194 CLASS AVES. 



base, and, on the whole, rather slender ; the second is when 

 the bill is gross, more high than wide, and gently curving 

 into an arch ; the third is when the bill is long and very 

 arched. As these divisions, however, are not recognised in 

 the " Regne Animal,''"' we shall pursue, in noticing the species, 

 the order adopted there, adding such accounts of others, not 

 mentioned by our author, as may prove interesting. 



The first to be noticed is the sky, or field lark, also some- 

 times called the common lark, and to which naturalists have, 

 as usual, added a crowd of epithets. Notwithstanding that 

 it is so common in our climates, it has not unfrequently been 

 confovmded with other species of the same genus. One cause 

 of this is, that its plumage is at once extremely varied, and 

 yet it presents no prominent colour, or even a very decided 

 tint of any kind ; another reason of this uncertainty is, that, 

 in many cases, authors of works on natural history have 

 thought that they might dispense with the necessity of 

 describing a bird so very generally known. This mode of 

 avoiding the difficulties and the tediousness of a minute 

 description, is convenient enough to a writer, in the way of 

 saving trouble, but it is calculated to abridge the utility of 

 his work. The object of the naturalist is to instruct, as well 

 as to amuse ; and, therefore, accurate descriptions, however 

 tiresome, are yet necessary. A foreigner has just right to 

 complain of an author of this kind, who does not extend his 

 views beyond the circle of his native country, and endeavour 

 to render his book one of general instruction. Now, in the 

 instance in question, the species of which we are speaking, is 

 a stranger to America ; and a native of that country would 

 have some reason to find fault with an European naturalist 

 who should neglect to describe it. In this respect the work 

 of Brisson is valuable, from the extent and accuracy of its 

 descriptions ; and though not adapted to be read through witli 



