182 THE SKi-LARK. 



not think of effecting her own escape, which she might have done a 

 hundred times. Her affection grew upon her: she neglected food and 

 drink ; she now required the same support as her adopted offspring, 

 and expired at last, consumed with maternal anxiety. !None of the 

 young-ones survived her. They died one after another; so essential 

 were her cares, which were equally tender and judicious." 



The common food of young Sky-larks is worms and insects; but 

 after they are grown up they live chiefly on seeds, herbage, and most 

 other vegetable substances. These birds are easily tamed, and they 

 became so familiar as to eat off the table, and even to alight on the 

 hand; but they cannot cling by their toes, on account of the form of 

 (he hinder toe, which is straight and very long. This is the reason 

 why they never perch on trees. 



The Lark commences his song early in spring, and continues it 

 during the whole of the summer. It is heard chiefly in the morning 

 and evening, and the Lark is one of those few birds that chaunt theii 

 mellow notes on the wing. Thomson elegantly describes it as tbt 

 leader of the warbling choir: 



Up spriwgs tbe Larte. 



Shrfll-Yoieed am} Totid, the messenger of room 

 Ere yet tbe shadows By, be, moontect, slugs 

 Amid the dawning clowds, asd from 1 their haunts 

 Calls up the tuneful 



The Lark mounts almost perpendicularly, and by successive 

 springs, into the air; where it hovers at a vast height. Its descent 

 is in an oblique direction; unless threatened by some ravenous bird 

 of prey, or attracted by its mate, when it drops to the ground like a 

 ttone. On its first leaving tbe earth, its notes are feeble and inter- 

 "upted; but as it' rises, these gradually swell to their full tone. There 

 is something in the concomitant scenery, tba-t renders the music of 

 the Lark peculiarly delightful. The placid landscape and various 

 rural charms, all contribute to heighten our relish for its pleasing 

 aong. 



These birds become musical in the spring, and continue so for 

 several months; but in winter tbeir song forsakes them. They then 

 assemble in flocks, grow fat, and are caught in vast numbers by the 

 bird-catchers. As many as four thousand dozen have been taken in 

 the neighborhood of Dunstable, between September an"d February ; 

 but this holds no proportion to what are sometimes caught in differ- 

 ent parts of Germany, where there is a tax upon them. Keyaler saysv 

 that at one time this tax produced six thousand dollars every year to 

 the city of Leipsic. 



Larks that are caught in the day-time are taken in clap-nets, of 

 fifteen yards in length, and two and a half in breadth ; and they are 

 enticed by bits of looking-glass fixed in a piece of wood, and placed 

 in tbe middle of the nets. These are put into quick whirling motion, 

 by a string which the larker commands; he also makes use of a decoy- 

 bird. This kind of net is used only till the fourteenth of November; 

 for the Larks will not frolic in the air, and consequently cannot be 



