When he tears off a large piece of bark, and lays bare a fine fat grub, he throws back his head, and laughs with joy. He laughs almost as well as the loon, of which I told you. It seems a great shame to kill such a handsome and happy bird. He really does very little harm, and much good. Now and then, he carries off a pear or an apple to eat, but he saves the lives of many trees. Among the joyous birds of the wood, let us now take a look at the bird which is every one’s friend. There is a bird that every one loves, and no one says an ill word of. Can you guess that this is the cheerful robin? He is our friend the year round. His red vest shines against the summer green and the winter snow. The robin is a large bird, with black and brown head and wings; most of the rest of the body is of a dull, yellowish red. Of all our birds this is the least shy. He is brave and merry, and goes and comes as he pleases. Scarcely a month of the year passes without bringing the robin. Robins seem equally happy in wood, field, garden or orchard. If they cannot find insects to eat, they will take fruit, berries, crumbs or seeds. If food grows scarce, they hop down to the door, and feed with the chicks, or expect a fine breakfast thrown out to them alone. Some people think that robins eat fruit rather as drink than as food. They take the fruit because they are thirsty. It is said that if a pail of water is set near the fruit trees, the birds will drink from that and not rob the trees. You might try it sometime, and find out if this is so. The robin builds a large nest of straw and fibres. She plasters it with mud, and lines it with fine grass. She will come back to the same nest year after year. In this nest she lays five eggs of a bright blue-green color. If the robin has taken a winter trip, he comes back early in March to settle in the Northern and Middle States. Sometimes he does not leave his home in winter. Sometimes he goes and comes a number of times, as if he wanted to keep an eye on his house. In March and April you see these birds in pairs. They will be running about the short grass, hunting for leaves, or sitting in the bare branches, trying a song. The robin cannot sing so well as the thrush; but he is fond of singing, and his note is merry if not rich. As soon as day breaks, you will hear the robin chorus. All day long robin rests himself from work by singing. In the wood he quarrels with no other bird, and no other bird quarrels with him. The robin can be seen in the autumn, feasting wherever there are poke or elder berries. He is a long-lived bird, and, if he meets with no accident, may live fifteen or eighteen years.