of many hard tugs, out comes the earth- worm, to be borne away in triumph to a certain nest. Often I have tried to see worms down among the roots of the grass, as the Robins do, but never once have I succeeded. Evidently my objectives never were focused just right for worms in green grass. In all save a very few localities in North Amer- ica, the Robins are treated as friends. In the "grape belt" of western New York, they are a great annoyance to some grape-growers because of the bunches they disfigui'e. Elsewhere they are of great benefit to farmers, and the few cher- ries they take in cherry time are very modest compensation for the noxious grubs they pick out of the freshly ploughed fields. The investigations of the Biological Survey of the Department of Agriculture have demon- strated the great economic value of the Robin as a destroyer of harmful insects. The contents of three hundred and
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookp, booksubjectnaturalhistory
