160 LEAVES FROM THE 



has a loud, liquid call ; and botli sexes frequently utter 

 a harsh, guttural note, expressive of surprise and dis- 

 pleasure. 



Geoffrey Chaucer, in his argument to The Assemhlie of 

 Foules, relates that, 'All foules are gathered before 

 Nature on St. Valentine's day, to chuse their makes. A 

 formell egle beying beloved of three tercels, requireth a 

 yeeres respite to make her choise : upon this triall, Qui 

 hien aime tard ouhlie—' He that loveth well is slow to 

 forget." The female satin bower-bird in the Regent's 

 Park seems to have taken a leaf out of the ' formell 

 eo-le's' book ; for I cannot discover that her humble and 

 most obsequious swain has been rewarded for his atten- 

 tions, though they have been continued through so 

 many weary months ; but we shall never be able en- 

 tirely to solve these mysteries till we become possessed 

 of the rare ring sent to the King of Sarra by the King 

 of Arable, 'by the vertue whereof his daughter under- 

 stood ' the language of all foules,' unless we can 

 Call up him that left untold 



The story of Cambuscan bold. 



Of Camball and of Algersife, 



And who had Canace to wife, 



That omi'd the virtuous ring and glass, 



And of the wondrous horse of brass. 



On which the Tartar king did ride. 



Edmund Spenser, with due reverence for 



Dan Chaucer (well of English undefiled), 



has indeed done his best to supply the defect,* and has 



told us that 



Cambello's sister was fair Canacee, 



That was the learnedst lady in her days, 



"Well seen in every science that mote be. 



And everj' secret work of nature's ways. 



In witty riddles, and in wise soothsays. 



In power of herbs and tunes of beasts and birds : 



* Fairy Queen, book iv. cant. 2 et seq. 



