BRITISH SONG-BIRDS. 79 



of the nightingale's notes, but it is neither so mel- 

 low nor so plaintive, though equally rich and ex- 

 pressive. Like the skylark, they sing while fly- 

 ing, and warble over the nest for a long time, 

 without any apparent break in then- song. This, 

 we believe, is the only species of lark that sings 

 when perched on a tree, from which it pours its 

 notes in rich and flowing melody. We think its 

 warble from a tree is more full and tender than 

 when it sings in the aii- ; but tliis may arise from 

 the bird being then nearer us, or from the stillness 

 of the morning and evening, at which time he ge- 

 nerally pours forth his softest notes to his mate. 

 Perched on a limber branch or bending spray, al- 

 most over the nest, he salutes his assiduous mate 

 at day-break ; and again at evening, to a late hour, 

 he serenades her in even more soothing strains. 

 From its singing so late in the evening, it has 

 been called the Scotch nightingale. The wood- 

 lark frequents copse wood, and banks that slope to 

 the sun and that are covered with briers and bram- 

 bles. The nest is constructed, either at the root 

 of a tree, or among brambles and wild rose-bushes, 

 generally in a tuft of long grass; it is formed of 

 bent and dry grass, lined with thistle-down, wool, 

 and hair, rather shallow, and carelessly made. In 



