On the Cattle Ranges. 65 



long-sustained, with a ring of courage befitting a song 

 uttered in highest air. 



The meadow lark is a singer of a higher order, de- 

 serving to rank with the best. Its song has length, varie- 

 ty, power and rich melody ; and there is in it sometimes 

 a cadence of wild sadness, inexpressibly touching. Yet I 

 cannot say that either song would appeal to others as it 

 appeals to me ; for to me it comes forever laden with a 

 hundred memories and associations ; with the sight of 

 dim hills reddening in the dawn, with the breath of cool 

 morning winds blowing across lonely plains, with the 

 scent of flowers on the sunlit prairie, with the motion 

 of fiery horses, with all the strong thrill of eager and 

 buoyant life. I doubt if any man can judge dispassion- 

 ately the bird songs of his own country ; he cannot disas- 

 sociate them from the sights and sounds of the land that 

 is so dear to him. 



This is not a feeling to regret, but it must be taken 

 into account in accepting any estimate of bird music 

 even in considering the reputation of the European sky- 

 lark and nightingale. To both of these birds I have 

 often listened in their own homes ; always with pleasure 

 and admiration, but always with a growing belief that 

 relatively to some other birds they were ranked too high. 

 They are pre-eminently birds with literary associations : 

 most people take their opinions of them at second-hand, 

 from the poets. 



No one can help liking the lark ; it is such a brave, 

 honest, cheery bird, and moreover its song is uttered in 

 the air, and is very long-sustained. But it is by no means 



