Well do we remember our boyhood's days, when the injunction that good boys should rise with the lark, if they wished to prosper in this world, was served up to us with our daily breakfast. But singular as it may appear, although we always retired well-filled with good resolutions, we invariably found our courage oozing out of our fingers ends, Bob-Acres like, in the morning. This, our readers may be assured, was a frequent source of grief to us in our days of jacketdom; but on arriving at maturer years, “getting no better very fast,” we have been strengthened and encouraged in our daily backslidings by frequent recurrence to the well known anecdote of Chief Justice O’Grady and his hopeful son:

“Get up Jack,” said the Chief Justice, “the early bird catches the worm.”

“Serves the worm right for getting up so early,” replied young hopeful.

“Ye wyche,” saith the ancient chronicler Pepys, “ was apregnynte and ryghte wittie replye.”

As for the lark, which is no doubt the early bird referred to by the Chief Justice, we have caught several of them in our day, and have been on terms of intimacy with many in the merry season of youth; we purpose showing in this paper the specimen we refer to, and which our readers will observe, resembles in many prominent points, the bird known by the name of the lark in the writings of the various ornithologists, though hitherto unknown to Wilson or Audubon. The fidelity of the likeness may be depended upon, as it was drawn on the spot by our artist from a rare specimen in the hands of a watchman “early in the morning.”

Wilson, speaking of the lark, observes: “In this genus of birds the bill is straight, slender, bending a little towards the end, and sharp-pointed.” The bill of the man lark, on the contrary, is generally large and of great length; we have seen several, however, that looked as if they had been suddenly “cut short.” There are several species of the lark, the man lark, however, combines the principal features of them all.

“The sky-lark commences his song early in the Spring, and continues it during the whole of the Summer, and is one of those few birds that chant whilst on the wing.”

As to the time of year in which the man-lark commences his song, it is immaterial to him; he knows no seasons, and chants indifferently well, either at night or in the morning early.

“When the sky-lark first rises from the earth its notes are feeble and interrupted; as it ascends, however, they gradually swell to their full tone, and long after the bird has reached a height where it is lost to the eye, it still continues to charm the ear with its melody.”

The man-lark never touches the earth until he is overcome with the excess of his emotions, then his notes are feeble and interrupted. Before arriving at a horizontal position, he indulges in a series of melodious strains, not calculated to charm the ear, but on the contrary, to disturb the peace of the Commonwealth, as well as the equanimity and temper of quiet citizens who wish to indulge in “a wink of the balmy” at midnight.

“The sky-lark mounts almost perpendicularly, and by successive springs, and descends in an oblique direction, unless threatened with danger, when it drops like a stone.”

The man-lark rises perpendicularly, if he can, and also indulges in successive springs, until stopped by the summary proceedings of the night bird, whose duty it is “to watch and prey.” He descends also very frequently in an oblique direction, but when threatened with danger, runs, if he is able—but after having been on “a flyer,” finds it somewhat difficult.

“The female forms her nest On the ground, generally between two clods of earth, and lines it with dry grass.”

The man-lark finds his nest ready made, and it is a matter of indifierence to the “clod” whether he “rests his head upon a lap of earth,” or indulges in a soft and balmy repose upon a cellar door. Never having examined his nest, we cannot speak with certainty as to the lining, although we have often heard him told to “get out of that high grass!” It is to be presumed in this respect he agrees with the sky-lark.

“In the Autumn, when these birds assemble in flocks they are taken in vast numbers.”

As to the points of resemblance with the man-lark, see 10 Swift’s Rep.; 1 Jones’ Cond. Rep.; 1 Gilpin’s Dig.

“The wood-lark is generally found near the borders of woods, perches on trees, and sings during the night, so as sometimes to be mistaken for the nightingale.”

The man-lark prefers cities, perches any where, sings at any time, and can always be distinguished from the nightingale.

Eschewing brilliant and complicated airs, he indulges in simple and touching melodies, applicable both to time and place, such as, “Landlord, fill the flowing bowl;” “We won’t go home till morning;” and ending in a state of semi-consciousness while being escorted by a guard of honor to his night’s repose, with “Carry me back.”

“The wood-lark is of a reddish drab color, with a whitish tint beneath; a broad patch on the breast and under each eye, as well as the lateral tail feathers black.”

The face of the man-lark is of a similar color, inclining more to the reddish, a spot or patch on the pantaloons instead of the breast, and one or two under each eye, or sometimes only one. These features however, rarely appear until the close of the night, or on the following morning. The lateral tail feathers are of various hues, and generally draggled.

“The brown-lark is found in open fields, cultivated grounds, &c., near the water, and feeds exclusively on insects.” Not so with the man-lark, who is of city growth, and who is ever found nearer to brandy and water, which he assiduously mingles, and absorbs in the proportion of ten to one;—“Very little water, if you please; hold up! do you want to drown it?” The “it” of course referring to the brandy, and not to the insects in the water, against whom he wages a determined war; agreeing in that respect, with the celebrated Jonathan Sucker, [1 Finn’s Com. Aim. H. Rep. 192,] of whom it was felicitously observed by C. J. Van Dunck, in the well known Zuyder-Zee case, “That of water alone he drinks no more than a rose supplies its own dew on a summer's morn.”

Of a bird so frequently met with, we feel it is unnecessary to say any thing more. For the information of those who have not “travelled” as extensively as a majority of the youth of this city, we beg leave to append the authorities from which we have derived our knowledge.—1 Mino’s Rep. Bender’s edition, [Star page] 120.—Cobler vs. Smasher, 5 Guy’s Dig. 156.—Nips vs. Blizzard, 4 Pelletier Rep. 200.—15 Mooney, 225. [Every page of this work is replete with information, and may be studied with advantage by every student.]—Swift’s Rep. 1 to 10.—1 Gilpin’s Rep. 65.—7 Parsons’ Rep. C. Q. S. [A most excellent work.]

In conclusion we would observe, we have retired from the Professorship! If, therefore, any aspiring youth wishes to know more of this subject, a careful study of the above authorities, will bring him in contact with many earnest and learned students, who will show him at any time, at a reasonable expense, how “to train up a child, and away he goes”

W. A. S.