THE BIRDS OF SPRINO. ,161 



this is accompanied by a jerking and ungraceful motion. The manner which 

 the Skylark has of ascending to a vast height, singing all the time, I need 

 not particularly describe, or that it is the Tree-lark which humbly imitates 

 this peculiarity in spring perching on the top of a tree as it descends 

 with outspread wings and tail. The Wood-lark, that sweet songster, has, 

 again, a habit peculiar to himself, for when he sings, it is at a moderate 

 height, and rising, and falling, and fluttering about the same region of air 

 for an hour at a time; and when he descends it is with the rapidity of 

 an arrow: his usual flight is not unlike that of the Skylark. 

 . The flight of the Starling is continuous to a certain extent, for, although 

 they close their wings at intervals, there is usually some considerable space 

 between them, their flight being very swift and straightforward, except that 

 they take advantage of every inequality in the face of the country to screen 

 them from opposing currents of air. They always fly in companies, (except 

 at nesting time,) and usually go out in the same direction, and very early 

 in the morning, to feed in the fields, returning to their roosting-places at 

 dusk, and this with such regularity, that they may be waited for with 

 great certainty, more particularly, as small parties of three or more usually 

 precede the main body. In November and ])ecember Wood-Pigeons have 

 the same habit. 



If we consider the flight of birds in a general point of view, whether 

 elegant or ungainly, slow or swift, it cannot be denied that it is a most 

 wonderful consideration; and though no more astonishing, perhaps, than our 

 own powers of locomotion, relatively considered, it is of a much more 

 beautiful character, and is indeed in many instances the very poetry of 

 motion. Setting aside the magnitude of the endowment, the very blue 

 Ether receives an additional charm from the presence of these beautiful 

 creations, whilst the earth is enlivened by their activity and song. 



Pembroke Square, Kensington, January, 1856, 



THE BIRDS OF SPRING. 



BY R. G. TEMPLE, ESQ. 



The subjoined, from the ^'Chester Chronicle," is inserted at the request 

 of Captain J. M. Jones, of the Royal Montgomery Rifles. 



The fireside season of winter being nearly over, and (thanks to all the 

 facilities with which we are now blessed) most of us are now looking for- 

 ward to take our flights to mountain, lake, or river for our summer enjoy- 

 ments, permit me to draw attention to what I fear is working year by 

 year destruction to many of those enjoyments, from mere thoughtlessness. 

 I would not in any degree discourage any fair use of God's creatures, either 



