Songs of the Fields 



sometimes that is all of the melody, and again he 

 adds, as if in afterthought, "My de-ar!" 



Certain it is that the lark is not the greatest 

 musician. In pure, serene, soul-piercing melody 

 the hermit thrush surpasses him; also the wood 

 robin, brown thrush, mocking-bird, and several 

 others. Nevertheless to half the people of earth 

 the lark is the sweetest of bird songsters. There 

 must be a reason, for his notes will not compare 

 M'ith many rivals; so one must look elsewhere for 

 the source of his popularity. 



For one thing, while doves and bluebirds arrive 

 as early, his is the first universal song our longing 

 ears hear in the spring. There are times when to 

 be first in the field is half the battle. Pie is trail- 

 ing his notes, clear and easily syllabicated, back 

 and forth across heaven, over town and village, and 

 even above great cities, before any other bird is 

 heard, unless, indeed, you except the cry of the 

 killdeer. Then his soring propensity, the fact 

 that he drops a note from above cloud, gives 

 ground for the belief that he picked it up there. 

 If a canvass were made of the people of earth as 

 to their favorite bird, it is sure that a large ma- 

 jority of them would vote for the lark. That this 

 preference is founded on sentiment rather than 

 fact has nothing to do with the case. Because he 

 is common, friendly, and sings first and nearest 

 heaven, he is the bird of the jieople. Neither does 



185 



