46 fHE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



but not those little nimble musicians of the air, that warble forth 

 their curious ditties, with which nature hath furnished them to 

 the shame of art. 



As first the lark, when she means to rejoice ; to cheer herself 

 and those that hear her ; she then quits the earth and sings as 

 she ascends higher into the air, and having ended her heavenly 

 employment, grows then mute and sad, to think she must descend 

 to the dull earth, which she would not touch, but for necessity. 

 How do the blackbird and throssel,* with their melodious 

 voices, bid welcome to the cheerful Spring, and in their fixed 

 months warble forth such ditties as no art or instrument can 

 reach to ! 



Nay, the smaller birds also do the like in their particular 

 seasons, as namely the laverock, f the titlark, the little linnet, 

 and the honest robin, that loves mankind both alive and dead. 



But the nightingale, another of my airy creatures, breathes 

 such sweet loud music out of her little instrumental throat, that 

 it might make mankind to think miracles are not ceased. He that 

 at midnight, when the very labourer sleeps securely, should hear, 

 as I have very often, the clear airs, the sweet descants, the 

 natural rising and falling, the doubling and redoubling of her 

 voice, might well be lifted above earth, and say, " Lord, what 

 music has thou provided for the saints in heaven, when thou 

 affordest bad men such music on earth ! " 



And this makes me the less to wonder at the many aviaries in 

 Italy, or at the great charge of Varro his aviary, the ruins of 

 which are yet to be seen in Rome, and is still so famous there, 

 that it is reckoned for one of those notables which men of foreign 

 nations either record or lay up in their memories when they return 

 from travel. 



This for the birds of pleasure, of which very much more might 

 be said. My next shall be of birds of political use. I think 'tis 

 not to be doubted that swallows have been taught to carry letters 

 between two armies. But 'tis certain, that when the Turks 

 besieged Malta or Rhodes I now remember not which it was 

 pigeons are then related to carry and recarry letters : and Mr 

 G. Sandys, in his Travels, relates it to be done betwixt Aleppo 

 and Babylon. But if that be disbelieved, it is not to be doubted 

 that the dove was sent out of the ark by Noah, to give him notice 

 of land, when to him all appeared to be sea ; and the dove proved 

 a faithful and comfortable messenger. And for the sacrifices of 

 the law, a pair of turtle-doves, or young pigeons, were as well 

 accepted as costly bulls and rams. " And when God would feed 

 the prophet Elijah," 1 Kings xvii. after a kind of miraculous 

 manner, he did it by ravens, who brought him meat morning and 



* The song thrush, (turdus miisicus.} J. R. 



t The skylark. Walton's name, laverock, is still common in Scotland. J. R. 



