02 NEWS FROM THE BIRDS. 



May morning in England, when you would see 

 him rise from the grass, beginning to sing a 

 blithe song, which becomes more beautiful as 

 he ascends, until finally he seems only a speck 

 in the sky, from which a deluge of melody de- 

 scends to the earth. Then he sweeps down- 

 ward, closing his song only when he has reached 

 the ground. It is a wonderful performance. 

 No wonder it is said that he " haunts the sky ! " 

 No wonder the poets have gone into rhapsodies 

 over his welkin sonc^ ! It would be difficult to 

 give a description of the minstrelsy. It is 

 made up of a variety of sweet notes which are 

 uttered in quick succession, the bird keeping 

 time by the vibrations of its wings. 



It has often been said that America has no 

 bird whose song will compare with that of the 

 English skylark as it rises far up into the ether. 

 Of course no one wants to say a disparaging 

 word about the British bird, and as to the 

 quality of his song in comparison with the 

 music of some of our own birds I am unable 

 to say anything. But, be that as it may, there 

 are birds in America which mount far up 

 almost, if not (juite, beyond the reach of the 

 eye, and sing with a haunting sweetness. 

 Shall I tell you about one of these birds ? Its 

 proper name is Sprague's pipit, although it is 



