BIRDS AND POETS 17 



and is said to be not at all inferior. This is Sprague's 

 pipit, sometimes called the Missouri skylark, an ex- 

 celsior songster, which from far up in the transparent 

 blue rains down its notes for many minutes together. 

 It is, no doubt, destined to figure in the future 

 poetical literature of the West. 



Throughout the northern and eastern parts of the 

 Union the lark would find a dangerous rival in the 

 bobolink, a bird that has no European prototype, 

 and no near relatives anywhere, — standing quite 

 alone, unique, and, in the qualities of hilarity and 

 musical tintinnabulation, with a song unequaled. 

 He has already a secure place in general literature, 

 having been laureated by a no less poet than Bry- 

 ant, and invested with a lasting human charm in 

 the sunny page of Irving, and is the only one of 

 our songsters, I believe, the mockingbird cannot 

 parody or imitate. He affords the most marked 

 example of exuberant pride, and a glad, rollicking, 

 holiday spirit, that can be seen among our birds. 

 Every note expresses complacency and glee. He is 

 a beau of the first pattern, and, unlike any other 

 bird of my acquaintance, pushes his gallantry to the 

 point of wheeling gayly into the train of every 

 female that comes along, even after the season of 

 courtship is over and the matches all settled; and 

 when she leads him on too wild a chase, he turns 

 lightly about and breaks out with a song that is 

 precisely analogous to a burst of gay and self-satis- 

 fied laughter, as much as to say, " Ha ! ha ! ha, ! 

 I 'must have my fun, Miss Silverthimble, fhim- 



