ALAUDA ARVENSIS. 367 



Nor the lady's lap dog "Echo" die without introducing 

 them — 



" In ivoods and wilds, ye warbling throng, 

 Your heavy loss deplore ; 

 Now half extinct your power of song, 

 Sweet 'Echo' is no more." 



Nor could he cross a moor without introducing them — 



" Out o'er yon muir, out o'er yon moss, 

 Whare gor-cocks through the heather pass, 

 There wons auld Colin's bonnie lass, 

 A lily in a wilderness." 



In his song on " Peggy " the same close observation is 

 evident — 



" The moorcock springs, on whirring wings, 



Amang the blooming heather : 

 The partridge loves the fruitful fells, 



The plover loves the mountains ; 

 The vvoodcock haunts the lonely dells, 



The soaring hern the fountains ; 

 Through lofty groves the cushat roves, 



The path of man to shun it ; 

 The hazel bush overhangs the thrush, 



The spreading thorn the linnet." 



He also makes Bess at her spinning wheel sing — 



" On lofty aiks the cushats wail, 

 And echo cons the doolfu,'' tale ; 

 The lintwhites in the hazel braes, 

 Delighted, rival ither's lays. 

 The craik among the clover hay, 

 The paitrick whirrirf oer the ley. 

 The swallow finkirt round my shiel, 

 Amuse me at my spinning-wheel." 



And, as the duet of love, he makes both Willie and Philly 

 declare — 



He — " As songsters of the early year 



Are ilka day mair sweet to hear, 

 So ilka day to me mair dear 



And charming is my Philly. 



She — The little swalloxd's wanton wing, 



Though wafting oi'er the JlowWy spring, 

 Did ne'er to me sic tidings bring, 

 As meeting o' my Willy." 



And, in his " Charming Month of May," he declares — 



" The feathered people you might see, 

 Perctid all around on every tree, 

 In notes of sioeetest melody." 



