April 12, the Cowslip (Primula verisj flowers, when the Cuckoo 



comes. 



This herb, usually esteemed - as the sweet emblem of renovated Nature/' so cheerfully 

 culled in every field, rises upon a slender scape, and hangs beautifully its tawny cups upon 

 numerous peduncles, which issue from a common centre. 



APRIL SONG. 



Now Daisies pied, and Vi'lets blue. 



And Lady-smocks all silver white. 

 And CucJwo-buds of yellow hue. 



Do paint the meadows with delight; 

 And cuckoo now on every tree 

 Mocks married men, for thus sings he. 



Cuckoo! Cuckoo! — O word of fear. 



Ungrateful to a married ear! 



Shakspeare. 



ADDRESS TO THE CUCKOO. 



Hail, beauteous stranger of the wood, 



Attendant on the Spring ! 

 Now heaven repairs thy rural seat. 



And woods thy welcome sing. 



Soon as the coivstip decks the green 



Thy certain voice we hear; 

 Hast thou a star to guide thy path. 



Or mark the rolling year? 



Delightful visitant! with thee 



I hail the time of flowers, 

 When heaven is filFd with music sweet 



Of birds among the bow'rs. 



The school-boy, wandering in the wood 



To pull the flowers so gay. 



Starts, thy curious voice to hear. 



And imitates thy lay.* 



Logan. 



* Besides the discovery of the Vaccine Disease as a substitute for the small pox, we are indebted to Dr. Jenner for a very curious and Int. 

 resting history of the Cuckoo. This learned naturalist says the male only has the note of love. Being destined to remain but a short per oi 

 in our island the hen bird deposits her .ggs in another s nest as if conscious that fate impelled her to fly before the period of their hatch ^g 

 Ihe young Cuckoo follows afterwards, and has a conformation peculiar to itself. There is a hollow on the back, upon which it seats th^ 

 other birds of a different sort and thus placed, its next step is to raise itself, and turning on one side to shelve the nest, which it enjoys alone 

 When the hollow in the back is no longer wanted it is filled up, and the young cuckoo is then shaped like other birds. The note of the 

 Bittern among the reeds, tVom a pec mated claw, which it strikes against the reed., of one of the digitations, is another doubtful point sett ed 

 by the acute observation ot this illustrious benefactor of mankind, and promoter of the science of natural history For a full account of fh 

 several discoveries vide my work, entitled Fac^ decisive in favour of the Cou. Po., u^itk the Evidence delivered hefore the HonouraUe 

 the Committee oj the House of Commons, and the Philosophical Transactions. ^"-^uiuuie 



