THE ROBIN'S MENTALITY.
A delightful test of the psychology of the robin has been carried through in two neighbouring counties. A half-open nesting box, with two divisions partitioned off, was set up in the garden. A pair of robins built their proper nest in one half, where in due course eggs were laid and young hatched. In the other half a dummy nest was built, apparently by wily of securing the site. This was in Hertfordshire. Would Bedfordshire robins behave in a like fashion ? To settle the question a similar apparatus was put up in a place known to be favoured by a pair of robins. They at once accepted the offer of the desirable " pitch " for their nest, but in this case filled up the adjoining partition with rubbish that they did not trouble to shape into the pattern of a nest. • Can anyone suggest any motive except the well-known determination of the robin not to allow any rival within certain fairly definite precincts ? Nesting peregrine falcons (as I have noted in South Wales) will not suffer another pair within one and a half miles. Nesting robins like at least forty yards of elbow room,
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