III. 



AN UPROAR OF SONG. 



THE bird music of Colorado, though not so 

 abundant as one could wish, is singularly rich 

 in quality, and remarkable for its volume. At 

 the threshold of the State the traveler is struck 

 by this peculiarity. As the train thunders by, 

 the Western meadow-lark mounts a telegraph 

 pole and pours out such a peal of melody that 

 it is distinctly heard above the uproar of the 

 iron wheels. 



This bird is preeminently the bird of the 

 mesa, or high table-land of the region, and only 

 to hear his rare song is well worth a journey 

 to that distant wonderland. Not of his music 

 could Lucy Larcom say, as she so happily does 

 of our bird of the meadow, 



" Sounds the meadow-lark's refrain 

 Just as sad and clear." 



Nor could his sonorous song be characterized 

 by Clinton Scollard's exquisite verse, 



" From whispering' winds your plaintive notes were drawn." 



For the brilliant solo of Colorado's bird is not 



