128 The Songsters at Night. (omar. vu. 
in all justice, I must give the rook the very first and highest 
character for attention to its young. It is first out in the 
morning to search for food, and the last to provide for its 
family at night. The starling is very dutiful in that way ; 
but the rook beats him hollow.” 
“As arule,” says Edward, “so far as I have been able to 
observe, the sky-lark is the first songster in the morning, 
and the corn-bunting the last at night. It was no uncom- 
mon thing to hear the lark caroling his early hymn of praise 
high up in the heavens before there was any appearance 
of light, or before I thought of rising to recommence my 
labors. Nor was it unusual to hear the bunting stringing 
FRASERBURGH. 
together his few and humble notes into an evening song 
long after sunset, and after I had been compelled to suc- 
cumb from want of light to pursue my researches. So far 
as I can remember, I do not think that I have heard the 
sky-lark sing after sundown. 
“ Among the sylvan choristers, the blackbird is the fore- 
most in wakening the grove to melody, and he is also among 
the latest to retire at night. As soon as the first streaks 
of gray begin to tinge the sky, and break in through the 
branches amidst which he nestles, the blackbird is up, and 
from the topmost bough of the tree he salutes the new-born 
day. And when all the rest of the birds have ended their 
