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If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: Bird Watching - - -Author: Edmund Selous - - - -Release Date: October 10, 2015 [eBook #50175] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRD WATCHING*** - - -E-text prepared by Emmanuel Ackerman and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made -available by Internet Archive/American Libraries -(https://archive.org/details/americana) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 50175-h.htm or 50175-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/50175/50175-h/50175-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/50175/50175-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive/American Libraries. See - https://archive.org/details/birdwatching00seloiala - - - - - -The Haddon Hall - -[Illustration] - -Library - -[Illustration] - -Edited by the Marquess Of Granby - -and - -Mr. George A. B. Dewar - - -_All rights reserved_ - - - -[Illustration: _Male Oyster-Catchers Piping to the Female._] - - - -BIRD WATCHING - -by - -EDMUND SELOUS - - - - - - - -[Illustration] - -London -J. M. Dent & Co., Aldine House -29 & 30 Bedford Street, W.C. -1901 - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAP. PAGE - - TABLE OF CONTENTS v - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vii - - PREFACE ix - - I. WATCHING GREAT PLOVERS, ETC. 3 - - II. WATCHING RINGED PLOVERS, REDSHANKS, PEEWITS, ETC. 21 - - III. WATCHING STOCK-DOVES, WOOD-PIGEONS, SNIPE, ETC. 35 - - IV. WATCHING WHEATEARS, DABCHICKS, OYSTER-CATCHERS, ETC. 67 - - V. WATCHING GULLS AND SKUAS 96 - - VI. WATCHING RAVENS, CURLEWS, EIDER-DUCKS, ETC. 129 - - VII. WATCHING SHAGS AND GUILLEMOTS 163 - - VIII. WATCHING BIRDS AT A STRAW-STACK 199 - - IX. WATCHING BIRDS IN THE GREENWOODS 225 - - X. WATCHING ROOKS 257 - - XI. WATCHING ROOKS--_CONTINUED_ 274 - - XII. WATCHING BLACKBIRDS, NIGHTINGALES, SAND-MARTINS, ETC. 301 - - INDEX 338 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - _Male Oyster-catchers piping to the Female_ _Frontispiece_ - _Photogravure_ - - _Dancing of Great Plovers in Autumn_ _facing page_ 12 - _Photogravure_ - - _Great Plovers: A Nuptial Pose_ _Page_ 19 - - _Master and Pupil: Hooded-Crow flying with Peewits_ " 29 - - _Stock-Doves: A Duel with Ceremonies_ " 40 - - _Turtle Doves: The Nuptial Flight_ _facing page_ 50 - _Photogravure_ - - _Great Skuas: Nuptial Flight and Pose_ " " 100 - _Photogravure_ - - _Ravens: The Game of Reversi_ _Page_ 135 - - _Habet! Great-Crested Grebe Attacked by Another Under Water_ " 150 - - _Love on a Rock: Shags During the Breeding Season_ _facing page_ 168 - _Photogravure_ - - _On a Guillemot Ledge_ " " 192 - - _Fairy Artillery: Willow-Warbler Pecking Catkins in Flight_ _Page_ 254 - - _Rooks: A Winter Scene_ " 279 - - _In a Sand-Pit_ _facing page_ 328 - _Photogravure_ - - - _All the above from Drawings by_ J. SMIT. - - - - -PREFACE - - -I should like to explain that this work, being, with one or two -insignificant exceptions, a record of my own observations only, it -has not been my intention to make general statements in regard to -the habits of any particular bird. In practice, however, it is often -difficult to write as if one were not doing this, without its having a -very clumsy effect. One cannot, for instance, always say, "I have seen -birds fly." One has to say, upon occasions, "Birds fly." Moreover, it -is obvious that in much of the more important business of bird-life, -one would be fully justified in arguing from the particular to the -general: perhaps (though this is not my opinion) one would always be. -But, whether this is the case or not, I wish it to be understood that, -throughout, a remark that any bird acts in such or such a way means, -merely, that I have, on one or more occasions, seen it do so. Also, all -that I have seen which is included in this volume was noted down by me -either just after it had taken place or whilst it actually was taking -place; the quotations (except when literary or otherwise explicitly -stated) being always from my own notes so made. For this reason I call -my work "Bird Watching," and I hope that the title will explain, and -even justify, a good deal which in itself is certainly a want and -a failing. One cannot, unfortunately, watch all birds, and of those -that one can it is difficult not to say at once too little and too -much: too little, because one may have only had the luck to see well a -single point in the round of activities of any species--one feather in -its plumage, so to speak--and too much, because even to speak of this -adequately is to fill many pages and deny space to some other bird. All -I can do is to speak of some few birds as I have watched them in some -few things. Those who read this preface will, I hope, expect nothing -more, and I hope that not much more is implied in the title which I -have chosen. Perhaps I might have been more explicit, but English is -not German. "Of-some-few-birds-the-occasional-in-some-things-watching" -does not seem to go well as a compound, and "Observations on," etc., -sounds as formidable as "Beobachtungen über." It matters not how one -may limit it, the word "Observations" has a terrific sound. Let a man -say merely that he watched a robin (for instance) doing something, and -no one will shrink from him; but if he talks about his "Observations on -the Robin-Redbreast" then, let these have been ever so restricted, and -even though he may forbear to call the bird by its Latin name, he must -expect to pay the penalty. The very limitations will have something -severe--smacking of precise scientific distinction--about them, and the -implied preference for English in such a case will appear affected and -to be a clumsy attempt, merely, to make himself popular. Therefore, I -will not call my book "Observations on," etc. I have _watched_ birds -only, I have not _observed_ them. It is true that, in the text itself, -I do not shrink from the latter word, either as substantive or verb, -or even from the Latin name of a bird, here and there, when I happen -to know it (for is there not such a thing as childish pride?). But -that is different. I do not begin at once in that way, and by the time -I get to it anyone will have found me out, and know that I am really -quite harmless. Besides, I have now set matters in their right light. -But I was not going to handicap myself upon my very cover and trust -to its contents, merely, for getting over it. That would have been -over-confidence. - -Again, in the following pages there are some points which I just -touch upon and leave with an undertaking to go more fully into, in a -subsequent chapter. This I have always meant to do, but want of space -has, in some instances, prevented me from carrying out my intention. -For this, I will apologise only, leaving it to my readers to excuse me -should they think fit. Perhaps they will do so very readily. - -Also,--but I cannot afford to point out any more of my shortcomings. -That, too, I must leave to "the reader," who, I hope, will in this -matter but little deserve that epithet of "discerning" which is often -so generously--not to say boldly--bestowed upon him. - -[Illustration] - - - - -BIRD WATCHING - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER I - -Watching Great Plovers, etc. - - -If life is, as some hold it to be, a vast melancholy ocean over which -ships more or less sorrow-laden continually pass and ply, yet there lie -here and there upon it isles of consolation on to which we may step out -and for a time forget the winds and waves. One of these we may call -Bird-isle--the island of watching and being entertained by the habits -and humours of birds--and upon this one, for with the others I have -here nothing to do, I will straightway land, inviting such as may care -to, to follow me. I will speak of birds only, or almost only, as I have -seen them, and I must hope that this plan, which is the only one I have -found myself able to follow, will be accepted as an apology for the -absence of much which, not having seen but only read of, I therefore -say nothing about. Also, if I sometimes here record what has long -been known and noted as though I were making a discovery, I trust that -this, too, will be forgiven me, for, in fact, whenever I have watched -a bird and seen it do anything at all--anything, that is, at all -salient--that is just how I have felt. Perhaps, indeed, the best way to -make discoveries of this sort is to have the idea that one is doing so. -One looks with the soul in the eyes then, and so may sometimes pick up -some trifle or other that has not been noted before. - -However this may