The crimson clouds had gathered round the sun, Sinking full slowly to his nightly rest, And gilding with a glory all his own The bannered splendor of the glowing west, Entranced I gazed upon the gorgeous scene That thus so fair before my vision lay; The calm, serene, blue heavens looked out between, And softly smiled upon retiring day. All was so beautiful, I could but feel A shade of sadness that thou wert not nigh, The radiant glory to behold with me; And still the thought would o'er my spirit steal, That all the clouds and mists in my dark sky Would gather rays of glory, my life's sun, from thee! C. O. GAME-BIRDS OF AMERICA.--NO. VIII. AMERICAN STARLING OR MEADOW-LARK. This well-known inhabitant of our meadows like the Partridge, is sociable, somewhat gregarious, and partially migratory. The change of country, however, appears to be occasioned only by scarcity of food, and many of them pass the whole winter with us. They may be bought in our markets when snow is on the ground; and in the month of February, Wilson found them picking up a scanty subsistence in the company of the snow-birds, on a road over the heights of the Alleghanies. Its flight, like that of the Partridge, is laborious and steady. Though they collect their food from the ground, they are frequently shot on trees, their perch being either the main branches, or the topmost twigs. At the time of pairing, they exhibit a little of the jealous disposition of the tribe, but his character vindicated by his bravery, and the victory achieved, he retires from his fraternity to assist his mate in the formation of her nest. The flesh of the Meadow-Lark is white, and for size and delicacy, it is considered little inferior to the Partridge. In length, he measures ten and a half inches, in alar extent, nearly seventeen. Above, his plumage, as described by Nuttall, is variegated with black, bright bay, and ochreous. Tail, wedged, the feathers pointed, the four outer nearly all white; sides, thighs, and vent, pale ochreous, spotted with black; upper mandible brown, the lower bluish-white; iris, hazel; legs and feet, large, pale flesh-colour. In the young bird the color is much fainter than in the adult. [Illustration: RICE BUNTING. (_Emberiza Oryzivora._ WILSON.)]