The Shjlarh ' 41 



under her wings, and pushed the food into their mouths with 

 her heak; nothing could distract her from those interesting 

 duties. If she was removed from the young ones, she flew 

 back to them as soon as she was free, without ever thinking 

 of escaping, as she might have done a hundred times. Her 

 affection increased so much that she literally forgot to eat and 

 drink; and she lived only on the food which was given to 

 her as well as to her adopted young, and she died at length, 

 consumed by this sort of maternal passion. TTone of the young 

 survived her, they died one after the other, so necessary had 

 her maternal cares become to them." So ended as pretty a 

 little avian romance as I have ever heard of; though to my 

 mind it ought not to have had so tragic a termination, had 

 the persons who had the care of these unhappy little birds, 

 possessed an ordinary amount of feeling. 



The charming song of the Lark consists of several strains, 

 trills and flourishes, with an occasional loud whistling. To 

 my taste it is quite too noisy for the house, where it never 

 sounds as well as when the little musician is poised on buoyant 

 wings high up in the air, and almost out of sight. It is very 

 susceptable of education, and will learn not only the notes of 

 any other bird near which it is placed when young, but tunes 

 played to it on a bird-organ or flageolet. When wild it sings 

 from the first fine days of Spring to July, when the cares 

 of its family demand its whole time and attention; but in 

 the house, if properly fed and cared for, it will sing on 

 nearly all the year. 



Larks in confinement often sufl'er from bad feet; which is 

 as much owing to their inability to wash them as to anything 

 else; for when wild they keep them in order by continually 

 running among wet grass. The owner should therefore imi- 

 tate JN'ature for their benefit as nearly as possible, and place 

 a good sod of wet long grass every other day in their cage, 

 and he will be rewarded for his thoughtful attention by wit- 

 nessing the pleasure conferred on the little captive, who stamps 