be, one of the most delightful birds (for one must -begin somewhere) to find, or to think one is finding things out about, -is the great or Norfolk plover, or, as it is locally and more rightly -called--for it is a curlew and not a plover[1]--the stone-curlew. -These birds haunt open, sandy wastes to which but the scantiest of -vegetation clings, and here, during the day, they assemble in some -chosen spot, often in considerable numbers--fifty or more I have -sometimes seen together. If it is early in the day, and especially if -the weather be warm and sunny, most of them will be sitting, either -crouched down on their long yellow shanks, or more upright with these -extended in front of them, looking in this latter attitude as if they -were standing on their stumps, their legs having been "smitten off" -and lying before them on the ground. Towards evening, however--which -is the best time to watch these birds--they stand attending to their -plumage, or walk with picked steps in a leisurely fashion, which, -with their lean gaunt figure, sad and rusty coloured, and a certain -sedateness, almost punctiliousness, of manner, fancifully suggests to -one the figure of Don Quixote de la Mancha, the Knight of the rueful -countenance, with a touch or two, perhaps, thrown in of the old Baron -of Bradwardine of Tullyveolan. One can lie on the ground and watch them -from far off through the glasses, or, should a belt of bracken fringe -the barren area, one has then an excellent opportunity of creeping up -to within a short or, at least, a reasonable distance. To do this one -must make a wide circuit and enter the bracken a long way off. Then -having walked, or rather waded for some way towards them, at a certain -point--experience will teach the safety-line--one must sink on one's -hands and knees, and the rest is all creeping and wriggling, till at -length, lying flat, one's face just pierces the edge of the cover and -the harmless glasses are levelled at the quarry one does not wish to -kill. The birds are standing in a long, straggling line, ganglion-like -in form, swelling out into knots where they are grouped more thickly -with thinner spaces between. As they preen themselves--twisting the -neck to one or the other side so as to pass the primary quill feathers -of the wings through the beak--one may be seen to stoop and lay one -side of the head on the ground, the great yellow eye of the other side -staring up into the sky in an uncanny sort of way. The meaning of this -action I do not know. It is not to scratch the head, for the head is -held quite still; and, moreover, as, like most birds, they can do this -very neatly and effectively with the foot, other methods would seem to -be superfluous. Again, and this is a more characteristic action, one -having stood for some time upright and perfectly still, makes a sudden -and very swingy bob forward with the head, the tail at the same time -swinging up, just in the way that a wooden bird performs these actions -upon one's pulling a string. This again seems to have no special -reference to anything, unless it be deportment. - -[1] I understand Professor Newton to say this. - -All at once a bird makes a swift run forward, not one of those short -little dainty runs--one and then another and another, with little -start-stops between--that one knows so well, but a long, steady run -down upon something, and at the same moment the glasses--if one is -lucky and the distance not too great--reveal the object which has -occasioned this, a delicate white thing floating in the air which one -takes to be a thistle-down. This is secured and eaten, and we may -imagine that the bird's peckings at it after it is in his possession -are to disengage the seed from the down. But all at once--before you -have had time to set down the glasses and make the note that the great -plover (_Œdicnemus Crepitans_) will snap at a wandering thistle-down, -and having separated the delicate little seed-sails from the seed, -eat the latter, etc., etc.--a small brown moth comes into view flying -low over a belt of dry bushy grass that helps, with the bracken, to -edge the sandy warren, for these wastes are given over to rabbits and -large landowners, and are marked "warrens" on the map. Instantly the -same bird (who seems to catch sight of the moth just as you do) starts -in pursuit with the same rapid run and head stretched eagerly out. He -gets up to the moth and essays to catch it, pecking at it in a very -peculiar way, not excitedly or wildly, but with little precise pecks, -the head closely and guardedly following the moth's motions, the -whole strongly suggestive of professional skill. The moth eludes him, -however, and the bird stops rigidly, having apparently lost sight of -it. Shortly afterwards, after it has flown some way, he sees it again -and makes another swift run in pursuit, catching it up again and making -his quick little pecks, but unsuccessfully, as before. Then there is -the same pause, followed by the same run, then a close, near chase, and -finally the moth is caught and eaten. Other moths, or other insects, -now appear upon the scene, or if they do not appear--for even with the -best of glasses such pin-points are mostly invisible--it is evident -from the actions of the birds that they are there. Chase after chase is -witnessed, all made in the same manner, with sometimes a straight-up -jump into the air at the end and a snap that one seems almost to -hear--a last effort, but which, judging by the bird's demeanour -afterwards, fails, as last efforts usually do. - -A social feeling seems to pervade these hunting-scenes, a sort of "Have -_you_ got one? _I_ have. That bird over there's caught two" idea. -This may be imaginary, still the whole scene with its various little -incidents suggests it to one. The stone-curlew, therefore, besides his -more ordinary food of worms, slugs, and the like--I have seen him in -company with peewits, searching for worms, much as do thrushes on the -lawn--is likewise a runner down and "snapper up of" such "unconsidered -trifles" as moths and other insects on the wing. I had seen him chasing -them, indeed, long before I knew what he was doing, for I had connected -those sudden, racing runs--seen before from a long distance--with -something or other on the ground, imagining a fresh object for each -run. Often had I wondered, first at the eyesight of the bird, which -seemed to pierce the mystery of a worm or beetle at fifty or sixty -yards distance, and then at its apparent want of interest each time -it got to the place where it seemed to have located it. Really it had -but just lost sight of what it was pursuing, but aerial game had not -occurred to me, and the tell-tale spring into the air, which would have -explained all, had been absent on these occasions. I have called such -leaps "last efforts," but I am not quite sure if they are always the -last. More than once I have thought I have seen a stone-curlew rise -into the air from running after an insect, and continue the pursuit on -the wing. This is a point which I would not press, yet birds often act -out of their usual habits and assume those proper to other species. I -remember once towards the close of a fine afternoon, when the air was -peopled by a number of minute insects, and the stone-curlews had been -more than usually active in their chasings, a large flock of starlings -came down upon the warrens and began to behave much as they were doing, -running excitedly about in the same manner and evidently with the same -object. But what interested me especially was that they frequently -rose into the air, pursuing and, as I feel sure, often catching the -game there, turning and twisting about like fly-catchers, though with -less graceful movements. Often, too, whilst flying--fairly high--from -one part of the warrens to another, they would deflect their course -in order to catch an insect or two _en passant_. I observed this -latter action first, and doubted the motive, though it was strongly -suggested. After seeing the quite unmistakable fly-catcher actions I -felt more assured as to the other. Yet one may watch starlings for -weeks without seeing them pursue an insect in the air. Their usual -manner of feeding is widely different--viz. by repeatedly probing and -searching the ground with their sharp spear-like bills, as does a -snipe (with which bird they will sometimes feed side by side) with his -longer and more delicate one. This is well seen whilst watching them -on a lawn. They do not study to find worms lying in the holes and then -seize them suddenly as do thrushes and blackbirds. With them it is -"blind hookey"; each