AUTUMN SONGSTERS. 201 



perhaps the most capricious of all our autumn songsters, 

 but a few hours' genial sunshine in late autumn, or a lull 

 in the winter storm, is enough to make him sing. His 

 song is something similar to that of the Wren, but not 

 so loud or of such long duration. The Hedge Sparrow is 

 a little skulking creature, delighting to glide shadow4ike 

 through the underwood, but sometimes he mounts up 

 to the topmost twigs to warble his low and plaintive 

 song, then drops down again, seemingly abashed at his 

 own obtrusiveness. 



The Sky Lark next claims notice as an autumnal 

 songster. It is however only a very small percentage of 

 these birds that indulge in song after the autumn moult 

 I love his wild, free melody best in the long and balmy 

 days of spring ; in autumn it is not easily reconciled with 

 the decaying year, or in perfect harmony with the 

 browning leaves. It is too joyous for the season ; and 

 the Robin's plaintive voice is in far better keeping with 

 the fall. Perhaps of all our autumn songsters the Black- 

 bird sings least frequently. His mellow pipe is generally 

 hushed in August, and it is only on exceptionally warm 

 days, and in well-sheltered localities, that he ventures to 

 warble a few bars in a subdued voice, as if fully conscious 

 that he was invoking spring long before its time. His 

 song is of the spring ; it best befits the clustering blooms 

 on the apple and pear trees, and sounds most in keeping 

 with nodding blue-bells, pale anemones, and snow-white 



