AMIABILITY OF TEMPER. 39 



before the nest is finished, from some apprehension or 

 caprice; all intrusion is jealously noticed, and during the 

 whole period of sitting and rearing its young, it is timid 

 and restless.' 



Miss Waring, in her charming i Minstrelsy of the Woods/ 

 has noticed that the male bird is of a most amiable and 

 affectionate temper, and that when taken captive with his 

 family, he will continue to feed the young ones and the fe- 

 male, even forcing the latter to eat, when the misery she 

 experiences from the loss of freedom would lead her to 

 refuse all sustenance. In time he becomes much attached 

 to the person who takes care of him, expressing his affec- 

 tion by particular notes of joy on the approach of such to 

 his cage. Like the Nightingale, on the approach of the 

 season of emigration, he becomes restless, frequently flut- 

 tering his wings against the bars of his prison, and is some- 

 times so agitated during the autumnal nights, as to die in 

 consequence. We must quote this lady's sweet lines to the 

 bird 



Oh ! fair befall thee, gay Fauvette, 

 With trilling song and crown of jet; 

 Thy pleasant notes with joy I hail, 

 Floating on the vernal gale. 

 Far hast thou flown on downy wing, 

 To be our guest in early spring : 

 In that first dawning of the year, 

 Pouring a strain as rich and clear 

 As is the Blackbird's mellow lay, 

 In later hours of flowery May. 

 While April skies to grove and field 

 Alternate shade and sunshine yield, 

 I hear thy wild and joyous strain, 

 And give thee welcome once again. 

 Come build within my hawthorn bower, 

 And shade thy nurselings with its flower ; 

 Or where my wreathed woodbines twine, 

 Make there a home for thee and thine, 

 Now fair befall thee, gay Fauvette, 

 With trilling song and crown of jet! 



To this perhaps our readers will thank us for adding a 

 poetical tribute from Bishop Mant's ' British Months' 



