222 
RURAL HOURS. 
all that the honlioimne does with the creatures which people his 
world of fancy, is so exquisite in its way, that we are entirely 
satisfied with his bird in the homely, motherly character. It is 
her husband who is the poet ; it is he who sings those noble sun- 
rise odes ; she herself is the clever, notable — mh'e de famille — 
who knows the world, though Lafontaine did not. When the 
farmer talks of collecting first his neighbors, and then his rela- 
tions, to cut the grain, she gives herself no concern whatever — 
why should she ? But when the good-man comes with his son, 
and they decide to begin the work themselves, the point is set- 
tled, the lark family must take flight — 
" C'est a ce coup, qu'il faut de camper, mes enfants, 
Et les petits en meme temps 
Voletants, se culebutants 
Delogerent tous, sans trompette." 
In this part of the world, Lafontaine would have been com- 
pelled to choose some other more humble bird, to teach us so clev- 
erly the useful lesson of self-dependence ; but if he had chanced 
to make acquaintance with the meadow-lark, the grass-bird, the 
bobolink, or even the modest little song-sparrow, he would have 
taught either of them, in a trice, to sing with more than all " Ves- 
prit des MortemarsT 
There is in this country a lark common to both continents — the 
horned-lark or shore-lark — a very pretty arctic bird, which in 
winter goes as far south as Georgia, but Ave have never heard of 
it in these highlands. On the coast of Long Island it is quite 
common. It is said also to breed on the Western prairies. 
Tuesday, ^\st. — Refreshing shower in the morning; gentle 
rain, no thunder or lightning ; it is remarkable how little elec- 
