170 PEPACTON 



knew them perhaps as a hunter, as well as a poet. 



At least this passage would indicate as much : — 



" As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye, 

 Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort, 

 Rising and cawing at the gun's report, 

 Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky." 



In calling the choughs " russet-pated " he makes 

 the bill tinge the whole head, or perhaps gives the 

 effect of the birds' markings when seen at a dis- 

 tance; the bill is red, the head is black. The 

 chough is a species of crow. 



A poet must know the birds well to make one of 

 his characters say, when he had underestimated a 

 man, "I took this lark for a bunting," as Lafeu 

 says of Parolles in "All's Well that Ends Well." 

 The English bunting is a field-bird like the lark, 

 and much resembles the latter in form and color, 

 but is far inferior as a songster. Indeed, Shake- 

 speare shows his familiarity with nearly all the 

 British birds. 



" The ousel-cock, so black of hue, 

 With orange-tawny bill. 

 The throstle with his note so true, 

 The wren with little quill. 



" The finch, the sparrow, and the lark, 

 The plain-song cuckoo gray, 

 Whose note full many a man doth mark, 

 And dares not answer nay." 



In " Much Ado about Nothing " we get a glimpse 

 of the lapwing : — 



*' For look where Beatrice, like a lapwing, runs 

 Close by the ground, to hear our conference." 



