SKYLARK. 121 



The height to which the Skylark ascends is variously 

 estimated at from 1,000 feet to 1,000 yards ; the former 

 is the more probable, and the duration of the song, at 

 the most, does not exceed one quarter of an hour, em- 

 bracing in that short space " an overture, a fantasia, and 

 a finale." A writer in The Magazine of Natural History 

 says that " those acquainted with the song of the Sky- 

 lark can tell, without looking at it, whether the bird is 

 ascending, or stationary in the air, or on its descent ; 

 so different is the style of the song in each case." As 

 the bird rises, his song is louder and bolder ; but de- 

 scending it is in a quieter and more subdued strain, as 

 it is with ourselves when we are coming down in the 

 world. 



The Lark, like most great songsters, is a good mock- 

 ing-bird, and will often incorporate in his song the 

 notes of other birds around him ; in particular, I have 

 frequently heard him reproduce the warning notes of 

 the Whitethroat. He sometimes sings on the ground, 

 but not so freely or so blithely as when he chants his 

 joyous melody at " heaven's gate." 



The great popularity of the Skylark's song has been 

 alluded to before ; and, in many cases, the " poor exile 

 of Erin " takes a Lark with a sod of Irish earth beneath 

 it, as he goes abroad, so that one day a portion of clay 

 from the old land may cover him, as he lies asleep in 

 his " narrow house." 



In that inimitable work of Charles Reade's, It is 

 never too Late to Mend, the effect of a Skylark's song in 

 Australia, a great many years ago, is finely described : 



"One Sunday, round a small squatter's house, from 

 thirty to forty rough fellows gathered, some of them 