time the beak is thrust down into the grass it may -find something or it may not. The mandibles are all the time working -against each other, evidently searching and biting at the roots of the -grass, and at intervals, but generally somewhat long ones, they will be -withdrawn, holding within their grasp a large, greyish grub. - -Returning to the stone-curlews. During the day, as I have said, -these birds are idle and lethargic--sitting about, dozing, often, or -sleeping--but as the air cools and the shadows fall, they rouse into -a glad activity, and coming down and spreading themselves over the -wide space of the warrens, they begin to run excitedly about, raising -and waving their wings, leaping into the air, and often making little -flights, or rather flittings, over the ground as a part of the disport. -As a part of it I say advisedly, for they do not stop and then fly, and -on alighting recommence, but the flight arises out of the wild waving -and running, and this is resumed, without a pause, as the bird again -touches the ground. All about now over the warrens their plaintive, -wailing notes are heard, notes that seem a part of the deepening gloom -and sad sky; for nature's own sadness seems to speak in the voice of -these birds. They swell and subside and swell again as they are caught -up and repeated in different places from one bird to another, and -often swell into a full chorus of several together. Deeper now fall -the shadows, "light thickens," till one catches, at last, only "dreary -gleams about the moorland," as now here, now there, the wings are -flung up--showing the lighter coloured inner surface--till gradually, -first one and then another, or by twos or threes or fours, the birds -fly off into the night, wailing as they go. But this note on the -wing is not the same as that uttered whilst running over the ground. -The ground-note is much more drawn out, and a sort of long, wailing -twitter--called the "clamour"--often precedes and leads up to the final -wail. In the air it comes just as a wail without this preliminary. -But it must not be supposed that all the birds perform these antics -simultaneously. If they did the effect would be more striking, but -it is generally only a few at a time over a wide space, or, at most, -some two or three together--as by sympathy--that act so. The eye does -not catch more than a few gleams--some three or four or five--of the -flung-up wings at one time over the whole space. It is a gleam here -and a gleam there in the deepening gloom. "Dreary gleams about the -moorland"--for warren, here, purples into moor and moor saddens into -warren--is, indeed, a line that exactly describes the effect. - -These birds, then, stand or sit about during the day in their chosen -places of assemblage, and, if not occupied in catching insects or -preening themselves, they are dull and listless. But as the evening -falls and the air cools, they cast off their lassitude, think of the -joys of the night, there is dance and song for a little, and then forth -they fly. Sad and wailing as are their notes to our ears, they are no -doubt anything but so to the birds themselves, and as the accompaniment -of what seems best described by the word "dance" may, perhaps, fairly -be called "song." The chants of some savages whilst dancing, might -sound almost as sadly to us, pitched, as they would be, in a minor -key, and with little which we would call an air. Again, if one goes by -the bird's probable feelings, which may not be so dissimilar to the -savage's--or indeed to our own--on similar occasions "song" and "dance" -seems to be a legitimate use of words. - -But whatever anyone may feel inclined to call this performance--"dance" -or "antics" or "display"--it varies very much in quality, being -sometimes so poor that it is difficult to use words about it without -seeming to exaggerate, and at other times so fine and animated, that -were the birds as large as ostriches, or even as the great bustard, -much would be said and written on the subject. Moreover, so many -variations and novelties and little personal incidents are to be -noticed on the different occasions, that any general description must -want something. I will therefore give a particular one of what I -witnessed one afternoon when the dancing was especially good. It was -about 5.30 when I got to the edge of the bracken, which to some extent -rings round the birds' place of assembly. - -"A drizzling rain soon began, and this increased gradually, but not -beyond a smart drizzle. The birds, as though stimulated by the drops, -now began to come down from where they had been standing on the edge of -the amphitheatre, and to spread all over it till there were numbers of -them, and dancing of a more pronounced, or, at least, of a more violent -kind than I had yet seen, commenced. Otherwise it was quite the same, -but the extra degree of excitement made it much more interesting. It -was, in fact, remarkable and extraordinary. Running forward with wings -extended and slightly raised, a bird would suddenly fling them high up, -and then, as it were, _pitch_ about over the ground, waving and tossing -them, stopping short, turning, pitching forward again, leaping into the -air, descending and continuing, till, with another leap, it would make -a short eccentric flight low over the ground, coming down in a sharp -curve and then, at once, _même jeu_. I talk of their 'pitching' about, -because their movements seemed at times hardly under control, and, each -violent run or plunge ending, in fact, with a sudden pitch forward of -the body, the wings straggling about (often pointed forward over the -head) in an uncouth dislocated sort of way, the effect was as if the -birds were being blown about over the ground in a violent wind. They -seemed, in fact, to be crazy, and their sudden and abrupt return, after -a few mad moments, to propriety and decorum, had a curious, a bizarre -effect. Though having just seen them behave so, one seemed almost to -doubt that they had. One bird that had come to within a moderate -distance of me, made three little runs--advancing, retiring, and again -advancing--all the time with wings upraised and waving, then took a -short flight over the ground, describing the segment of a circle, and, -on alighting, continued as before. Half-a-dozen others were gathered -together under a solitary crab-apple tree--a rose in the desert--less -than 100 yards off, and both with the naked eye and the glasses I -observed them all thoroughly well. One of them would often run at or -pursue another with these antics. I saw one that was standing quietly, -caught and, as it were, covered up in a little storm of wings before it -could run away and begin waving its own. - -[Illustration: _Dancing of Great Plovers in Autumn._] - -"This and the general behaviour of the group makes it evident that the -birds are stimulated in their dance-antics by each other's presence. -For these little chases were in sport, clearly, not anger. Very -different is the action and demeanour of two birds about to fight. This -is by far the finest display of the sort that I have yet seen, and -must be due, I think, to the rain, which the birds obviously enjoyed. -They had been quite dull and listless before, but as soon as it fell -they spread themselves over the plateau, and the dancing began. It was -not only when the birds threw up their wings and, as one may say, let -themselves go, that they seemed excited. The constant quick running -and stopping whilst the wings were folded appeared to me to be a -part--the less excited part--of the general emotion out of which the -sudden frenzies arose. There was also the usual vocal accompaniment. -The wailing note went up, and was caught and repeated from one part to -another at greater or lesser intervals, the whole ending in flight as -before." - -When I first saw these dances I thought that they arose out of -the excitement of the chase--that chase of moths or other insects -flying low over the ground which I have noticed--that they were -hunting-dances, in fact. I thought the motions of the wings were to -beat down the escaping quarry, and I confounded the little springs -and leaps into the air, arising out of the dance and being a part -of it, with those other ones made with a snap and an object not to -be mistaken; but I soon discovered my error. Insect-hunting is only -indulged in occasionally, when a wandering moth or so happens to fly -by. The general hunt which I have described was incident, I think, to -an unusually large number of insects in the air over the warrens, by -which not only a band of starlings--as before mentioned--was