alai'didj: — Tin: lai:ks. i;}; 



ArrdidiuL: t<> ]\r«'.ssrs. I)n'8Sfr and Sliiir|»(', tlio Skvlark is Wnmd tliinuL;ln>ut 

 the iM»l;»r Arctic icLiinns, lr«iiii the liritisli Islands i-asiward to Siln'iia and 

 Xuitlicin ('liina. A smaller sid»s|i('ci('s is niut with in Soiitia'astcrn Kn- 

 rn|M', \vlii(li ddfs not |»rc>cnt any character l>y wliicli it can Ik* separated 

 from it. In Ma-lcrii Kinopc tiic Lark has hcen found as far north as the 

 Faro(> Islands, hm lias not huen ohstTvi'd in Iceland. It reaches Christiania 

 in March, and leavivs in Octolier. It has heen found hreedini,' in La|>land as 

 far north as latitude ().">", an<l is a common snnnuer visitant in Finhmd. 

 Pallas ft lund it al)undant throuuhont iJussia and Siberia, and Stellor found 

 it not oidy in Kamtschatka, hut equally in the Kurile Islands and in those 

 hetwi'cn Asia and .Vnierica, so that its occurrence in our Alaskan territories 

 may he regarded as a not inqiroiiahle event. 



The same writers also state that the Skylark has heen twice reconled as 

 occurrinu in (Ireenhmd and in America ; and in an(»ther ]»laee they state that 

 "the Skvlark occasionallv visits (Jreenland, and has heen met with in the 

 Uernuulas." In the latter ]»hice a storm-tried waif was taken hy Mr. J. M. 

 Jones after an easterly i^ale. 



The Lirk is a universal lav(>rite in the Ohl World, and as a vocalist enjoys 

 a refutation hardly .secoml even to the far-famed Ni^ditin,i;ale. It is an in- 

 habitant of all the «-ountries of Kurope, and is said to l)e most al)un<lant in 

 the cultivated districts. 



We (udy know (»f its sonu fr(»ni caj^ed specimens and from the testimony 

 of Euro]»ean writers. Yjirrell speaks of its notes as cheerful and e.xhilarat- 

 in<,s fresh as the season of sprinu', and the admiration of all hearers. Its 

 voice is described as powerful to an extraordinary dej^ree, and its son«^ 

 wihl and joyous. They sing while they tly, rising, with quivering wings 

 almost ])eri»endic\darlv, until they uain so great an elevation that thev can 

 no hmger be distinguished ; yet, while thus no longer visible, their wild 

 music continues to be heard as that of some unseen spirits of the air. It is 

 said that one familiar with their son«j; can readilv determine, by their notes, 

 whether the singer is a.scending, stationary, or descending. Occasionally, 

 when at this great elevation, the Lark will close its wings and drop to the 

 earth with the rapidity of a stone. At times it will sing while on the 

 ground, hut its most lively strains are poured forth during these tlights. 

 And though this bird will sing while in confinement, and is a favorite cage- 

 bird, yet in sin«qni]f they are said to flutter tln^r wings, as if this motion were 

 almost a necessary accompaniment to their song. 



In regard to the song and its peculiarities writers are not quite in agree- 

 ment. The general opinion seems to be that, while in the quality of its 

 tone it is surpassed by the song of the Nightingale, the Ihiltinch, and the 

 lilack-ca]), it is uneiiualled in quantity, sprightliness, variety, and power. 

 The Lark is in song eight months of the year, an<l during the summer 

 months it sings from two in the morning, with very little intermission, until 

 after sunset. -^ 



VOL. u. W 



