76 WILD NATURE IN STRATHEARN. 



bewitching, as he towers heavenward on a 

 bright, delicious, summer morning, struggling 

 upward and onward, circling his way through 

 the silvery mist, which has risen with the 

 approach of the sun, and pouring forth, as he 

 ascends, in the most luscious and rapturing 

 manner, a flood of delightful melody, which, 

 for compass and variety, is perfectly amazing." 



" Hearing thee, or others of thy kind, 

 As full of gladness and as free of heaven ; 

 I, with my fate contented, will plod on, 

 And hope for higher raptures when life's day is done." 



The Lark (Scottice Laverock) is found all 

 over the cultivated parts of the country. In 

 the evening it may be heard singing on the 

 ground amongst the newly briarded oats. It 

 was Burns who wrote : 



" And when the Lark, 'tween light and dark, 



Blithe waukens by the daisy's side, 

 And mounts and sings on fluttering wings, 

 A waeworn ghaist I hameward glide." 



The Skylark is a pretty and graceful bird, 

 and at this season the cock with crest erect 



