FURRED AND FEATHERED YOUNGSTERS. 29 



cepted, not one in twenty that may be in the habit 

 of seeing the birds daily could describe their 

 plumage or the structure of their feet. Even 

 those who keep these birds and value them highly, 

 for they do that in the country, would not be able 

 to tell you how many feathers the bird had in its 

 wing or tail. I once pointed out the beauties of 

 a fine lark to his owner. "Ah well, 'tis just as 

 you says," he rejoined, " but I niver sin it afore ; I 

 shell valley him more 'an iver I did, now." There 

 are unexpected and untold beauties to be found in 

 common birds, if looked for. 



Apart from the raids made on them by bird- 

 nesting boys, young larks rarely come to grief; and 

 even at the hands of these they do not suffer much. 

 The knowledge that there may be three or four 

 nests in one field, and the finding of one of them, 

 are very different matters. A lark's nest is a very 

 artless affair to look at, but the most consummate 

 art is- used by the bird for the purpose of its con- 

 cealment. Any hollow where the hoof of a cow 

 or horse has splodged in when the ground was 

 soft, is carefully rounded up by the bird. There 

 is something game - looking about young larks. 



