216 THE COLUMBIAN HORNED LARK. 
modulation, altho they quite defy vocalization; yet such are the circumstances 
attending its delivery that it is set down by everyone as “‘pleasing,’”’ while 
for the initiated it possesses a charm which is quite unique. Twidge-widge, 
widgity, widgy-widge, conveys no idea of the tone-quality, indeed, but may 
serve to indicate the proportion and tempo of the common song; while Tzwidge, 
widgity, eelooy, eelooy, idgity, eclooy, ecw, may serve the same purpose for 
Brooks 
COLUMBIAN [ILORNED LARKS. 
the rare ecstasy song. ‘The bird sometimes sings from a fence post, a sage 
bush, or even from a hummock on the ground, but usually the impulse of song 
takes him up into the free air. Here at almost any hour of the day he may 
be seen poising at various heights, like a miniature hawk, and sending down 
tender words of greeting and cheer to the little wife who broods below. 
It is, however, at the sacred hour of sunset that the soul of the heavenly 
singer takes wing for its ethereal abode. The sun is just sinking; the faithful 
spouse has settled herself to her gentle task for the night; and the bird-man 
has lain down in the shadow of the fence to gaze at the sky. The bird gives 
himself to the buoyant influences of the trembling air and mounts aloft by 
easy gradations. As he rises he swings round in a wide, loose circle, singing 
