THRUSH. 213 



to behold it warbling on the wing, and to hear it raising 

 its notes as it soars, till it is lost to his view in the immense 

 heights above him. And to see it afterwards descending 

 with a swell of its note, and sinking gradually as it ap- 

 proaches its nest, the spot where all its delights are cen- 

 tered, fills the heart of sensibility and intellectual refine- 

 ment with inexpressible delight. 



The lark builds its nest on the ground, lays four or five 

 eggs, and commonly produces its young about the begin- 

 ning of May. While the female is performing the office 

 of incubation, the male usually entertains her with his 

 song ; and, though he rises to a viewless height, never 

 loses his beloved partner. This harmony continues for 

 several months. In winter, however, larks, in common 

 with most other birds, become mute ; they then assemble 

 in large flocks, and are caught in great numbers for the 

 sake of their flesh, which is fat and delicate. 



Though the music of any bird in captivity must neces- 

 sarily impress somewhat of a disagreeable sensation on the 

 breast of humanity, both the sky-lark and the wood-lark 

 are frequently kept in cages for the sake of their song. 

 The notes of the latter are by some preferred to those of 

 the nightingale, and it is occasionally mistaken for that 

 supreme mistress of vocal harmony. It is only in a state 

 of nature, however, that they possess all their charming 

 modulations. Imprisonment and slavery, as they lessen 

 the joys , so they detract from the powers of pleasing, in 

 every thing that has life. 



THE THRUSH. 



Of this genus our island affords several species ; as the 

 missel-bird, the song-thrush or throstle, the field-fare, the 

 red-wing, and the blackbird. 



The missel-bird and song-thrush differ principally in 

 size ; the former is the largest of the genus, and sings long 

 before the other ; the latter, besides its inferiority in size, 

 is moreover distinguished by having the inner coverts of 

 the wings yellow. 



