Kitobni o'qish: «A Phenomenal Fauna»

Shrift:

THE REG'LARLARK

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.

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.

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.

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.)

THE POWDERMONKEY

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 descend by evolution,
The Dames and Daughters of the Revolution.

THE TREE CALF

The sportive Tree Calf here we see,
He builds his nest up in a tree;
To this strange dwelling-place he cleaves
Because he is so fond of leaves.
'Twas his ancestral cow, I trow,
Jumped o'er the moon, so long ago.
But he is not so great a rover,
Though at the last he runs to cover.