attracted, -but, afterwards, swallows and martins. On such occasions, dancing might -conceivably grow out of the excitement of the chase, so as to appear -a part of it, but though the two forms of excitement may sometimes -intermingle, the tendency would probably be for the one to diminish and -interfere with the other. At any rate, almost every dance which I have -witnessed has been a dance pure and simple. - -What, then, is the meaning of this dancing, of these strange little -sudden gusts of excitement arising each day at about the same time -and lasting till the birds fly away? We have here a social display as -distinct from a nuptial or sexual one, for it is in the autumn that -these assemblages of the great plovers take place, after the breeding -is all over; the deportment of the courting or paired birds towards -each other--their nuptial antics--is of a different character. With -birds, as with men, all outward action must be the outcome of some -mental state. What kind of mental excitement is it which causes the -stone-curlews to behave every evening in this mad, frantic way? I -believe that it is one of expectancy and making ready, that these odd -antics--the mad running and leaping and waving of the wings--give -expression to the anticipation of going and desire to be gone which -begins to possess the birds as evening falls. They are the prelude to, -and they end in, flight. The two, in fact, merge into each other, for -short flights grow out of the tumblings over the ground, and it is -impossible to say when one of these may not be continued into the full -flight of departure. They are a part of the dance, and, as such, the -birds may almost be said to dance off. Surely in actions which lead -directly up to any event there must be an idea, an anticipation of it, -nor can the idea of departure exist in a bird's mind (hardly, perhaps, -in a man's) except in connection with what it is departing for--food, -namely, in this case, a banquet. So when I say that these birds "think -of the joys of the night" need this be merely a figure? May it not be -true that they do so and dance forth each night, to their joy? - -I have said that the social or autumn antics of the -stone-curlews--their dances, as I have called them, using the usual -phraseology--are distinct from the nuptial or courting ones which they -indulge in in the spring. These latter are of a different character -altogether, but much more interesting to see than they are easy to -describe. The birds are now paired, or in process of becoming so, and -it is fashionable for two of them to walk side by side, and very close -together, with little gingerly steps, as though "keeping company." -They seem very much _en rapport_ with each other--_sehr einig_ as the -Germans would say--also to have a mutual sense of their own and each -other's importance, of the seemly and becoming nature of what they are -doing, and (this above all) of the great value of deportment. Something -there is about them--now even more than at other times--very odd, -quaint, old-world, old-fashioned. The last best describes it; they are -old-fashioned birds. Were the world occupied in watching them, and were -they occasionally to over-hear themselves being talked about, they -would catch that word as often as did little Paul Dombey. - -Whilst watching a couple walking side by side in this way that I have -described, one of them may be seen to bend stiffly forward till the -beak just touches the ground, the tail and after part of the body being -elevated in the air. The other stands by, and appears both interested -in and edified by the performance, and when it is over both walk on -as before. Or a bird may be seen to act thus whilst walking alone, -upon which another will come running from some distance towards it, as -though answering to a summons or to some quite irresistible form of -appeal. Upon coming close up to the rigid bird this other one stops, -and turning suddenly, but also setly and rigidly, round, makes a -curious little run away from it with lowered head and precise formal -steps, full of a peculiar gravity and importance. Having thus played -his part he again stops, and, standing idly about, seems lapsed into -indifference. Meanwhile, the rigid one having remained in its set -attitude for some little time longer at length comes out of it, and -advancing with the same little picked, careful, gingerly steps that -I have noticed, before long assumes it again, and then, relaxing, -crouches low on the ground as though incubating. Having remained thus -for a minute or two it rises and stands at ease. "A third bird now -appears upon the scene (for this, I must say, was a little witnessed -drama), advancing towards the two. As he approaches, one of them--the -one which has run up in response to the appeal, and which I take to be -the male--becomes uneasy as recognising a rival. He first either runs -or walks (the pace, though it may be quick, is solemn) to the female, -and makes her some kind of bow or obeisance of a very formal nature. -Then, straightening and turning, he instantly becomes a different bird, -so changed is his appearance. He is now drawn up to his full height, -with the head thrown a little back, the tail is fanned out into the -shape of a scallop-shell (looking very pretty), the broad, rounded end -of which just touches the ground at the centre, and thus 'set,' as -it were, for action, he advances upon the intruding bird with quick -little stilty steps, prepared, evidently, to do battle. The would-be -rival, however, retreats before this display, and the accepted suitor, -having followed him thus for some little way--not rushing upon him -or forcing a combat, but more as gravely and seriously prepared for -one--turns and with his former formal pace goes back to his hen." Or -shall we not, rather, say to his Dulcinea del Toboso? for never does -this strange, gaunt, solemn, punctilious-looking bird, with the tall -figure and the strain of madness in the great glaring eyes, more remind -one--fancifully--of Cervantes' creation than now. Surely in that formal -approach and deep reverence to his mistress, before entering upon -this, perhaps, his first "emprise," we have the very figure and high -courteous action of the knight, and seem almost to hear those words -of his spoken on a similar occasion: "Acorredme, señora mia, en esta -primera afrenta que a este vuestro avasallado pecho se le ofrece; no me -desfallezca en este primera trance vuestro favor y amparo." ("Sustain -me, lady mine, in this first insult offered to your captive knight. -Fail me not with your favour and countenance in this my first emprise.") - -[Illustration: _Great Plovers: A Nuptial Pose._] - -In the above case it was, presumably, the female bird who assumed -the curious rigid attitude, with the tail raised and head stooped -forward to the ground. The attitude, however, assumed by the male, -which I have described as a bow or obeisance--and, indeed, it has this -appearance--was much of the same nature, if it was not precisely the -same, and as far as I have been able to observe, none of the many and -very singular attitudes and posturings in which these birds indulge are -peculiar to either sex. At any rate, that one which would seem _par -excellence_ to appertain to courtship or matrimony, and which is often -(as it was in the instance I am about to give) immediately followed -by the actual pairing of the birds, is common to both the male and -the female. The following will show this:--"A bird which has for some -time been sitting now rises and shakes itself a little, presenting, -as it does so, a very 'mimsy' and 'borogovy' appearance (for which -adjectives, with descriptive plate, see 'Through the Looking-Glass'). -It then begins uttering that long, thin, 'shrilling' sound, which -goes so far and pierces the ear so pleasantly. This is answered by a -similar cry, quite near, and I now see, for the first time, another -bird advancing quickly to the calling one, who also advances to meet -it. They approach each other, and standing side by side, with, perhaps, -a foot between them, but looking different ways, each in the direction -in which it has been advancing, both of them assume, at the same time, -a particular and very curious posture, worth waiting days to see. First -they draw themselves tall-ly up on their long, yellow, stilt-like -legs, then curving the neck with a slow and formal motion, they bend -the head downwards--yet still holding it at a height--and stop thus, -set and rigid, the beak pointing to the ground. Having stood like -this for some seconds, they assume the normal attitude. This wonderful -pose, conceived