144 Bird- Life in Early Scottish Literature. [Sess. 



terest. Eather he thinks of what she affords that is inspiring, 

 enthralling, and delightful. The poet is a nature lover. Nature 

 is the mistress of his affections, and it is his joy to scan her 

 features, to listen to her tones, and to describe her charms. 

 In the early poetry of Scotland, therefore, as a rule, we have 

 lists, not of game-fowls, but of song-birds. We have indeed a 

 list of game-birds in a poem once well known in our country, 

 especially in the Border counties and in the Lothians. It is a 

 curious poem, wherein the tale is told of how a Border yeoman 

 entertains a king, a bishop, and a belted earl. The entertain- 

 ment is excellent : — 



" By then came in red wine and all, 

 The boris head ^ into the hall, 

 Then shield with sauces seer, 2 

 Capons, both baked and roste,^ 

 AYood cockes, venison, without baste, 

 And dish meate dight full deare,'* 

 Swannes they had piping hot. 

 Coneys,^ curleys,^ well I wot, 

 The crane, the hearne in ffere, 

 Pigeons, partridge, with spicerye, 

 Elkes, ffloures with ffroterye, 

 John bade them make good cheere." 



Here we have seven game-birds mentioned : the woodcock, 

 the swan, the curlew, the crane, the heron, the pigeon, and the 

 partridge. Comparing this list with that of the fowler of 

 the Scottish Abbey, we have three new birds, — the woodcock, 

 the pigeon, and the heron. The mention of the heron as dis- 

 tinct from the crane deserves special notice. Crane has been 

 too readily supposed to be another name for heron. Appar- 

 ently that should not be taken for granted. Here we have the 

 two expressly referred to as distinct birds. The probabilities 

 are that the crane did at one time visit this country, and that 

 in considerable numbers. We have to remember that the 

 conditions were then different. Agriculture was not a science. 

 It was in a very rude condition. Drainage, except in a few 

 instances, and then only by way of open drains, was entirely 

 unknown. There were large tracts of land, now fertile fields, 



^ The boar's head. 2 Several. ^ Roasted. 



^ Dish meat dressed up full preciously. ^ Rabbits. ^ Curlews. 



