A FRIENDLY ROBIN

Northland Age, Volume 1, Issue 9, 4 December 1931, Page 9

A FRIENDLY ROBIN

The true story of a friendly robin is told by Mr. Paget Toynbee who lives in Burnham in Buckinghamshire. Three years ago he made the acquaintance of a young robin in his garden. The first steps were taken by himself, but by degrees the bird became so familiar that it would sit on his thumb and eat oatmeal out of a little tin which he always carried in his pocket. It would come when called, and would find its human friend wherever he might be, whether in or out of the house. First thing in the morning it would creep in at the open window, and on Sundays, when the activities of the day began a little later than usual, it would be found perched impatiently on the end of the bed, one morning actually waking its friend by alighting on his pillow. During the nesting season of the second year of this friendship, he brought out little Mrs. Robin to be introduced. Without any hesitation she perched on Mr. Toynbee’s hand and fed on the oatmeal he produced, while her mate sat by with his beak full, waiting for an opportunity to offer it to her. At the beginning of November last year, Mr. Toynbee had to be away from his home for nine months, but when he returned this August, he was told by his gardener that the robin was still about. He gave the familiar call, and to his delight the robin came flying across the lawn, and began to eat from his hand as if he had never been away.