THE LARK 119 



after they are hatched, has not escaped the attention of 

 the fabuhst La Fontaine. Much has been said to disparage 

 his sense of observation, but notwithstandino- this he was 

 a close observer of the things of nature, hi llie well-known 

 fal)lc : « The Lark and her young », he has remained faith- 

 ful to truth wlien he speaks of the rapidity with which tlic 

 mother « lays her eggs, broods and hatches them hastily », 

 and the firmness with which the mother commands her 

 young ones « to march off in silence » as soon as the owner 

 of the field has declared his last intentions to his son, is 

 justified by a close observation of the liabits of larks and 

 the system of education applied to their young. 



Whilst these are tripping over the stubble fields, the 

 mother keeps flying about them with constant care and 

 solicitude. She feeds them with worms, caterpillars, ant's 

 eggs and grasshoppers. This however is only tlie food of 

 their infancy, for as soon as they arc grown, they become 

 granivorous and seek their subsistence in vegetable food. 

 In summer, during courtshi|) and pairing, tlie season of 

 song and of bold soaring upwards, larks are very lean ; 

 but they make up for lost time towards autumn, when they 

 live more on the ground; eating at all hours, they then 

 grow plumj) and fat. 



Then comes the critical moment of their existence ; 

 man begins to hunt and to decimate them. He hunts them 

 in every imaginable way, with nets, with a mirroi-; he 

 uses every means to destroy these charming birds ; although 



