ts_, and hot burning sands.
Old warrior _Flamingo_ came limping along,
And with Commodore _Cormorant_ join'd in the throng,
Profoundly debating, with Major _Macaw_,
The merits of martial and maritime law.
Earl _Heron_ walk'd stately with Caroline _Crane_,
And Field-marshal _Falcon_, of valour so vain;
While Captain _Crown Pigeon_, so odd in his tread,
Shook the quaking-grass tuft on his fanciful head.
Lord _Peacock_, from _Asia_, came dress'd very fine--
His musical taste ne'er accorded with mine;
And the learn'd Baron _Buzzard_, who gravely decided,
That game, when once caught, should be fairly divided.
The grenadier, Captain _Curassow_, was drest
In his helmet, and held up his head with the best;
While Fatima _Pheasant_, from China, display'd
Her Pekin pelisse of bright silver brocade.
Count _Turkey_ expanded the finery that bound him,
And gabbled high Dutch to the people around him.
His Honour the _Hawk_ loved a lark and a race,
So he hover'd about near the courts of the place.
Colonel _Kite_ spoke of sporting--of young _Ducks_ and _Widgeons_,
And plann'd a new pent-house for _Ring-doves_ and _Pigeons_.
At the edge of the water, and hard by the sluice,
_Tete-a-tete_ Doctor _Drake_ sat with old Gammer _Goose_.
And Sir Christopher _Crow_ wore a coat on his back,
Of a true Day and Martin-like polish of black.
Mother _Magpie_ and Priscilla _Parrot_, in spite,
Could talk without ceasing from morning to night;
Spread abroad _Entre nous_ and _On dits_ by the score,
All the news they had heard, and a hundred times more.

[Illustration]

A multitude muster'd, escaped from the plains,
Of sight-loving lasses and holiday swains:
Bob _Bantam_ push'd forward and strutted before;
Will _Woodpecker_ modestly tapp'd at the door;
Poor _Robin_, the rustic, a countrified clown,
As he blush'd, look'd too simple by half for the town,
There were scores in brown mantles, black, yellow, or green,
From the villages round, and among them were seen,
Luke _Linnet_, Sam _Swallow_, Mat _Martin_, and then,
Bill _Bullfinch_, Tom _Titmouse_, and Rosanna _Wren_.
But however select the fair party may be,
Where beauty and fashion preside, we shall see
Some characters doubtful that all should beware,
And it can't be denied that a few such were there.
Those cut-throats the _Sparrows_, that robber the _Daw_,
Who was pluck'd for his open contempt of the