Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/376

 360 KOBIN it is one of the latest birds to retire at night, and one of the earliest in the morning ; it never congregates in flocks; the food consists of worms (which it beats to death and cleanses Robin Redbreast (Erythacus rubecula). before eating), insects, and their larvae. Gen- erally, and especially in the breeding season, it is very pugnacious, driving off all small birds coining near its favorite resorts, and attacking even cats and large birds. The nest is often made in outbuildings which are daily used, and sometimes in situations where there is great confusion and noise ; it is made of moss, leaves, and grasses, lined with hair and feath- ers ; the eggs are five or six, white, with pale reddish brown spots. Birds of very different families in various parts of the world bear this name, as is the case with the American robin, which is one of the thrushes, turdus migrato- rius (Linn.) ; the generic characters are given under THRUSH. This well known bird is near- ly twice the size of the European robin ; the general color above is olive-gray, with the top and sides of the head black, chin and throat American Robin (Turdus migratorius). white, black-streaked, breast red, and the un- der parts chestnut brown ; there is consider- able variation in the plumage, which is more or less marked with white, even to albinism. It is distributed over North America, as far as Mexico on the west and to lat. 60 N., breed- ing over most of this extent. This is one of the first birds seen in the spring, a few in shel- tered places remaining all winter as far north as New England, and many arriving there from the south before the snow has disappeared ; but most migrate during winter to the southern states, where they are very common; occurring in flocks, and killed in immense numbers. The food of this robin, in spring, consists of insects, worms, and grubs ; in summer, of the smaller fruits, like cherries and strawberries, whence its persecution, and in autumn, of wild berries and insects. The song is simple but pleasing and lively, though not to be compared to that of many other thrushes; it much resembles that of the European blackbird (71 merula, Linn.). Much of the regard in which the robin is held here is derived from that accorded to the English robin, which ours resembles in its red breast, familiar disposition, and cheerful notes ; it is generally protected, except during the shooting season in the southern and middle states, where it is slaughtered indiscriminately; in Massachusetts the laws forbid its destruction at any time of year. The nest is often built near houses and in very noisy locations ; a robin has been known to build on the timbers of a railroad bridge over a wide sheet of water, on which trains passed at least every honr. The eggs are four to six, bluish green and un- spotted ; they are rarely molested ; two broods are raised in a season, even in New England ; the parents are very anxious in regard to the young, uttering a shrill and plaintive cry when the nest is approached ; they sometimes breed year after year on the same spot. The flight is rapid, and at times high and long sustained. It is often kept as a cage bird ; it is fed on bread soaked in milk or water, fruits, and in- sects; it is long-lived in captivity, but liable to suffer and die during moulting. The flesh is tender, savory, and easily digested, and a favorite article of food in the middle and south- ern states. The golden robin has been de- scribed under BALTIMORE BIRD. ROBIN, Charles Philippe, a French physiologist, born at Jasseron, department of Ain, June 4, 1821. He studied in Paris, and won in 1844 a prize at the ecole pratique de medecine, where he established a museum of natural history and anatomy, for which he was deputed by Orfila to collect specimens on the coast of Normandy and in the island of Jersey. He took his degree in 1846, and in 1847 became professor of general anatomy, and in 1862 of the new department of histology in the faculty of medicine. He is regarded as the leader, if not the founder^ of the school of microscopic physiology, and has greatly promoted anatom- ical, physiological, and pathological researches. Since 1864 he has edited the Journal de Vana- tomie et de la physiologic. In 1866 he was elected to the academy of sciences. His works