Now begin; For look where Beatrice, like a lapwing, runs Close by the ground, to hear our conference.[130] Lucio, the Euphuist, in _Measure for Measure_, confesses ’Tis my familiar sin, With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest, Tongue far from heart.[131] The WILD DUCK or MALLARD is taken by Shakespeare as a symbol of cowardice and uxoriousness. Falstaff, after robbing the travellers on the highway, without the help of the two chief members of the gang, declares, An the Prince and Poins be not two arrant cowards, there’s no equity stirring: there’s no more valour in that Poins than in a wild duck.[132] In the description of the flight of Cleopatra from the battle of Actium, the conduct of her Roman lover is thus given: The noble ruin of her magic, Antony, Claps on his sea-wing, and like a doting mallard, Leaving the fight in height, flies after her.[133] [Sidenote: _The Dabchick and Raven_] The DABCHICK, DIVE-DAPPER or LITTLE GREBE is portrayed in a dainty little vignette in the _Venus and Adonis_, which brings the bird before our eyes, as it may be seen on many a stream or lake in this country and even on artificial waters, such as those of St. James’s Park. The passage represents Venus vowing to her unresponsive mortal “by her fair immortal hand”: Upon this promise did he raise his chin Like a dive-dapper peering through a wave Who, being look’d on, ducks as quickly in.[134] The birds of the CROW family are well represented in Shakespeare’s works. Chief among them comes the RAVEN, to which frequent and effective allusion is made. The remarkably dark hue of the bird, including even his bill and his feet, has made his name proverbial as a type of the deepest blackness in Nature. In one of the Sonnets it is said that In the old age black was not counted fair, Or if it were, it bore not beauty’s name; But now is black beauty’s successive heir: * * * * * * * Therefore my mistress’ eyes are raven black.[135] With pardonable exaggeration, Juliet, as she stood alone in the orchard awaiting her lover, gave vent thus to her longing: Come, night; come, Romeo; come, thou day in night; For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night Whiter than new snow on a raven’s back.[136] The blackness of this bird in contrast to the pure whiteness of a dove, supplies an image to Lysander, mistakenly bewitched by the mischievous Puck: Not Hermia but Helena I love: Who will not change a raven for a dove?[137] [Sidenote: _The Raven_] The Raven has long had the evil reputation of not only killing the smaller wild animals but, in common with the crows and kites, of watching for and attacking those of larger size that look enfeebled by disease or accident. Thus we read that