THE SWALLOW. 85 



THE SWALLOW. 



What joy, welcome herald, thou bringest 

 To our homes o'er the sun-bright sea ! 



What glad lays of summer thou singest, 

 When she visits our shores with thee. 



But she flies, and the warm spell is broken 

 That bound thy swift wing so long : 



Sweet bird, to our hearts thou hast spoken, 

 In the notes of that farewell song. 



Still thy soft hymns of praise art thou pouring ; 



Still on heaven's gentle airs dost thou fly ; 

 So above should our spirits be soaring, 



To bask in a brighter sky. 



Oh ! the path of the worldling is chilling, 

 He knows but the winter of time ; 



While the soul of the Christian is thrilling, 

 In the light of a purer clime. 



ORDER PASSERES. 



Goat-sucker. Fern-Owl. Night- Jar. Churn-Owl. 

 Caprimulgus Europaeus. 



OF this curious and interesting race of birds, 

 Cuvier observes that they have the same light 

 and soft plumage, shaded with grey and brown, 



