You May Also Like / View all maxioms
 Hear how the birds, on ev'ry blooming spray,
 With joyous musick wake the dawning day.  
 Hear how the birds, on ev'ry blooming spray,
 With joyous musick wake the dawning day. 
 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.] 
 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. 
 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich 
in thy bedchamber; for a read more 
 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich 
in thy bedchamber; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, 
and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. 
 Every bird that upwards swings
 Bears the Cross upon its wings.  
 Every bird that upwards swings
 Bears the Cross upon its wings. 
 The bird
 That glads the night had cheer'd the listening groves with sweet 
complainings.  
 The bird
 That glads the night had cheer'd the listening groves with sweet 
complainings. 
Never look for birds of this year in the nests of the last.
Never look for birds of this year in the nests of the last.
 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. 
You must not think, sir, to catch old birds with chaff.
You must not think, sir, to catch old birds with chaff.