The Alphabet of Birds

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ILLUSTRATED ALPHABET OF BIRDS

1851.

[Illustration: bird on cover.]

A-B-C-D

[Illustration: frontispiece drawing.]

[Illustration: title page drawing.]

A a

  THE AUK.

  A is an Auk,
    Of the Artic sea,
  He lives on the ice,
    Where the winds blow free.

  [Illustration: THE AUK.]

B b

  THE BLUE BIRD.

  B is a Blue Bird.
    In early spring,
  How sweet his songs
    Through the forest ring.

  [Illustration: THE BLUE BIRD.]

C c

  THE CONDOR.

  C is a Condor,
    On the Andes' height,
  He plumes his wings
    For a lofty flight.

  [Illustration: THE CONDOR.]

D d

  THE DUCK.

  D is a Duck
    Of the canvas back sort;
  To shoot at a flock
    Is considered fine sport.

  [Illustration: THE DUCK.]

E e

  THE BALD EAGLE.

  E's a Bald Eagle,
    So bold and so free;
  On the flag of our country
    He spans land sea.

  [Illustration: THE EAGLE.]

F f

  THE FISH HAWK.

  F is a Fish Hawk,
    Who lives on the shore:
  He catches his prey
    Mid the ocean's roar.

  [Illustration: THE FISH HAWK.]

G g

  THE GOOSE.

  G is a Goose;
    His feathers we take
  And put them in sacking
    Our beds to make.

  [Illustration: THE GOOSE.]

H h

  THE HUMMING BIRD.

  H is a Humming Bird,
    Sporting mid flowers
  And brightly enjoying
    The sunny hours.

  [Illustration: THE HUMMING BIRD.]

I i

  THE IBIS.

  I is an Ibis,
    Who wanders in bogs,
  And lives upon lizards,
    And fishes and frogs.

  [Illustration: THE IBIS.]

J j

  THE JAY.

  J is a Jay,
    With his blue and white coat,
  With a crest on his head,
    And a ring round his throat.

  [Illustration: THE JAY.]

K k

  THE KING BIRD.

  K is a King Bird,
    Pugnacious and bold:
  A hero in fight,
    And a terrible scold.

  [Illustration: THE KING BIRD.]

L l

  THE LARK.

  L is a Lark,
    A sociable bird;
  His song in the meadow
    Is frequently heard.

  [Illustration: THE LARK.]

M m

  THE MAGPIE.

  M is a Magpie,
    He lives at the west,
  Steals and scolds and eats carrion;
    He's none of the best.

  [Illustration: THE MAGPIE.]

N n

  THE NIGHT HERON.

  N is a Night Heron,
    Of fishes quite fond;
  He looks for them now,
    As he stands by the pond.

  [Illustration: THE NIGHT HERON.]

O o

  THE OWL.

  O is an Owl,
    Who hides through the day;
  And comes out at night,
    To seek for his prey.

  [Illustration: THE OWL.]

P p

  THE PIGEON.

  P is a Pigeon
    So rapid in flight,
  That before you can shoot him
    He's gone out of sight.

  [Illustration: THE PIGEON]

Q q

  THE QUAIL.

  Q is a Quail,
    Who hides in a tree,
  And whistles “Bob-White"
    With lively glee.

  [Illustration: THE QUAIL.]

R r

  THE ROBIN.

  R is the Robin,
    So kind and so good,
  Who covered with leaves,
    The poor Babes in the Wood.

  [Illustration: THE ROBIN.]

S s

  THE SWALLOW.

  S is the Swallow,
    She darts through the air
  To catch little insects,
    Her favorite fare.

  [Illustration: THE SWALLOW.]

T t

  THE TURKEY.

  T is a Turkey,
    A fine dashing beau,
  By his fuming and strutting,
    His pride you may know.

  [Illustration: THE TURKEY.]

U u

  THE UPUPA.

  U's the Upupa,
    Or Hoopoe. His crest
  He can raise up or lower,
    As suits him best.

  [Illustration: THE UPUPA.]

V v

  THE VULTURE.

  V is a Vulture,
    Who feeds on the dead,
  When the dark battle-field,
    With corpses is spread.

  [Illustration: THE VULTURE.]

W w

  THE WOODPECKER.

  W's a Woodpecker,
    Who with his long bill,
  Bores holes in a tree,
    And of worms eats his fill.

  [Illustration: THE WOODPECKER.]

X x

  THE XANTHORONUS.

  X is Xanthornus,
    Or Baltimore Bird.
  Oft in our orchards,
    His music is heard.

  [Illustration: XANTHORNUS.]

Y y

  THE YELLOW BIRD.

  Y is a Yellow Bird,
    With feathers so bright,
  Who sings all the day,
    And sleeps all the night.

  [Illustration: THE YELLOW BIRD.]

Z z

  THE LETTER Z, OR ROOST.

  Z stands for none
    Of the feathered race.
  It must serve as a roost,
    Or lose the last place.

  [Illustration: THE LETTER Z, OR ROOST.]