laces, where it is not liable to be disturbed.

2. It lives on berries and insects. It is a shy bird; but in the edge
of the wood its song may be heard often during the day, becoming more
frequent toward evening.

3. The mother bird lays from four to six eggs, and both father and
mother sit on the eggs and take care or the young.

4. The thrush is double the size of the wren, and nearly all the kinds
are brown in color, some having their wings tipped with red or yellow.

[Illustration]

5. The brown thrush, or brown thrasher as it is sometimes called, is
bold and strong, and when a cat or fox comes prowling about near its
nest it flies at him so savagely that he is glad to get out of the
way.

6. It is not afraid of hawks, and it has a special spite against
snakes that come around to rob its nest. When it sees a snake, it
flies at him with great rage, and kills him or drives him off.

7. The hermit thrush lives in the dark, thick woods, and many people
think its song, which is heard in the evening twilight, is sweeter
than that of any other bird.

LESSON XV.

_ROBIN-REDBREAST._

[Illustration]

1. "O Robin, Robin-Redbreast, O Robin, Robin dear!
O Robin sings so sweetly in the falling of the year!"

So says the old song, but Robin sings just as sweetly all the summer
long.

2. The robin is better known than most birds. It comes earliest in the
spring, and goes away late in the fall. It builds its nest near
houses, and every day flies about the garden and yard, picking up
such crumbs as may be thrown to it. It is the special favorite of
children.

3. It is three times as large as the wren. Its color is a dark
olive-gray above, with a red breast. Its head and throat are streaked
with black and white.

[Illustration]

4. It has a pleasant, home-like little song, and its notes vary with
the weather, being much more joyous on bright, warm days.

5. The English robin is about half the size of ours, but has the same
gray coat, and a somewhat redder breast.

6. It lives about yards and gardens, and wakes people up in the
morning with its charming little song. It does not like to have other
birds, or cats, come too near its nest; and when they do, it flies at
them with great rage.

7. When the robin has once built its nest it is not easily driven
away. Once, a wagon loaded for a journey was left standing a few days
in a yard. Under the canvas covering of this wagon a pair of robins