NEBULA TO MAN 
Whilst other creatures live in holes and corners, 
And may of Mole and Shrew tribes be forerunners. 380 
Perchance descended from those gauze-winged flies, 
That flitted joyous 'neath Devonian skies, 
In places now some butterflies are seen, 
Gay colours bringing to the sombre green. 
With new life glad, wide wander they abroad 385 
To seek such nectar as the plants afford ; 
Waving their painted wings about the moors, 
And forest glades, 'mid fighting dinosaurs. 
How great and varied Nature are they powers ! 
Those monster reptile forms, these flying flowers ! 390 
And can it be that in some far back Age 
In one life-form both had their parentage ? 
That from those specks of life that first arose, 
As issued Earth from her long molten throes, 
As from one source and font and common home, 395 
Creatures, so wide apart as these, have come ? 
Here Compsognathi, so called, come in sight 
That reach at least the smaller penguin's height ; 
And on bird-footed hind-limbs, light but strong, 
Like kangaroos they skip and jump along. 400 
Small dinosaurs are these, but tending more 
To birds, than many another dinosaur. 
Transition forms, indeed, they seem to be, 
And as might quit their old fraternity. 
74 
