120 



THE LARK 



they render such marked service to agriculture by de- 

 vouring- all kinds of injurious insects. It is true that hun- 

 ters j^retend that they also devour grain, hut this accusation 

 is but a stupid pretext for roasting pitilessly thousands of 

 these small birds on a spit. If there is no stop put to this, 

 the whole species will soon be destroyed, and then the 

 jovous strain of the skylark will no longei- resound in the 

 air. The pitiless peasant, will be astonished at the silence 

 of the plain ; he will regret the merry little l)ird whose 

 jovous song charmed his rude labour of ploughing and 

 sowing. 



