52 



The Natukalist* 



And Nature, the old nurse^ took 

 The child upon her knee, 



Saying, Here is a atory-book 

 My Father has written for thee. 



' Come, wander with me,' she said, 

 ^ Into regions yet untrod, 

 And read what is still unread 

 In the manuscripts of God/ 



And he wandered away and away 

 With Nature, the dear old nurse. 



Who sang to him night and day 

 The songs of the universe. 



And whenever the way seemed long. 

 Or his heart began to fail, 



She would sing a more wonderful song. 

 Or tell a more marvellous tale. 



So she keeps him still a child. 

 And will not let him go. 



Though at times his heart beats wild 

 For the beautiful Pays de Yaud. 



Though at times he hears in his dreams 

 The Banz des Vaches of old, 



And the rush of the mountain streams 

 From glaciers clear and cold ; 



And the mother at home says, ' Hark ! 



For his voice I listen and yearn ; 

 It is growing late, and dark, 



And my boy does not return ! ' " 



85, Everton-road, Liverpool, 



Birds near Halifax. — In this district, during the past summer, most 

 of the moorland and woodland birds have been very plentiful. The twite, 

 ring- ouzel, wheatear, skylark, and yellow-hamm^er have been numerous 

 on the uplands and high moors ; plovers have also nested. The redstart, 

 spotted flycatcher, white throat, lesser redpoll, sand martin, whinchat, 

 meadow pipit, grey and yellow wagtails, have all appeared fairly 

 numerous in the most suitable localities. The song and missel thrush 

 have been more common this summer than for several seasons. Starlings 

 in flocks have also been abundant. The moorhen, common sandpiper, 

 water ou-zel, and landrail have aJl nested in the district. Willow wrens 

 have been plentiful in the woods. The nightjar, partridge, kingfisher, 

 and swift have been observed in the locality. In addition to those men- 

 tioned, all the common species which annually nest in the neighbourhood 

 have bred very freely this summ.er, and young birds of most kinds are 

 numerous.— F, G. S. Rawson, Sept. 10th. 



