300 
VOICES OF BIRDS. 
exceptions, only during the seasou of incubata* 1 ? 
tllO PAmnOPofiirn nui/tl-nnnn ^ f nQ^in 
\ ~ w*c BCrtSUU U1 J.IIUUU***". I 
Hence the comparative quietness of our summer mon t,lft 
when this care is over, except from accidental caiif* 
where a second nest is formed, few of our birds bring'® 
up more than one brood in the season. The redbf«^“ 
blackbird, and thrush, in mild winters, may continu*“j 
be heard, and form exceptions to the general proce^'i*' 
of our British birds ; and we have one little bird, ' ^ 
wood lark, ( alauda arboreal) that, iu the early l" u ’ P 
of the autumnal months, delights us with its harm®. 11 ',' 
Jd-r. t 1 1 • .1 . • .flJJj 
and its carols may be heard in the air commonly du 1 ^ 
flip palm Cim-mr m n «nino.« ihl.. ... rr»i J 
j — vuiuuivriuy 
the calm sunny mornings of this season. Thev ha'’ 
* 
j ommou. a UC 1 
sottness and quietness perfectly in unison with ... 
sober, almost melancholy, stillness of the hour. T || 
skylark also sings now, and its song is very sweet, ^ 
of harmony, cheerful as the blue sky and gladden 
beam 111 wlll/'ll 1 1" oiniiloo nn/l /,,! — — .1 1 ... y ^ 
beam in which it circles and sports, and know 
admired by all; but the voice of the woodlark is 1<^ 
, wav V«<= VUU/U Kfl 1/11*3 wooiuariv 18 
not so generally heard — from its softness must ah" 0 . I 
be listened for to be distinguished, and has not 
pretensions to the hilarity of the former. This Sr? 
bird sings likewise in the spring; hut, at that seaf’!? 
the contending songsters of the grove, and the viu 1 ^ 
ot sound proceeding from every thing that has uttera" 1 ,j 
confuse and almost render inaudible the placid voiC’ 1 . 
tlie woodlark. It delights to fix its residence 
little groves and copses, or quiet pastures, and is a '' e ' 
unobtrusive bird, not uniting in companies, but 3 s ".,, 
, , t / _ v/umjiamca, ip 
dating in its own little family parties only, feedii'c ,j 
the woodlands on seeds and insects. Upon the app'j t>: j,- 
insects, upon me app" w 
ot man it. crouches close to the ground, then sudd" 1 ';, 
r, — .... V r* -1 • , V.. , . . ,.,-rflw I 
darts away, as if for a distant flight, but settles a# 1 '- 
almost imrnpdifltplv TKiu 11 i 
almost immediately. This lark will often continue!, 
sons - , circlft in fl»o aii* o . 1 , 
song, circle in the air, a scarcely visible speck, - ( i 
hour together; and the vast distance from which ' ^ 
voice reaches us in a calm day is almost incred' , 
In the scale of comparison it stands immediately be' 0 
"'C soaic Ui comparison it stands immediately .. 
the nightingale in melody and plaintiveness, hut con'P!^ 
of voice is^giveu to the linnet, a bird of very infe^ 
' v * vv tv H1C d mill Ul Vcl V 
powers. The strength of the larynx, and oi 
