MERULA VISCIVORA. 243 



as it is rarer than the other two its song is often mistaken for 

 theirs. It is generally named the throstle by our English 

 poets, as the mavis is sometimes called the throstle by our 

 Scottish ones; but Burns never mentions the word throstle. 

 Tennyson says — 



" Her song the lintwhite swelleth, 

 The clear- voiced mavis dwelleth, 

 The callow throstle lispeth. 



Where Claribel low lieth." 

 And, in his " Sir Launcelot and Queen Guenevere," he says — 



' Sometimes the linnet piped his song, 

 Sometimes the throstle tohistled strontj. 



He also says — 



1 The lintwhite and the throstle-cock 

 Have voices sweet and clear." 



And Wordsworth philosophically exclaims — 



"Books ! : tis a dull and endless strife : 

 Come, hear the woodland linnet, 

 How sweet his music ! on my life, 

 There's more of wisdom in it. 



And hark ! how the blithe throstle sinus ! 



He, too, is no mean preacher ; 

 Come forth into the light of things, 



Let Nature be your teacher ; 

 Come forth, and bring with you a heart 



That watches and receives." 



Nor do they confound the mavis with the throstle, for, as 

 seen, Tennyson names them both as distinct birds in one verse. 

 Southey also says — 



" The linnet from the budding grove, 

 Chirps her vernal song of love ; 

 The copse resounds the throstle's notes, 

 On each wild gale sweet music floats ; 

 And melody from every spray, 

 Welcomes in the Merry May." 



And Shakespeare likens the volatile French Lord to it, for of 

 one of her suitors Portia says — 



" God made him, and therefore let him pass for a man ; 

 He is every man in no man : if a throstle sing he falls 

 Straight a-capering, and will fight with his own shadow." 



When serenading his mate on her eggs the male selects the 

 highest branch of a tall tree ; but it is a shy bird, preferring the 

 outskirts of woods and pastures, where, like the blackbird and 



