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 That byrd ys nat honest
 That fylythe hys owne nest.  
 That byrd ys nat honest
 That fylythe hys owne nest. 
You must not think, sir, to catch old birds with chaff.
You must not think, sir, to catch old birds with chaff.
 Every bird that upwards swings
 Bears the Cross upon its wings.  
 Every bird that upwards swings
 Bears the Cross upon its wings. 
 A feather in hand is better then a bird in the ayre.
 [A feather in hand is better than read more 
 A feather in hand is better then a bird in the ayre.
 [A feather in hand is better than a bird in the air.] 
Birds of a feather will gather together.
Birds of a feather will gather together.
 A rare bird upon the earth, and exceedingly like a black swan.
 [Lat., Rara avis in terris, nigroque simillima read more 
 A rare bird upon the earth, and exceedingly like a black swan.
 [Lat., Rara avis in terris, nigroque simillima cygno.] 
 That which prevents disagreeable flies from feeding on your 
repast, was once the proud tail of a splendid bird.  
 That which prevents disagreeable flies from feeding on your 
repast, was once the proud tail of a splendid bird. 
 Over increasingly large areas of the United States, spring now 
comes unheralded by the return of the birds, and read more 
 Over increasingly large areas of the United States, spring now 
comes unheralded by the return of the birds, and the early 
mornings are strangely silent where once they were filled with 
the beauty of bird song. 
 The woosel cock so black of hue,
 With orange-tawny bill,
  The throstle with his note so true,
read more 
 The woosel cock so black of hue,
 With orange-tawny bill,
  The throstle with his note so true,
   The wren with little quill--
    . . . .
     The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,
      The plain-song cuckoo grey,
       Whose note full many a man doth mark,
        And dares not answer nay.