and made in a vein of stiff formality, but to which -the great, glaring, yellow eye gives a look of wildness, almost of -insanity, has in it, both during its development and when its acme has -been reached, something quite _per se_, and in vain to describe. But -again one is reminded of what is past and old-fashioned, of chivalry -and knight-errantry, of scutcheons and heraldic devices, of Don Quixote -and the Baron of Bradwardine." - -It is not only when two birds are by themselves that these or other -attitudes are assumed. They will often break out, so to speak, amongst -three or four birds running or chasing each other about. All at once -one will stop, stiffen into one of them--that especially where the head -is lowered till the beak touches, or nearly touches, the ground--and -remain so for a formal period. But all such runnings and chasings are, -at this time, but a part of the business of pairing, and one divines at -once that such attitudes are of a sexual character. The above are a few -of the gestures or antics of the great plover or stone-curlew during -the spring. I have seen others, but either they were less salient, or, -owing to the great distance, I was not able to taste them properly, -for which reason, and on account of space, I will not further dwell -upon them. What I would again draw attention to, as being, perhaps, of -interest, is that here we have a bird with distinct nuptial (sexual) -and social (non-sexual) forms of display or antics, and that the former -as well as the latter are equally indulged in by both sexes. - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER II - -Watching Ringed Plovers, Redshanks, Peewits, etc. - - -The pretty little ring-plover (_Ægialitis kiaticola_) belongs properly -to the sea-shore, but he haunts and breeds inland also, and is -especially the companion of the stone-curlew over the stony, sandy -wastes that they both love so well. These little birds have both a -nuptial flight and a courting action on the ground. In the former a -pair will keep crossing and recrossing as they scud about, or they -will sweep towards and then away from each other in the softest and -prettiest manner imaginable, or each will sweep first up to a height -and then swiftly down again and skim quite low along the ground, thus -delighting the eye with the contrast. Their flight is all in graceful -sweeps, for even when they beat the air with their slender, pointed -pinions, it is rather as though they kissed than beat it, and they -seem all the while to be sweeping on without effort, so soft is their -motion. Another salient feature is the varied direction of their -flight, for though this is in wide, spacious circles around their -chosen home, yet within this free limit they set their sails to all -points of the compass, veering from one to another with so joyous a -motion, each change seems an ecstasy--as indeed it is to behold. Their -mode of alighting on the ground after flight is very pretty, for they -do so as if they meant to continue flying. Sometimes the wings are -still raised, still make their little spear-points in the air as they -softly stop; or the bird will hold them drooped and but half-spread, -and skim like this, just above the ground. At once he is on it, but -there has been no jerk, no pause. He has been smooth in abruptness: -settling suddenly, there has been no sudden motion. These things are as -magic,--they are, and yet they cannot be. It is a contradiction, yet it -has taken place. - -In formal courtship on the ground "the male approaches the female with -head and neck drawn up above the usual height, so that he presents for -her consideration a broader and fuller frontage of throat and breast -than upon ordinary occasions. He does not raise or otherwise disport -with his wings, but through the glasses one can see that his little -legs--which now that he is more upright are less invisible--are being -moved in a rapid vibratory manner, whilst he himself seems to be -trembling, quivering with excitement. The motion of the legs does not -belong to the gait, for the bird stands still whilst making it, and -then advances a few steps at a time, with little pauses between each -advance, during which the legs are quivered." The legs of the ringed -plover are of a fine orange colour, and the male's drawing himself up -so as to display them more fully, and then moving them quickly in this -way before the female, suggests that they are appreciated by her. But -it is not only the legs that are thus well exhibited. By drawing up the -head, the throat, in which soft pure white and velvet black are boldly -and richly contrasted, as well as the little smudged pug face and the -bright orange-yellow bill, are all shown off to advantage. - -The wings, however, in the instance which I observed and noted at the -time, were kept closed. I can hardly think this is always the case. -If it is, it may be because, though pretty enough--indeed lovely to -an appreciative human eye--they yet do not in their colouring present -anything like so bold and salient an appearance as the parts mentioned, -with the display of which they might, perhaps, interfere, though I -confess I do not think they would. - -With the redshank this is different, for "the redshank, when standing -with wings folded, is a very plain-looking bird, the whole of the -upper surface being of a drabby brown colour, and the under parts not -being seen to advantage. But as he rises in flight all is changed, -for the inner surface of his wings--with, in a less degree, the whole -under part of his body--are of a delicate, soft, silky white, looking -silvery, almost, as the light falls upon it and causes it to gleam. -This, with an upper quill-margin of bolder white on the wings, which, -when they are closed, is concealed, now catches the eye, and the bird -passes from insignificance into something almost distinguished, like -a homely face flashing into beauty by virtue of a smile and fine -eyes." Now the male redshank, when courting the female, makes the -most of his wings, whilst at the same time moving his legs--which are -coloured, as his name implies--in the same manner as does the ringed -plover. He did so at any rate in the following instance. "The male -bird, walking up to the female, raises his wings gracefully above his -back. They are considerably elevated, and for a little he holds them -thus aloft merely, but soon, drooping them to about half their former -elevation, he flutters them tremulously and gracefully as though to -please her. She, however, turned from him, walks on, appearing to be -busy in feeding. The male takes, or affects to take, little notice of -this repulse. He pecks about, as feeding too, but in a moment or so -walks up to the hen again, and now, raising his wings to the fluttering -height only, flutters them tremulously as before. She walks on a few -steps and stops. He again approaches and, standing beside her (both -being turned the same way), with his head and neck as it were curved -over her, again trembles his wings, at the same time making a little -rapid motion with his red legs on the ground, as though he were walking -fast, yet not advancing." Now here (and this, if I remember, was the -case with the ringed plovers also) the female did not appear to take -much notice of the male bird's behaviour. She was turned away and, -for some time, feeding. But it must not be forgotten that the eyes -of most birds are not set frontally in the head as are ours, but on -each side of it, so that their range of clear vision must be very much -wider, probably including all parts except directly behind them. They -also turn the head about with the greatest ease, and the slightest -turn must be very effective. They would, therefore, often see quite -plainly whilst appearing to us not to be noticing, and that the female -should get the general effect of the male's display is all that is -required by the theory of sexual selection--as conceived by Darwin. -Darwin has expressly said that he does not imagine that the female -birds consciously pick out the most adorned or best-displaying males, -but only that such males have a more exciting effect upon them, which -leads, practically, to their being selected. But though he has said -this, it seems hardly ever to be remembered by the opponents of his -view who, in combating it, almost always raise a picture of birds -critically observing patterns and colours, as we might stuffs in a -shop. However, having regard to the bower-birds, and especially that -species which makes an actual flower garden, even this does not seem so -absolutely impossible. The fact is, we are too