178 Gleanings from the 



remarks, we mall now difplay to lovers of a poet 

 dear to every cultivated mind, the contents of the 

 Virgilian aviary. 



To begin with the birds of the lowland and 

 marm, our own carrion crow, which fo often 

 reforts to the edges of rivers and the feafide 

 for mellfifh and mufTels, had frequently brought 

 the poet good luck by cawing from fome hollow 

 oak on his left ; or, wicked thief that it was, 

 called for rain, with full clear voice, as it ftalked 

 along fingly on the dry fandbanks. 1 This bird 

 pofTefTed a great reputation amongft the Romans 

 for prophetic and thievifh powers. From its ufual 

 cuftom of attacking its prey firft in the eyes, came 

 a Latin proverb, "To dig out the eyes of crows," 

 anfwering to ours about catching a weafel afleep. 

 It was celebrated, too, for living long, maring this 

 fame with the ftag, and eagle, and the ferpent 

 which could put off years with its {kin. Its eyes 

 were ufed by the profligate as a love-charm to 

 throw duft in the eyes of hufbands. 2 Its larger 

 relative, the raven, was alfo fuppofed to have 

 an inftinctive knowledge of the approach of fine 

 weather : 



'* Thus thrice the ravens rend the liquid air, 

 And croaking notes proclaim the fettled fair. 

 Then, round their airy palaces they fly 

 To greet the fun, and feized with fecret joy, 



1 "Eel.," ix. 14; "Georg.," i. 388. Cnf. Hor. Od.," 

 iii. 1 2 : 



" Aquas nifi fallit augur 

 Annofa cornix." 



2 Prop., iv. 5, 15. 



