Soon, if the weather continues pleasant, we shall hear him sing. What a
welcome sound it is! How it recalls memories of cherries and
strawberries, and of all the good things of summer!
In the latter hall of April he and his mate go to housekeeping. Who
hasn't seen a robin's nest?--that strong, large house of grasses,
plastered inside with mud, and furnished with a lining of rootlets.
He places it almost anywhere in the trees, but generally in a broad
crotch. If you are fortunate, and the robin has learned that you are his
friend, he may build his mud and grass cabin in a tree near your window.
Then you can learn all about his household affairs. You will see the
four blue eggs. You will know how many days it takes them to hatch, and
you will see what faithful parents birds are.
Not only will they give every minute of their time to securing food for
their hungry family, but they will bravely fight any enemy who appears.
If it rains, you may see the mother bird standing on the nest with wings
spread over her young, to shelter them from the falling drops.
Generally the robin rears two families each season. When the first brood
is ready to leave the nest, Father Robin takes charge of them. Every
night he leads them to a great roost or nursery where other young robins
are brought by their fathers to sleep.
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