The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Phenomenal Fauna, by Carolyn Wells

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Title: A Phenomenal Fauna

Author: Carolyn Wells

Illustrator: Oliver Herford

Release Date: February 23, 2008 [EBook #24673]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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A PHENOMENAL FAUNA

BY

CAROLYN WELLS

WITH PICTURES
BY
OLIVER HEREFORD

[Illustration]

Copyright, 1901, 1902
By LIFE PUBLISHING COMPANY
_New York_

By ROBERT HOWARD RUSSELL

[Illustration]

To My Godfather
WILLIAM F. CLARKE

[Illustration]

THE REG'LAR LARK

The Reg'lar Lark's a very gay old Bird;
At sunrise often may his voice be heard
As jauntily he wends his homeward way,
And trills a fresh and merry roundelay.
And some old, wise philosopher has said:
Rise with a lark, and with a lark to bed.

[Illustration]

THE HUMBUG

Although a learned Entomologist
May doubt if Humbugs really do exist,
Yet each of us, I'm sure, can truly say
We've seen a number of them in our day.
But are they real?--well, a mind judicial
Perhaps would call them false and artificial.

[Illustration]

THE POPPYCOCK

The Poppycock's a fowl of English breed,
And therefore many think him fine indeed.
Credulous people's ears he would regale,
And so he crows aloud and spreads his tale.
But he is stuffed with vain and worthless words;
Fine feathers do not always make fine birds.

[Illustration]

THE HAYCOCK

The Haycock cannot crow; he has no brains,
No,--not enough to go in when it rains.
He is not gamy,--fighting's not his forte,
A Haycock fight is just no sort of sport.
Down in the meadow all day long he'll bide,
(That is a little hay-hen by his side.)

[Illustration]

THE POWDER MONKEY

A Theory, by scientists defended,
Declares that we from monkeys are descended.
This being thus, we therefore clearly see
The Powder-Monkey heads some pedigree.
Ah, yes,--from him