THE WOOD-LAKK. 239 



panions, making the otherwise still landscape 

 resound with melody. Who that goes into the 

 com land, bordered hy woods, in January, does 

 not welcome there the gentle song of the robin, 

 and the richer strain of the wood-lark, mingled as 

 they are with the bleak winds which rush among 

 the boughs, and scatter the brown leaves over the 

 pathway, in wild confusion? Who has not gone 

 away to his fire-side, taking with him, from tlie 

 woods, a pleasant cheerful thought, and a memory 

 of gladness and joy, when he had little hoped for 

 one sound of music, save that of the wind ? How 

 strong the bird seems as it wheels its way, in 

 large circles, singing high in air, sometimes for an 

 hour together, and never pausing to rest either 

 its wing or voice ! This wheeled mode of flight at 

 once distinguishes it from the sky-lark, which 

 rises in the air almost perpendicularly, and with 

 a spiral movement. Om' wood-lark, too, has the 

 power of remaining longer on the wing, and though 

 its song reaches us chiefly from a great elevation, 

 so that we can scarcely discern its expanded wings 

 and tail, yet it sometimes perches on the top of 

 a high tree, or lower down among the boughs, 

 and gives us from them as sweet a strain. 



