TIMIDITY OF THE DOVE. 195 



All. That would hang us, every mother's son. 



Bottom. I grant you, friends, if that you should fright 

 the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more 

 discretion but to hang us ; but I will aggravate my voice 

 so, that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove ; I 

 will roar you an't were any nightingale." Midsummer 

 Nights Dream, Act i. Sc. 2. 



We have before drawn attention to the fact that birds 

 which are by nature weak and timid, flying at the 

 approach of man, will nevertheless show fight in defence 

 of their young. Shakespeare has noticed this in the case 

 of the wren,* and the dove : 



" And doves will peck in safeguard of their brood." 



Henry VI. Part III. Act ii. Sc. 2. 



And in the same play 



" So doves do peck the falcon's piercing talons." 



Henry VI. Part III. Act i. Sc. 4. 

 Again 



" To be furious, 



Is to be frighted out of fear ; and in that mood 

 The dove will peck the ostrich." 



Antony and Cleopatra, Act iii. Sc. 13. 



And yet there can scarcely be a more timid bird than 

 the dove, as Falstaff well knew, when he said ironically : 



* See ante, p. 143. 



