e　American　robin　is　a　much　larger　bird　than　the　English　　robin…redbreast　and　less　brilliantly　colored。　John　Burroughs　calls　him；　of　all　our　birds；　〃the　most　native　and　democratic。〃
  How　the　robin　dominates　birddom　with　his　strong；　aggressive　personality！　His　voice　rings　out　strong　and　clear　in　the　early　morning　chorus；　and；　more　tenderly　subdued　at　twilight；　it　still　rises　above　all　the　sleepy　notes　about　him。　Whether　lightly　tripping　over　the　lawn　after　the　〃early　worm；〃　or　rising　with　his　sharp；　quick　cry　of　alarm；　when　startled；　to　his　nest　near　by；　every　motion　is　decided；　alert；　and　free。　No　pensive　hermit　of　the　woods；　like　his　cousins；　the　thrushes；　is　this　joyous　vigorous　〃bird　of　the　morning。〃　Such　a　presence　is　inspiriting。
  Does　any　bird　excel　the　robin　in　the　great　variety　of　his　vocal　expressions？　Mr。　Parkhurst；　in　his　charming　〃Birds'　Calendar；〃　says　he　knows　of　〃no　other　bird　that　is　able　to　give　so　many　shades　of　meaning　to　a　single　note；　running　through　the　entire　gamut　of　its　possible　feelings。　From　the　soft　and　mellow　quality；　almost　as　coaxing　as　a　dove's　note；　with　which　it　encourages　its　young　when　just　out　of　the　nest；　the　tone；　with　minute　gradations；　becomes　more　vehement；　and　then　harsh　and　with　quickened　reiteration；　until　it　expresses　the　greatest　intensity　of　a　bird's　emotions。　Love；　contentment；　anxiety；　exultation；　rage　　what　other　bird　can　throw　such　multifarious　meaning　into　its　tone？　And　herein　the　robin　seems　more　nearly　human　than　any　of　its　kind。〃
  There　is　no　one　thing　that　attracts　more　birds　about　the　house　that　a　drinking…dish　　large　enough　for　a　bathtub　as　well；　and　certainly　no　bird　delights　in　sprinkling　the　water　over　his　back　more　than　a　robin；　often　aided　in　his　ablutions　by　the　spattering　of　the　sparrows。　But　see　to　it　that　this　drinking…dish　is　well　raised　above　the　reach　of　lurking　cats。
  While　the　robin　is　a　famous　splasher；　his　neatness　stops　there。　A　robin's　nest　is　notoriously　dirty　within；　and　so　carelessly　constructed　of　weed…stalks；　grass；　and　mud；　that　a　heavy　summer　shower　brings　more　robins'　nests　to　the　ground　than　we　like　to　contemplate。　The　color　of　the　eggs；　as　every　one　knows；　has　given　their　name　to　the　tint。　Four　is　the　number　of　eggs　laid；　and　two　broods　are　often　reared　in　the　same　nest。
  Too　much　stress　is　laid　on　the　mischief　done　by　the　robins　in　the　cherry　trees　and　strawberry　patches；　and　too　little　upon　the　quantity　of　worms　and　insects　they　devour。　Professor　Treadwell；　who　experimented　upon　some　young　robins　kept　in　captivity；　learned　that　they　ate　sixty…eight　earthworms　daily　　〃that　is；　each　bird　ate　forty…one　per　cent　more　than　its　own　weight　in　twelve　hours！　The　length　of　these　worms；　if　laid　end　to　end；　would　be　about　fourteen　feet。　Man；　at　this　rate；　would　eat　about　seventy　pounds　of　flesh　a　day；　and　drink　five　or　six　gallons　of　water。〃
  ORCHARD　ORIOLE　（Icterus　spurius）　Blackbird　and　Oriole　family
  Called　also：　ORCHARD　STARLING；　ORCHARD　HANG…NEST
  Length　　7　to　7。3　inches。　About　one…fourth　smaller　than　the　　　robin。　Male　　Head；　throat；　upper　back；　tail；　and　part　of　wings　black。　　　Breast；　rump；　shoulders；　under　wing　and　tail　coverts；　and　under　　　parts　bright　reddish　brown。　Whitish…yellow　markings　on　a　few　　　tail　and　wing　feathers。　Female　　Head　and　upper　parts　olive；　shading　into　brown；　　　brighter　on　head　and　near　tail。　Back　and　wings　dusky　brown；　　　with　pale…buff　shoulder…bars　and　edges　of　coverts。　Throat　　　black。　Under　parts　olive；　shading　into　yellow。　Range　　Canada　to　Central　America。　Common　in　temperate　latitudes　　　of　the　United　States。　Migrations　　Early　May。　Middle　of　September。　Common　summer　　　resident。
  With　a　more　southerly　range　than　the　Baltimore　oriole　and　less　conspicuous　coloring；　the　orchard　oriole　is　not　so　familiar　a　bird　in　many　Northern　States；　where；　nevertheless；　it　is　quite　common　enough　to　be　classed　among　our　would…be　intimates。　The　orchard　is　not　always　as　close；　to　the　house　as　this　bird　cares　to　venture；　he　will　pursue　an　insect　even　to　the　piazza　vines。
  His　song；　says　John　Burroughs；　is　like　scarlet；　〃strong；　intense；　emphatic；〃　but　it　is　sweet　and　is　more　rapidly　uttered　than　that　of　others　of　the　family。　It　is　ended　for　the　season　early　in　July。
  This　oriole；　too；　builds　a　beautiful　nest；　not　often　pendent　like　the　Baltimore's；　but　securely　placed　in　the　fork　of　a　sturdy　fruit　tree；　at　a　moderate　height；　and　woven　with　skill　and　precision；　like　a　basket。　When　the　dried　grasses　from　one　of　these　nests　were　stretched　and　measured；　all　were　found　to　be　very　nearly　the　same　length；　showing　to　what　pains　the　little　weaver　had　gone　to　make　the　nest　neat　and　pliable；　yet　strong。　Four　cloudy…white　eggs　with　dark…brown　spots　are　usually　found　in　the　nest　in　June。
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