conceited. With regard -to the female bird sometimes, as here, keeping turned from the male -while thus courted by him, this is, I think, capable of explanation in -a way not hostile but favourable to the theory of sexual selection. At -any rate, in both these instances, "_il faut rendre à cela_" either -was, or seemed to be, the final conclusion of the female. - -As the nuptial season approaches, the peewits begin to "stand," singly -or in pairs, about the low, marshy land, or to fly "coo-ee-ing" over -it. "Coo-oo-oo, hook-a-coo-ee, coo-ee," is their cry, far more, to -my ear, resembling this than the sound "pee-weet" or "pee-wee-eet," -as imitated in their name. At intervals one or another of them -will make its peculiar throw or somersault in the air. This, in its -completest form, is a wonderful thing to behold, though so familiar -that no attention is paid to it. The bird in full flight--in a rushing -torrent of sound and motion--may be seen to partially close the wings, -and fall plumb as though it had been shot. In a moment or two, but -often not before there has been a considerable drop, the wings are -again partially extended, and the bird turns right head over heels. -Then, sweeping buoyantly upwards, sometimes almost from the ground, -it continues its flight as before. Such a tumble as this is a fine -specimen. They are not all so abrupt and dramatic, but there is one -point common to them all, which is the impossibility of saying exactly -how the actual somersault is thrown. Do these tumblings add to the -charm of the peewit's flight? To the charm, perhaps; certainly to the -wonder and interest, but hardly (unless we are never to criticise -nature) to the grace. The contrast is too great, there is something of -violence, almost of buffoonery, about it. It is as though the clown -came tumbling right into the middle of the transformation scene. - -As the birds sweep about, they begin to enter into their bridal dances, -pursuing each other with devious flight, pausing, hanging stationary -with flapping wings one just above the other, then sweeping widely -away in opposite directions. Shortly afterwards they are again flying -side by side, or the sun, "in a wintry smile," catches both the white -breasts as they make a little coquettish dart at each other. Then -again they separate, and again the joyous "coo-oo-oo, hook-a-coo-ee, -coo-ee" flits with them over marsh and moor. Sometimes a bird will -come flying alone, somewhat low over the ground, in a hurrying manner, -very fast, and making a sound with the wings, as they beat the air, -which is almost like the puffing of an engine--indeed, one may easily, -sometimes, imagine a train in the distance. As one watches him thus -scudding along, tilting himself as ever, now on one side, now on -another, all at once he will give a sharp turn as if about to make one -of his wide, sweeping circles, but almost instantly he again reverses, -and sweeps on in the same direction as before. This trick adds very -much to the appearance, if not to the reality, of speed, for the -smooth, swift sweep, close following the little abrupt twist back, -contrasts with it and seems the more fast-gliding in comparison. Or -one will fly in quick, small circles, several times repeated, a little -above the spot where he intends to alight, descending, at last, in the -very centre of his air-drawn girdle with wonderful buoyancy. - -A hooded crow now flies over the marsh, and is pursued by first one -and then another of the peewits. There is little combination, nor does -there seem much of anger. It is more like a sport or a practical joke. -It is curious that the crow's flight has taken the character of the -peewit's, for they sweep upwards and downwards together, seeming like -master and pupil. I have never seen a crow fly so, uninfluenced, and -this, again, gives an amicable appearance. I have seen a peewit make -continual sweeps down at a hen pheasant as she stood in a wheat-field, -striking at her each time with its wings, in the air, obviously not -in play but in earnest. The pheasant dodged, or tried to dodge, each -time, and this lasted some while. Here it seems very different; and -now again a compact little flock of peewits is flying backwards and -forwards over the river with a hooded crow--not the same bird but -another--right amongst them. This continues for some little time, till -the peewits go down on the margin, and the crow then flies into a -tree hard by. After a little interval the peewits fly off again, and -almost directly the crow is with them, and again they fly backwards -and forwards over the water, for some time, as before. And again I -note--and this time it is still more marked and unmistakable--that the -crow is flying amongst the peewits exactly as they fly. At least he is -speaking French with them "after ye school of Stratford--at-y-Bow," for -who flies _exactly_ like a peewit _but_ a peewit? But he sweeps with -them--now upwards, now downwards--in smooth, gliding sweeps, a curious, -rusty-looking, black and grey patch in the midst of their gleaming -greens and whites. Yet he is a handsome bird too, is the hooded crow, -but not when he flies with peewits. Now the peewits again go down, and -the crow straightway flies into another tree. Shortly afterwards, a -moor-hen, feeding on the grass, is hustled by one of the peewits into -the water. Here, again, hostility was evident, whereas with the crow I -could see no trace of it. He seemed to be enjoying himself, whilst the -peewits, on their part, showed no objection to his company. - -[Illustration: _Master and Pupil: Hooded-Crow flying with Peewits._] - -"Late in the afternoon there is a pause and hush. The birds have ceased -flying till dusk, and are either standing still or walking over the -ground. One I can see motionless amidst the brown, tufted grass. No, -not quite motionless. Ever and anon there comes the strained, grating -call-note of another peewit, and then this one rears up the body and -jerks the head a little back, then jerks it flexibly forward again. At -first he does this in silence, but soon answering the cry. You see the -thin little black bill divide as he bobs, and the sound comes out of it -as though drawn by a wire--so roopy and raspy is it. Now he can contain -himself no longer, but begins to walk about through the grass, making a -devious course, and uttering the call at intervals. Very different is -this note from the joyous, musical 'coo-oo-oo, hook-a-coo-ee, coo-ee.' -Still, it is in harmony with nature, with the stillness, the sadness, -the loneliness. This standing or pacing about whilst calling roopily, -and, as it were, in a stealthy manner to each other, should be a very -prosaic affair, one would think, for a pair of peewits after such -glorious flying, but, no doubt, there is some excitement in it. Perhaps -it is thought a little fast, as some slow things with us are, and hence -the peculiar charm. - -"Now these two birds are standing lazily on two of the black molehills -which are all about the marshy land--some of them of a size beyond -one's comprehension--and making the wire-drawn cry at intervals to each -other. Lazily they stand, lazily they utter it, and seem as though they -had taken up their roosting-place for the night. But when the night -falls they will be hurrying shadows in it, and their cries will come -out of the darkness, mingling with the bleatings of the snipe." - -There is a sameness and yet a constant difference in the aerial sports -and evolutions of peewits. It is like a continual variation of the -same air or a recurrent thread of melody winding itself through a -labyrinth of ever-changing notes. Parts of the melody are where two -skim low over the ground in rapid pursuit of each other. One settles, -the other skims on, then makes a great upward sweep, turns, sweeps down -and back again, again rises, turns and sweeps again, and so on, rising -and falling over the same wide space with the regular motions and long -rushing swing of a pendulum. Each time it comes rushing down upon the -bird that has settled, and each time, at the right moment, this one -makes a little ascension towards it, sometimes floating above it as it -passes, sometimes beneath, alighting again immediately afterwards. This -may continue for some little time, the one bird passing backwards and -forwards over or under the other as long as he is received in the same -way. Gradually, however, these little sorties against him from being at -first hardly more than balloon-jumps--springs with aid of wings--become -more and more prolonged, and extended outwards into his own radius of -flight. The bird making them no longer