664 
BIRD-LIFE. 
songster. As it is daylight, the traveller sees the bird 
slowly circling higher and higher, spending half-an-hour 
floating in the air, and then descending to the topmost 
branch of some neighbouring tree to finish its song. At 
night also, in similar localities, he may enjoy the same, 
and possibly a still more delightful, serenade. 
One may figure to oneself the midnight hour upon 
some dreary heath: in the distance the wild cry of the 
Longeared Owl, or the churring ditty of the Goatsucker 
strikes upon the ear, the solitary beetle whirrs humming 
past us — no other sound is heard, when the Wood 
Lark, rising from her dewy couch as from a dream, sings 
out bright and clear through the still summer midnight 
air, soaring upwards towards the silver stars as in the 
day-time she seeks the sun, pouring out her lovelorn 
melody from her inmost soul ; the solitary traveller’s 
spirit catches the infection and rises with it farther than 
the eye can follow. One must have wandered on the 
arid heath oneself, and have experienced the almost 
fearsome stillness of the barren woodland at such times, 
to be fully capable of appreciating the power that the 
song of this lovely bird has upon the human soul. The 
wanderer remains for some time transfixed to the spot, 
listening and involuntarily thinking that the bird has 
risen for no other purpose than to cheer his solitary 
tramp, greeting him with a strain that shall strengthen 
and comfort him on his dreary journey! 
In shape, make, and colour, the Wood Lark much 
resembles the Sky Lark, but is distinguished from it by 
its smaller size, the whitish band surrounding the upper 
part of the head and much enlarged on the nape, its 
rounded wings and its habits, especially that of perching 
on trees, which the Sky Lark never does. The length of 
