Fauna fun.

Fauna fun. "These verses," Susan Thorpe explains, "areconstructed around words affiliated to creatures, mainly animal names.Some of these names may be unfamiliar: SIRENIAN (a member of themammalian order Sirenia--sea cows); SPRINGER (a flying fish); WANDEROO(a langur monkey); STAGGARD (a stag in its 4th year); COMMENSAL (ananimal which lives attached to another and shares its food); WARRIGAL(Australian wild dog); KOLINSKI (a mink); HARTEBEEST(an antelope);DIDELPHIS (an opossum); BUSH BABY (an African lemur); FILANDER (anintestinal worm; also a Kangaroo); MASTODON (an extinct elephant-likemammal); POPINJAY (a parrot); PETREL (a small sea bird); CURASSOW (aturkey-like bird); STANYEL (a kestrel)." "It' SIRENIAN, is there RUMINANT's flat? Did you really SPRINGER from the jail. I WANDEROO'd let her go like that?" "No! She STAGGARD out, but only on bail!" "Is it PORCUPINE for", asked their mater, "Did my ANTEATER lunch today?" "Oh, COMMENSAL, don't wait for pater, Don't WARRIGAL, he'll be OK". "Did KOLINSKI down hill all the way? He's a HARTEBEEST after a party. And what DIDELPHIS have to say? Did he sing his hit don't soB, 'USH BABY?" "Did they really FILANDER, Phil and 'er? Presumably they MASTODON. And did it REINDEER? Do take care, Don't get wet, so long, good BISON". Last NIGHTINGALE I lost my way And when, so late, I reached his HOUSE (MARTIN had said POPINJAY) Oh DEER, I knew that he WOOD GROUSE! It's come, MIGRANT, I no longer owe, I'll be able to afford some PETREL. I'll buy a bottle of CURASSOW, And that really will make my STANYEL! DAVID MORICE Iowa City, Iowa