NOTES BY THE WAY. 153 



wonld be ! As a songster, the lark is -deserving of all 

 the praise that has been bestowed upon him. He 

 would not add so much to the harmony or melody of 

 our bird-choir, as he would add to its blithesomeness, 

 joyousness, and power. His voice is the jocund and 

 inspiring voice of a spring morning. It is like a 

 ceaseless and hilarious clapping of hands. I was much 

 interested in an account a friend gave me of the first 

 skylark he heard while abroad. He had been so 

 full of the sights and wonders of the Old World that 

 he had quite forgotten the larks, when one day, as he 

 was walking somewhere near the sea, a brown bird 

 started up in front of him and mounting upward be- 

 gan to sing. It drew his attention, and as the bird 

 went skyward, pouring out his rapid and jubilant 

 notes, like bees from a ; hive in swarming-time, the 

 truth suddenly flashed upon the observer. 



" Good heavens ! " he exclaimed, " that is a sky- 

 lark ; there is no mistaking that bird." 



It is this unique and unmistakable character of the 

 lark's song, and its fountain-like sparkle and copious- 

 ness, that are the main sources of its charm. 



NOCTURNAL INSECTS. 



How the nocturnal insects, the tree-crickets and 

 katydids, fail as the heat fails ! They are musicians 

 Jiat play fast or slow, strong or feeble, just as the 



