I would rather hae the lean lintie in the hand, than the fat finch on the wand.

The song of the mavis should wake me at morn, And the grey breasted lintie reply from the thorn; While the clear brook should run in the sun's yellow beam,

But here, in the city's dull streets, I must live, Nae Jeannie her arms for my pillow to give; Nae mavis, nae lintie, to sing from the tree, Nae streamlet to murmur its music to me.

The English word linnet does not, to my mind, convey so much of simple beauty and of pastoral ideas as belong to our Scottish word LINTIE.

oh, sir," he said, "there are nae linties i' the wuds."

"Eh, Maister Shaw," he said, "if ye'll jist do it, I hae a fine lintie the noo, and if ye'll do it, I'll gie ye the lintie."

"Eh, Maister Shaw," he said, "if ye'll jist do it, I hae a fine lintie the noo, and if ye'll do it, I'll gie ye the lintie."

By these remarks I mean to express the feeling that the word lintie conveys to my mind more of tenderness and endearment towards the little songster than linnet.