AMERICAN STARLING OR MEADOW LARK. 149 



ing and affected pronunciation of et se dee «/«, and psc- 

 dee etsilio, or tai sedilw in a slow, wiry tone, and sometimes 

 differently varied and shortened. The same simple ditty 

 is repeated in the spring, when they associate in 

 pairs ; the female also, as she rises or descends, at this 

 time, frequently gives a reiterated guttural chirp, or hur- 

 ried twitter like that of the female Red-winged Black- 

 bird. I have likewise at times heard them utter notes 

 much more musical arid vigorous, not very unlike the fine 

 tones of the Sky-Lark, which 



'• Shrill-voiced and loud, the messenger of morn, 

 Ere yet the shadows fly, [high] mounted, sings 

 Amid the dawning clouds, and from their haunts 

 Calls up the tuneful nations," 



but I can by no means compare our lisping songster with 

 that blithe '* harbinger of day." There is a monotonous 

 affectation in the song of our Lark, which appears indeed 

 somewhat allied to the jingling though not unpleasant 

 tune of the Starling.* The Stare, moreover, had the 

 faculty of imitating human speech, (which ours has not, 

 as far as we yet know,) and could indifferently speak 

 even French, English, German, Latin, and Greek, or any 

 other language v.ithin his hearing, and repeat short phra- 

 ses, so that " ' / canH get out, I can't get out,' says the 

 Starling," which accidentally afforded Sterne such a 

 beautiful and pathetic subject for his graphic pen, was 

 probably no fiction. 



At the time of pairing our Lark exhibits a little of the 

 jealous disposition of his tribe, and, having settled the 

 dispute which decides his future condition, he retires from 

 his fraternity, and, assisted by his mate, selects a thick 

 tuft for the reception of his nest, which is pretty compact, 



* Sturnus pisitat ore, isital, pisistrat, was the cry of the Stare to the ears of the 

 Romans. 



13* 



