Birds. 1545 



The Lark, though as unassuming in plumage as the nightingale, has 

 been a favourite theme of the poets, and by none has its song been so 

 exquisitely described as by our great and immortal dramatist. 



" The lark, whose notes do beat 

 The vaulty heaven so high above our heads." — Romeo and Juliet. 



And again, in Cymbeline : — 



u Hark ! hark ! the lark at Heaven's gate sings, 

 And Phoebus 'gins arise, 

 His steeds to water at those springs 

 On chalic'd flowers that lies." 



There is something singularly beautiful in the lines I have just 

 quoted. 



There are yet two more that remain for me shortly to mention. 



First, the Pelican ; in connexion with which, we find the following- 

 passage in King Lear. 



" 'Twas this flesh begot 

 Those pelican daughters." 



The meaning of this expression is evidently this, that as the young 

 pelicans are fabulously reported to exist on the blood which they 

 draw from the breast of their parent, so had these daughters, of which 

 Lear is complaining, by their misconduct wounded their father's breast 

 and made his heart bleed. 



Last, comes a word on the Swan : — 



" Let music sound, while he doth make his choice ; 

 Then, if he lose, he makes a swan-like end, 

 Fading in music." — Merchant of Venice. 



The story of the whistling of the dying swan seems now almost 

 entirely exploded ; the interesting observations of Mr. Waterton (Zool. 

 674) are confirmatory of the extravagance of this notion : indeed so 

 widely diffused has the love of Natural-History research gradually be- 

 come, as to leave but little ground for the reception of these idle 

 fables. 



T. W. Barlow. 

 Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, 

 August 5th 1845. 



iv Oe 



