ZOOLOGY. 61 
June, 1850, I received intelligence from.a little negro boy, 
that a strange bird frequented the north hills, near his 
mother’s cottage. He described the bird as being “less than 
a pigeon, and of a light green colour about the neck.” My 
young informant also stated that about twelve or one o’clock 
in the day, this strange bird would rise in the air to a great 
height, making a “curious noise,” when it appeared not to 
know how to get down again, and would at last tumble 
down like a stone. This was quite sufficient to rouse my 
curiosity, and being convinced the boy’s description applied 
to none of the native birds, and that I might meet with the 
Meadow lark of America on those hills, I immediately pro- 
ceeded to the spot. Calling at the cottage I learned from 
the boy’s mother the usual haunt of the strange bird, and 
was on the point of leaving, when, to my utter surprise, the 
well known delightful cadence of the European sky lark 
burst in full power and sweetness upon the senses. The 
woman at once exclaimed, “ There he is!” and endeavoured 
to point out the bird as it floated beneath the clouds above 
us, but the moving speck continued invisible to my sight. 
All doubts being removed as to the real character of the 
strange bird, I followed in the direction in which it was seen 
by the woman to “go down like a stone,” and diligently 
hunted for an hour without finding it. The weather being 
warm, I seated myself upon a stone, determined to wait 
until the interesting songster should think proper to take 
another flight. In a quarter of an hour he rose at a con- 
siderable distance, and after pouring forth a flood of melody 
‘which to one who had not heard the sky lark for sixteen 
years was an indescribable pleasure), went down, in the true 
sky lark style, on the top of a neighbouring hill. Of course 
