Bird Gods in Ancient Europe 



of vegetables, fruits and flowers. The Labra- 

 dor duck, of which large flocks were to be 

 seen in winter on Long Island Sound twenty 

 years ago, is an extinct bird, although protected 

 for most of the year by its habitat on the open 

 waters. We shall soon come to catching the 

 remnants of our commonest songbirds to place 

 them in aviaries, before they too go the way of 

 the Great Auk and the Labrador duck. And 

 we know how truly Chaucer wrote in the "Tale 

 of the Crow " as to the bird that is caged : 



Take any bird and put it in a cage. 



And do all thine intent and thy courage 



To foster it tenderly with meat and drink 



Of all the dainties that thou canst bethink. 



And keep it all so cleanly as thou may — • 



Although his cage of gold be ne'er so gay. 



Yet had this bird by twenty-thousand-fold 



Gone eat (of) worms and such (like) wretchedness. 



Forever this bird will done his business 



To escape out of his cage, if he may. 



We are indeed sinking fast into the condition 

 of Italy, where myriads of birds, neither large 



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