turbed, so that I found them exceedingly no means compare our lisping songster 

 tame ; in fact, they would start up at my with that blithe harbinger of day. There 

 feet, fly a few yards and either settle is a monotonous affectation in the song 

 down again in the grass or alight on a of our lark which appears indeed some- 

 low limb of a pine, where they would what allied to the jingling, though not 

 quietly gaze at me, even allowing me unpleasant, tune of the starling. About 

 to pass directly beneath them without the time of pairing, in the latter 

 attempting to move. Then, as if satisfied end of the month of April, they 

 that I intended doing them no harm, have a call like 'tship, twee, the lat- 

 would sound a loud, strange note, which ter syllable in a fine and slender tone — 

 was so utterly at variance with the song something again allied to the occasional 

 of the same species in New England, that notes of the red-winged blackbird, to 

 when I first heard it I could scarcely be- which genus (Icterus) our Sturnella is 

 lieve it was a Meadow Lark. This lay, not very remotely allied. Towards the 

 even in the north, has a peculiar intona- end of June little else is heard from the 

 tion which is quite suggestive of freedom, species but the noisy twitter of the fe- 

 but that given by the birds which in- male, preceded by a hoarse and sonorous 

 habit the trackless piney woods and wide- 'j'imp, accompanied by an impatient rais- 

 spread plains of Florida is, although very ing and lowering of the wings, and in 

 melodious and pleasing, so wild, clear short, all the unpleasant and petulant 

 and ringing, that it is in perfect har- actions of a brood hen, as she is now as- 

 mony with surroundings where Nature siduously engaged in fostering and sup- 

 reigns supreme. When the female is sit- porting her helpless and dependent off- 

 ting the male lingers near, and seated on spring." 



some tree, pours forth his loud, clear Mr. Burroughs' contribution is : 'The 



lay, which is certainly one of the most bird among us that is usually called a 



thrilling and enlivening songs given by lark, namely, the Meadow Lark, but 



any of our birds. which our classifiers say is no lark at 



"As we advance northward through ^ has nearly the same quality of voice 



Florida, more into the haunts of civiliza- as the English skylark— a loud, piercing 



tion, we find that the Meadow Larks z -zing; and during the mating season it 



gradually learn the lesson that all birds ac- frequently indulges while on the wing in 



quire sooner or later— the fear of man." a brief song that is quite lark-like. It 



Of the song of the Sturnella magna, is also a bird of the stubble, and one of 



after it has learned its lesson and become the last to retreat on the approach of win- 



the Eastern Meadow Lark. Nuttall says : ter." 



"At various times of the day, and nearly Alexander Wilson says : "These birds, 

 through the winter, in the milder states, after the building season is over, collect 

 their very peculiar lisping, long and in flocks, but seldom fly in a close, com- 

 rather melancholy note is heard at short pact body ; their flight is something in the 

 intervals ; and without the variations, manner of the grouse and partridge, la- 

 which are not inconsiderable, bears some borious and steady ; sailing and renewing 

 resemblance to the slender singing and the rapid action of the wings alternately, 

 affected pronunciation of et se dee ah When they alight on trees or bushes, it 

 and pse-dee etsilio, in a slow, wiry, shrill is generally on the top of the highest 

 tone, and sometimes differently varied branches, whence they send forth a long, 

 and shortened. The same simple ditty clear, and somewhat melancholy note, 

 is repeated in the spring, when they as- that in sweetness and tenderness of ex- 

 sociate in pairs ; the female also, as she pression is not surpassed by any of our 

 rises or descends, at this time frequently numerous warblers. This is sometimes 

 gives a reiterated guttural chirp, or hur- followed by a kind of low, rapid chatter- 

 ried twitter, like that of the female red- ing, the particular call of the female ; 

 winged blackbird. I have likewise at and again the clear and plaintive strain 

 times heard them utter notes much more is repeated as before, 

 musical and vigorous, not very unlike the "They afford tolerably good amuse- 

 fine tones of the skylark. But I can by ment to the sportsman. " 



17) 



n ra«mi i TiiiT iii N>imiim i r ii *TOi i »'i i 