alights in the same or nearly -the same place as where he went up, but farther and farther away from -it, the figure is lost, or becomes indistinct, "as water is in water," -till at last the two are flying and chasing each other again. - -This upward sweep from near the ground--sometimes from nearly touching -it--with its attendant sweep back again, is one of the greatest -beauties of the peewit's flight--a flight that is full of beauties. He -does it often, but not always in quite the same way; it is a varying -perfection, for each time it is perfect, and sometimes it seems to vie -with almost any aerial master-stroke. The bird's wings, as it shoots -aloft, are spread half open, and remain thus without being moved at -all. The body is turned sideways--sometimes more, sometimes less--and -the light glancing on the pure soft white of the under part, makes it -look like the crest of foam on an invisible and swiftly-moving wave. -As the uprush attains its zenith, there is a lovely, soft, effortless -curling over of the body, and the foam sinks again with the wave. Such -motions are not flight, they are passive abandonings and givings-up-to, -driftings on unseen currents, bird-swirls and feathered eddies in the -thin ocean of the air. It is, I think, the cessation of all effort -on the bird's part which makes the great loveliness here. The impetus -has been gained in flight before--acres of moorland away sometimes--it -"cometh from afar." The upward fall, the delicious, crested curl and -soft, sinking swoon to the earth are all rest--rhythmical, swift-moving -rest. - -Another curious and extremely pretty performance--a familiar bar of -that thread of melody, that "main theme" of the "movement"--is when two -birds, one just a little behind the other, and at slightly different -elevations, both make the same movements, in quick succession, the -bird behind mimicking the one in front of him in a kind of aerial -follow-my-leadership. Does the one pause and hang on extended wings -that rapidly beat the air, the other does so too. Does it sail on a -little, and then make a sideway dive, it is imitated in the same way, -and thus, often for quite a little while, the two will understudy each -other--for each, I think, may alternately become the leader. Again--if -this is not merely a development of the above--two of them will hover -on outstretched wings directly over and almost touching each other. -Sometimes, indeed, they do touch, for the bird that is stretched above -is continually trying to strike down on the other one with his wings, -and often succeeds by making a sudden little drop on to him--a drop -which is only of an inch or so--quite covering him up for a moment. -Then, disjoining, they will flap along for some while, still close -together, flashing out alternately dark and silver, as if showing their -glints to each other, till in two "dying falls" they sweep apart, and -skim the ground and double-loop the heavens. - -When peewits seem thus to battle together with their wings, in the air, -it may well be that they are really fighting, in which case we may -perhaps assume that they are two males, and not male and female. But as -what I shall have to say with regard to the stock-dove on this point -may be applied to the peewit, and as I have better evidence in the case -of the former bird, I will not dwell on it longer here. - -But the question arises whether in many other cases, when the sporting -birds would seem to be male and female, this is really the case. One -is apt to think so at first, but when one sees, often, a third bird -associate itself with a pair who are thus behaving, and join for a -little in their antics, or when one of a pair desisting and alighting -on the ground, the other continues to sport in precisely the same way -with another bird, or when, again, the supposed lovers become two -of a small flock or band, and all sport thus together, crossing and -intermingling till they again separate: one must suppose that these -evolutions, though they may be mostly of a nuptial character, are not -sexual in the strictest sense of the term, but that the social element -enters more or less largely into them. But amongst savages there are, -I believe (if not, let us imagine that there are), dances, the theme -of which is marriage, where sometimes men, sometimes women, sometimes -men and women, dance together, all having in their mind the primitive -ideas suggested by that great institution, men thinking of women, women -of men, under every kind of grouping. One may suppose it to be thus -with the peewits, as they sport with one another in the air during the -nuptial season, in which case the social and sexual elements would be -a changing and varying factor. One may say, indeed, that there can be -no sexual sport or play into which the social element does not also, -and necessarily, enter. This is, no doubt, true, strictly speaking, but -the latter may be so merged in the former that practically it does not -exist. - -Some of the peewits' nuptial and non-aerial bizarreries are of this -nature, but as they are peculiar, and seem to stand in some relation -to another great class of avian activities, I shall reserve them for a -future chapter. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER III - -Watching Stock-doves, Wood-pigeons, Snipe, etc. - - -I have alluded to the aerial combats of the stock-dove during the -nuptial season as elucidating similar movements on the part of the -peewit, though I was not able so fully to satisfy myself as to the -meaning of these in the latter bird. The fighting of birds on the -wing has sometimes--to my eye, at least--a very soft and delicate -appearance, which does not so much resemble fighting as sport and -dalliance between the sexes. Larks, for instance, have what seem, at -the worst, to be delicate little mock-combats in the air, carried on -in a way which suggests this. Sometimes, rising together, they keep -approaching and retiring from each other with the light, swinging -motion of a shuttlecock just before it turns over to descend, and this -resemblance is increased by their flying perpendicularly, or almost so, -with their heads up and tails down. Indeed, they seem more to be thrown -through the air than to fly. Then, in one fall, they sink together -into the grass. Or they will keep mounting above and above each other -to some height, and then descend in something the same way, but more -sweepingly (for let no one hope to see exactly how they do it), seeming -to make with their bodies the soft links of a feathered chain--or as -though their own "linked sweetness" of song had been translated into -matter and motion. In each case they make all the time, as convenient, -little kissipecks, rather than pecks, at each other. - -Again, in the case of the redshank, though I have little doubt now that -the following, which was both aquatic and aerial, was a genuine combat -between two males, yet often at the time, and especially in its preface -and conclusion, it seemed as though the birds were of opposite sexes, -and, if fighting at all, only amorously. - -"Two birds are pursuing each other on the bank of the river. The water -is low, and a little point of mud and shingle projects into the stream. -Up and down this, from the herbage to the water's edge and back again, -the birds run, one close behind the other, and each uttering a funny -little piping cry--'tu-tu-oo, tu-oo, tu-oo, tu-oo.' It is one, as -far as I can see, that always pursues the other, who, after a time, -flies to the opposite bank. The pursuer follows, and the chase is now -carried on by a series of little flights from bank to bank, sometimes -straight across, sometimes slanting a little up or down the stream, -whilst sometimes there is a little flight backwards and forwards along -the bank in the intervals of crossing. This continues for something -like an hour, but at last the pursuing bird, as both fly out from the -bank, makes a little dart, and, overtaking the other one, both flutter -down into the stream. They rise from it straight up into the air like -two blackbirds fighting, then fall back into it again, and now there -is a violent struggle in the water. Whilst it lasts the birds are -swimming, just as two ducks would be under similar circumstances, and -every now and then, in the pauses of exhaustion, both rest, floating -on the water. The combat would be as purely aquatic as with coots or -moor-hens, if it were not that the two birds often struggle out of the -water and rise together into the air, where they continue the struggle, -each one rising alternately above the other and trying to push it -down--it would seem with the legs. These were the tactics adopted in -the water too, but yet, with a good deal of motion and exertion, there -seems but little of fury. The birds are not _acharné_, or, at least, -they do not seem to be. It is a soft sort of combat, and now it has -ended in the combatants making their mutual toilette quite close to one -another. One stands on the shore and preens itself, the other sits just -off it on the water and bathes in it like a duck." - -Even here, owing principally to the friendly toilette-scene, I was not -quite clear as to the nature of the bird's actions. How completely I at -first mistook it in the case of the stock-dove with the way in which it -was afterwards made plain to me, the following will show:-- - -"Most interesting aerial nuptial evolutions of the male and female -stock-dove.