NOTES BY THE WAY 135 



began to sing. It drew his attention, and as the 

 bird went skyward, pouring out his rapid and jubi- 

 lant 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 

 copiousness, 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 musi- 

 cians that play fast or slow, strong or feeble, just 

 as the heat of the season waxes or wanes; and they 

 play as long as life lasts: when their music ceases 

 they are dead. The katydids begin in August, and 

 cry with great vigor and spirit, "Katy-did," "Katy- 

 did," or "Katy-did n't." Toward the last of Sep- 

 tember they have taken in sail a good deal, and cry 

 simply, "Katy, " "Katy," with frequent pauses 

 and resting-spells. In October they languidly gasp 

 or rasp, "Kate," "Kate," "Kate," and before the 

 end of the month they become entirely inaudible, 

 though I suspect that if one's ear were sharp enough 

 he might still hear a dying whisper, "Kate," 

 "Kate." Those cousins of Katy, the little green 

 purring tree- crickets, fail in the same way and at 

 the same time. When their chorus is fullest, the 

 warm autumn night fairly throbs with the soft lull- 

 ing undertone. I notice that the sound is in waves 



