ALAUDA ARVENSIS. 369 



Even the gaunt heron arrests his attention, for he says — 



" The grave, sage heron easy picks his frog, 

 And thinks the mallard a sad, worthless dog." 



And to our Scotch representatives in the House of Commons 

 he says — 



" God bless your honours a' your days 

 Wi' sowps o' kail and brats o' claise, 

 In spite o' a' the thievish kaes 



That haunt St Jamie's ! 

 Your humble poet sings and prays 



While Rab his name is." 



Even the sparkling "e'e" of one of his fair favourites is 

 likened to a hawk — 



" And maun I still on Menie dote, 



And bear the scorn that's in her e'e ? 

 For it's jet, jet black, and it's like a haivk, 

 And it winna let a body be ! ' 



Just fancy a woman's " e'e " like a hawk that " wouldna let 

 a body be." But all his similes are correctly true of the birds ; 

 for instance, in his song to " Lovely Davies," where he says — 



" The eagle's gaze alone surveys 

 The sun's meridian splendour." 



Or, as he wrote off-hand to that other dark-haired beauty he 

 met on the streets of Mauchline — 



" Her ftoioing locks, the raven's wing, 

 A-down her neck and bosom hing ; 

 How sweet unto that breast to cling, 



And round that neck entwine her !" 



And, even when wishing " Bess " dead, he wants a bird to sing 

 on her grave — 



" Bitter in dool I lickit my winnin's 

 O' marrying Bess to gi'e her a slave ; 

 Blest be the hour she cool'd in her linens, 

 And blithe be the bird that sings on her grave, 



Nor was the Battle of Killiecrankie complete without a bird — 



" The bauld Pitcur fell in a fur, 

 And Clavers got a clankie O ; 

 Or I had fed an Athole gled, 

 On the braes o' Killiecrankie O. " 



