176 
THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS. 
Upon a buoyant sea of sounds ; again, 
With curious ear, I tried to disentangle 
The maze of voices, and, with eye as nice. 
To single out each minstrel, and pursue 
His little song through all its labyrinth 
Till my soul entered into him, and felt 
Every vibration of his thrilling throat, 
Pulse of his heart, and flutter of his pinions. 
Often, as one among the multitude, 
I sang from very fulness of delight ; 
Now like a winged fisher of the sea. 
Now a recluse among the woods, — enjoying 
The bliss of all at once, or each in turn. 
There are other varieties of the linnet, but the 
Friiigilla Linaria Cannabina is the one kept for its 
song. The green linnet, or rather greenfinch, is 
kept by bird-catchers about London as a call-bird. 
The lesser red-pole, another variety, {Fringilla 
Linaria Pusilla,) is a very pretty, lively bird, and, 
to my fancy, has a very sweet note, though it is not 
much valued in general ; but, as I intend to honour 
him with a place in this work, it is needless to say 
anything about him here. 
