PEPACTON 



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 

 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 musicians 

 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 

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