Thinking to find a lark's nest

Hello:

Wonder what
"thinking to find a lark's nest"
could mean in the context.

Is this an idiom?

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[Ernest tells his parents he lost his watch, which really had been given by him to a former female servant of the family, Ellen, now pregnant.]

Of course, Ernest was made to look for his lost property, and a reward was offered for it, but it seemed he had wandered a good deal off the path, thinking to find a lark's nest, more than once, and looking for a watch and purse on Battersby piewipes was very like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay: besides it might have been found and taken by some tramp, or by a magpie of which there were many in the neighbourhood, so that after a week or ten days the search was discontinued, and the unpleasant fact had to be faced that Ernest must have another watch, another knife, and a small sum of pocket money.

The Way of All Flesh, by Samuel Butler, p. 237
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Thanks.
Marius Hancu
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Thinking to find a larks nest
    ... and looking for a watch and purse on Battersby piewipes was very ... gone off the path to look for a lark's nest. ... stolen, but had in effect been given by the owner (Ernest) to a girl, ... that he's lost it; they make him search for it, ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Thinking to find a larks nest
    ... and looking for a watch and purse on Battersby piewipes was very ... gone off the path to look for a lark's nest. ... stolen, but had in effect been given by the owner (Ernest) to a girl, ... may have been picked up by a tramp or a magpie (who are notably attracted to ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Thinking to find a larks nest
    ... and looking for a watch and purse on Battersby piewipes was very ... gone off the path to look for a lark's nest. ... stolen, but had in effect been given by the owner (Ernest) to a girl, ... Ernest has given away his watch but tells his parents he has lost it - ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Thinking to find a larks nest
    ... watch and purse on Battersby piewipes was very like looking for a needle ... unpleasant fact had to be faced that Ernest must have another watch, ... gone off the path to look for a lark's nest. ... stolen, but had in effect been given by the owner (Ernest) to a girl, ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Thinking to find a larks nest
    ... "thinking to find a lark's nest" ... [Ernest tells his parents he lost his watch, ... Of course, Ernest was made to look for his lost property, and a reward ...
    (alt.usage.english)