216 
The Animal-Lore of Shakspeare'§ Time . 
as blond, with a spot of blacke upon their noses, and a blacke taile, 
being somewhat greater than the parokites.” (Purchas, vol. 2, p. 956.) 
Another bird of the parrot tribe is described by 
Linschoten, a Portuguese, in his account of a voyage to 
G-oa, 1583 
“There commeth in India, out of the iland of Molucas, beyond 
Malacca, a kind of birds, called noyras : they are very faire to looke on, 
and speake sweetly: there could never yet be any of them brought 
living into Portugall, although they have sought and used all the 
meanes they could to bring them for a present to the king, which he 
greatly desireth: but they die upon the way, for they are very delicate, 
and will hardly be brought up.” {Purchas, vol. ii. p. 1771.) 
The Purple-capped Lory is probably here intended. 
This bird is a native of the Moluccas, and is arrayed 
in gorgeous scarlet plumage. The difficulty of transit 
has been overcome by modern collectors, and the ease 
with which the lory is tamed, no less than its brillant 
colouring, makes it a favourite cage-bird. 
It seems almost unnecessary to suggest that Shak- 
speare must in his youth have had the charge 
of Pigeons, as few boys living in the country 
have not; but only those who are well acquainted with 
the habits of these birds can realize the almost photo¬ 
graphic accuracy with which the poet has observed them. 
The references to their “ golden couplets ” ( Hamlet , v. 1), 
their method of feeding their young (As You Like It , ii. 
27), their gentleness (Midsummer Night's Bream, i. 2), 
courage (2 Henry IF., iii. 2), and jealousy (As You Like 
It, ii. 2),-—all show how closely he had watched them. 
Mr. Harting has given a full description of pigeons, and 
numerous illustrative quotations from Shakspeare’s works. 
The Dove, from its association with certain scriptural 
legends, has in Christian art ever been held as a type of 
love, simplicity, innocence, fidelity, gentleness, and peace. 
The possession of all these amiable qualities has not, 
however, procured for the bird any exemption from ill- 
