"Birds and the Bees"

Charles Doyle cdoyle at UGA.EDU
Tue Jul 3 15:18:43 UTC 2007


Supposedly it's raptors (hawks, eagles, etc.)--those "amorous birds of prey" that the persona of Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" desires to emulate.

I would imagine that copulation while plummeting through the air would require not only considerable athleticism but also great mental focus.

--Charlie
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---- Original message ----
>Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2007 20:37:12 -0400
>From: "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
>
>At 7/2/2007 06:46 PM, Jon L wrote: Bear in mind too that the "word sleuths" may have quite misconstrued what "Sam had on his mind," since the bees in the passage are making honey rather than whoopee, and the birds, though pairing up, are "on the wing," not "in the sack."

>
>Which birds mate on the wing?  Or is it only some insects?
>
>Joel

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