

70 THE WILLOW WREN. 



common, and White describes the distinction of 

 the smaller one by the noise, chif-chaf, chif-chaf, 

 loud, and often repeated. I contend, both large 

 and smaller, if not the yellow one also, make 

 that noise. It is true, some willow-wrens ap- 

 pear rather smaller than the common sort, but I 

 never have found any with black legs, as mention- 

 ed by that clever naturalist ; and their difference 

 in size is very trifling. " W. K. 



THE WILLOW. WREN. 



Thou fair)' bird, how I love to trace 



The rapid flight of thy tiny race ; 



I look from my lattice the branches among, 



And see thee flit like a shadow along. 



For the wild bee does not wave his wing 

 More lightly than thine, thou fairy thing. 



Now thou art seen in the woodbine bower, 

 Gracefully gliding from flower to flower ; 

 Now climbing the stem of the asphodel, 

 Or the tall campanula's snowy bell. 



And the wild bee does not wave his wing 

 More lightly than thine, thou fairy thing. 



Come, fairy bird, with the glancing eye, 

 And graceful form, to my garden fly : 

 Thou com'st not to steal the nectar away, 

 But to search the stems for thy insect prey. 

 And the wild bee does not wave his wing, 

 More lightly than thine, thou fairy thing. 



