Page:The Natural History of Ireland vol1.djvu/190

 mutilation. The following came under my own observation at Wolf-hill:—two robins fighting most wickedly in the air alighted to take breath;—having recovered a little, and approached within a foot of each other ready to recommence the charge, a duck that had witnessed the combat quickly waddled up, and in the most gentle and pacific manner shoved with its bill the one to the right and the other to the left, thus evidently separating them to pre- vent a renewal of the conflict. Having alluded to their evil propensities, the following note must be introduced. Mr. Poole having a slate-trap once set for birds, saw, on going up to it, a robin perched outside. On opening the trap, one of these birds was found within. It was carried off, and the other with amiable intent followed the captor of its companion (as it was presumed) even into the house.

The robin is not subject to much variety in plumage, but fawn-coloured specimens have occasionally come under my notice in Ireland. In the Belfast Museum, there is one having the whole upper plumage a very light fawn-colour ; the quills and larger feathers of the wings, whitish : the red breast is retained. The tarsi and toes, as may be anticipated from the tendency of the plumage towards albinism, are much lighter coloured than usual. A relative, who has attended particularly to the changes of plumage in birds, has noticed in a particular year, that scarcely an adult robin had his breast of a bright red, at the beginning of July ; and that on the 29th of the month, the first was seen in full adult garb.

Dr. J. D. Marshall states that the species is very rarely met with in the island of Rathlin, off the northern coast of Antrim. Mr. Macgillivray remarks, that it is "found in all parts of England and Scotland" (vol. ii. p. 270.) During the three months of August, September, and October, spent by friends at Aberarder, Inverness-shire, in each of the five years, from 1838 to 1842, in- clusive, one robin only appeared, and this was seen by myself on the 4th of Sept., 1842. There is abundance of wood in the dis- trict, but it alone is not a sufficient attraction to the familiar bird.