LV)!! OF METEOROLOGICAL CHAP. 10. 



of the Bittern from the pool on a still evening, 

 and the hoarse sound of the Nycticorax and 

 Fernowl, are equally striking, may be easily 

 imagined plaintive, and seem capable, when 

 uttered in the stillness of evening, of exciting 

 ideas of melancholy, and of inducing in the 

 minds of the vulgar and ignorant a notion of 

 their being connected with misfortune.* 



The Cornix of the Romans was another bird 

 represented as ominous, who, by his croaking, 

 prognosticated evil ;| but, whether the Cornix 



The ill faced Owle, death's dreadful inessengere ; 

 The hoarse Nightraven, trump of dolefull drere ; 

 The leather winged Bat, daye's enemy ; 

 The ruefull Strich still waiting on the bere ; 

 The Whistler shrill, that whoso hears doth die ; 

 The Hellish Harpies, prophets of sad destiny. 



fipcn. Fairie Qvcene, lib. ii. 12, 36. 



The Harpy has been supposed by some to be the Mada- 

 gascar Bat. 



* How sweetly did they float upon the wings 

 Of silence, through the empty vaulted night, 

 At every fall soothing the Raven down ! 



Mil 'ton's Comus. 



t Saepe malum hoc nobis, si mens, non laeva fuisset, 

 De coelo tactas memini praedicere quercus, 

 Saepe sinistra cava praedixit ab illice comix. 



Virg. Eel i. 



