BIRDS AND POETS 13 



which the imagination loves, — one moment a plain 

 pedestrian bird, hardly distinguishable from the 

 ground, the next a soaring, untiring songster, rev- 

 eling in the upper air, challenging the eye to follow 

 him and the ear to separate his notes. 



The lark's song is not especially melodious, but 

 lithesome, sibilant, and unceasing. Its type is the 

 grass, where the bird makes its home, abounding, 

 multitudinous, the notes nearly all alike and all in 

 the same key, but rapid, swarming, prodigal, show- 

 ering down as thick and fast as drops of rain in a 

 summer shower. 



Many noted poets have sung the praises of the 

 lark, or been kindled by his example. Shelley's 

 ode and Wordsworth's " To a Skylark " are well 

 known to all readers of poetry, while every school- 

 boy will recall Hogg's poem, beginning : — 



" Bird of the wilderness, 



Blithesome and cumberless, 

 Sweet be thy matin o'er moorland and lea ! 



Emblem of happiness, 



Blest is thy dwelling-place — 

 Oh to abide in the desert with thee ! '* 



I heard of an enthusiastic American who went 

 about English fields hunting a lark with Shelley's 

 poem in his hand, thinking no doubt to use it as a 

 kind of guide-book to the intricacies and harmo- 

 nies of the song. He reported not having heard 

 any larks, though I have little doubt they were 

 soaring and singing about him all the time, though 

 of course they did not sing to his ear the song that 

 Shelley heard. / The poets are the best natural his- 



