THE LARK. 



Up with me ! up with me into the clouds ! 



For thy song, Lark, is strong ; 

 Up with me ! Up with me into the clouds ! 



Singing, singing, 

 With clouds and sky about thee ringing. 



Lift me, guide me till I find 

 That spot which seems so to thy mind. 



I have walked through wildernesses dreary. 



And to-day my heart is weary; 

 Had I now the wings of a Fairy 



Up to thee would I fly. 

 There is madness about thee, and joy divine 



In that song of thine ; 

 Lift me, guide me high and high 

 To thy banqueting place in the sky. 



— Wordsworth. 



SHORE LARK. 



Cj^Y'F the variety of names by which 

 this Lark is known is any indica- 

 tion of its popularity, its friends 

 (i) I must be indeed numerous. 

 Snow Lark, Snowbird, Prairie 

 Lark, Sky Lark, American Sky Lark, 

 Horned Lark, are a few of them. 

 There is only one American Species, so 

 far as known. It breeds in northeastern 

 North America and Greenland, winter- 

 ing in the United States. It also in- 

 habits northern portions of the old world. 

 The common name is derived from the 

 tufts of black feathers over each ear, 

 which the birds have the power of erect- 

 ing at will like the so-called horns of 

 some owls. 



In the Eastern States, during the 

 winter months, flocks of Horned Larks, 

 varying in size from a dozen to those 

 of a hundred or more, may be seen 

 frequenting open plains, old fields, dry 

 shores of bays, and the banks of rivers. 

 According to Davie, as there are a 

 number of geographical varieties of the 

 Horned Lark, the greatest uncertainty 

 has always attended their identification 

 even by experts, and the breeding and 



winter ranges of the various sub- 

 species do not yet seem to be clearly 

 defined. 



Audubon found this species on the 

 low, mossy and sheltered hills along 

 the dreary coast of Labrador. In the 

 midst of the mosses and lichens that 

 covered the rocks the bird imbedded its 

 nest, composed of fine grasses, arranged 

 in a circular form and lined with the 

 feathers of grouse and other birds. 



Chapman says these Larks take 

 wing with a sharp, whistled note, and 

 seek fresh fields or, hesitating, finally 

 swing about and return to near the 

 spot from which they were flushed. 

 They are sometimes found associated 

 with Snowflakes. The pinkish grey 

 coloring is very beautiful, but in the 

 Middle and Eastern States this bird is 

 rarely seen in his spring garb, says an 

 observer, and his winter plumage lacks 

 the vivid contrasts and prime color. 



As a singer the Shore Lark is not to 

 be despised, especially in his nesting 

 haunts. He has a habit of singing as 

 he soars in the air, after the manner 

 of the European Skylark. 



J 34 



