BRITISH SONG-BIRDS. 71 



And when the lark, 'tween h'ght and dark, 

 Blythe waukens by the daisy's side, 

 And mounts and sings on flitt'ring wings, 

 A wae-worn ghaist I hameward glide. 



These birds commence singing very early in 

 spring. Their carol, at this season, is always a 

 prelude to pau-ing. We have heard them, in very 

 mild weather, towards the end of January, fre- 

 quently in February; and in March and April 

 young larks have been found. Larks breed two, 

 three, and four times in the year ; but birds of a 

 May brood are considered the strongest, and there- 

 fore supposed to tm*n out the best songsters. These 

 birds we should prefer for the cage next to those 

 reared from the nest. Pushers, by some, are con- 

 sidered to be as good as nestlings. " Pusher" is 

 a technical term for a young lark that has left the 

 nest ; for the young always quit it, and run about 

 the spot several days before they are able to fly. 

 Pushers are caught by noting where the parents 

 light to feed them ; — that observed, by running to 

 the spot, the young may be taken. Branchers are 

 full-growTi birds, but that still have the nestling 

 feathers. They are ready in June and July, and 

 are caught with hawks and nets, trap-cages, &c. 



