Sundial 8

Today I decided to have a rest from sundials and wandered along the Royal Mile watching the various street performers before going to a recital.  There were so many glorious sights so my blip choice was probably going to be two people dressed as fried eggs who were advertising a show.  
Then I noticed that the marvellous 17th century George Heriot’s School had tours so decided to visit it, especially as I knew they have many really good sundials.   I’d wanted to see the modern sundial so was pleased as I don’t think I could normally wander around the grounds.  Two students gave an interesting brief account of the history but had never noticed this sundial before, probably because it's not a part they go to now.

Unlike yesterday's very detailed dial face this modern vertical sundial is quite simple with the hours from VI to Vi and  a mouse on a T square and a bird on a ball.    It says
“Remember Bob Clunas Architect” and
“Pleasures are like poppies spread,
you seize the flow’r, its bloom is shed;
or like the snow falls in the river,
a moment white, then melts forever.”

As this comes from Robert Burns’ poem “Tam o’Shanter” I wonder if the mouse and bird also have links to Burns.