THE SECRET OF THE WILLOW WREN 127 



Burns to write his " Address to a Wood-lark." 

 The tree pipit is often called by that name in 

 Scotland, where the true wood-lark is not found. 



stay, sweet warbling wood-lark, stay, 

 Nor quit for me the trembling spray, 

 A hopeless lover courts thy lay, 

 Thy soothing, fond complaining. 



Again, again that tender part, 

 That I may catch thy melting art ; 

 For surely that would touch her heart 

 Who kills me wi' disdaining. 



Say, was thy little mate unkind, 

 And heard thee as the passing wind ? 

 nocht but love and sorrow joined 

 Sic notes o' wae could waken ! 



Thou tells o' never-ceasing care, 

 0' speechless grief and dark despair; 

 For pity's sake, sweet bird, nae mair, 

 Or my poor heart is broken ! 



Much more could be said about these and other 

 species in the passerine order that have some re- 

 semblance, distinct or faint, to the human voice 

 in their singing notes an echo, as it were, of our 

 own common emotions, in most cases simply glad 

 or joyous, but sometimes, as in the case of the tree- 

 pipit, of another character. And even those species 

 that are furthest removed from us in the character 



