BIRD-LIFE IN MARCH 217 



delight. Its sweet chromatic lays and trills — 

 call them what you will — uttered as they are 

 during such prolonged and interesting song-flights, 

 always hold me entranced, and no sooner have I 

 finished watching one particular bird alight safely 

 on the ground than I find myself eagerly scanning 

 another bright chorister just ascending, and I 

 have often been entertained for a whole morning 

 in Lark-land alone. 



As I have remarked previously, the Lark sings 

 in all weathers; his song does not always "fall 

 down through the golden sunshine like a flood of 

 sparkling melody," as some writers assert. During 

 March the pairing season is in full swing, and the 

 attention given by the males to the females is 

 interesting in the highest degree. First one and 

 then another would-be lover proudly struts in 

 front of his would-be lady-love, then one after 

 another they soar aloft, rivalling each other in the 

 measure and sweetness of their songs. It is all 

 very wonderful, especially when one witnesses 

 these little Lark-courtships day by day. We 

 must leave the Lark with all its tender joyousness; 

 we may return again on some future occasion. 



Next to the last-mentioned minstrel, the Rooks 

 and the Tits are perhaps the most prominent birds 

 in March-many- weathers. The former are in- 

 creasing very rapidly in our country, and there 

 seems good reason for congratulation, because, 