--They navigate the air together, following each other in -the closest manner, one being, almost all the while, just above the -other, their wings seeming to pulsate in time as soldiers (if sweet -birds will forgive such a simile) keep step. Now they rise, now sink, -making a wide, irregular circle. Both seem to wish, yet not to wish, -to touch, almost, yet not quite, doing so, till, when very close, the -upper one drops lightly towards the one beneath him, who sinks too; -yet for a moment you hear the wings clap against each other. This -sounds faintly, though very perceptibly; but the distance is great, -and it must really be loud. Every now and again the wings will cease -to vibrate, and the two birds sweep through the air on spread pinions, -but, otherwise, in the manner that has been described. I must have -watched this continuing for at least a quarter of an hour before they -sunk to the ground together, still maintaining the same relative -position, and with quivering wings as before. Here, however, something -distracted me, the glasses lost them, and I did not see them actually -alight. Another pair rise right from the ground in this manner,[2] -one directly above the other, quiver upwards to some little height, -then sweep off on spread pinions, following each other, but still at -slightly different elevations. They overtake one another, quiver up -still higher, with hardly an inch between them, then suddenly, with an, -as it were, 'enough of this,' sweep apart and float in lovely circles, -now upwards now downwards. As they do this another bird rushes through -the air to join them, he circles too, all three are circling, the -light glinting on one, falling from another, thrown and caught and -thrown again as if they played at ball with light." - -[2] But I did not see what they were doing before they rose. - -I thought, therefore, that birds when they flew in pairs like this were -disporting themselves together in a nuptial flight, and making--as -indeed this, in any case, is true--a very pretty display of it. What -was there, indeed--or what did there seem to be--to indicate that -angry passions lay at the root of all this loveliness? But I had not -taken sufficiently into consideration that sharp clap of the wings -indicating a blow--a severe one--on the part of one of the birds with a -parry on that of the other. This is how stock-doves, as well as other -pigeons, fight on the ground, and it is as an outcome and continuation -of these fierce stand-up combats--which there is no mistaking--that -the contending birds rise and hover one over the other, in the manner -described. My notes will, I think, show this, as well as the curious -and, as it were, formal manner in which the ground-tourney is conducted. - -[Illustration: _Stock-doves: A Duel with Ceremonies._] - -"Two stock-doves fighting.--This is very interesting and peculiar. -They fight with continual blows of the wings, these being used both as -sword--or, rather, partisan--and shield. The peculiarity, however, is -this, that every now and again there is a pause in the combat, when -both birds make the low bow, with tail raised in air, as in courting. -Sometimes both will bow together, and, as it would seem, to each -other--facing towards each other, at any rate--but at other times -they will both stand in a line, and bow, so that one bows only to the -tail of the other, who bows to the empty air. Or the two will bow at -different times, each seeming more concerned in making his bow than in -the direction or bestowal of it. It is like a little interlude, and -when it is over the combatants advance, again, against each other, -till they stand front to front, and quite close. Both, then, make a -little jump, and battle vigorously with their wings, striking and -parrying. One now makes a higher spring, trying, apparently, to jump -on to his opponent's back, and then strike down upon him. This is all -plain, honest fighting, but there is a constant tendency--constantly -carried out--for the two to get into line, and fight in a sort of -follow-my-leader fashion, whilst making these low bows at intervals. It -is a fight encumbered with forms, with a heavy, punctilious ceremony, -reminding one of those ornate sweeps and bowing rapier-flourishes which -are entered into before and at each pause in the duel between Hamlet -and Laertes, as arranged by Sir Henry Irving at the Lyceum. There were -four or five birds together when this fight broke out, but I could not -feel quite sure whether the non-fighting ones watched the fighting of -the other two. If they did, I do not think they were at all keenly -interested in it. Also, the fighting birds may sometimes, when they -bowed, have done so to the birds that stood near, but it never seemed -to me that this was the case, and it certainly was not so in most -instances." - -In the spring from the ground which one of the fighting birds sometimes -makes, coming down on the other one's back and striking with the wings, -we have, perhaps, the beginning of what may develop into a contest in -the clouds, for let the bird that is undermost also spring up, and both -are in the air in the position required; and it is natural that the -undermost should continue to rise, because it could more easily avoid -the blows of the other whilst in the air, by sinking down through it, -than it could on the ground at such a disadvantage. Whether, in the -following instance, the one bird jumped on to the other's back does not -appear, but, as will be seen, the flight, which I had thought to be of -a sexual and nuptial character, was the direct outcome of a scrimmage. -"A short fight between two birds.--It is really most curious. There -is a blow and then a bow, then a vigorous set-to, with hard blows and -adroit parries, a pause with two profound bows, another set-to, and -then the birds rise, one keeping just above the other, and ascend -slowly, with quickly and constantly beating wings, in the way so often -witnessed. It would appear, therefore, that the curious flights of -two birds up into the air, the one of them exactly over, and almost -touching, the other--wherein, as I have noted, there is frequently a -blow with the wings which, to judge by the sound reaching me from a -considerable distance, must be sometimes a severe one--are the aerial -continuations of combats commenced on the ground." Sometimes, that is -to say. There seems no reason why birds accustomed thus to contend, -should not sometimes do so _ab initio_, and without any preliminary -encounter on mother earth--and this, I believe, is the case. - -Here, then, in the stock-dove we have at the nuptial season a kind of -flight which seems certainly to be of the nature of a combat, very -much resembling that of the peewit at the same season. I have seen -peewits fighting on the ground, and once they were for a moment in the -air together at a foot or two above it, and the one a little above -the other. This, however, may have been mere chance, and I have not -seen the one form of combat arise unmistakably out of the other, as -in the case of the stock-doves. But assuming that in each case there -is a combat, is it certain that the contending birds are always, or -generally, two males, and not male and female? It certainly seems -natural to suppose this, but with the stock-dove, at any rate (and I -believe with pigeons generally), the two sexes sometimes fight sharply; -and, moreover, the female stock-dove bows to the male, as well as -the male to the female, both which points will be brought out in the -following instances:-- - -"A hen bird is sitting alone on the sand, a male flies up to her and -begins bowing. She does not respond, but walks away, and, on being -followed and pressed, stands and strikes at her annoyer with the wings, -and there is, then, a short fight between the two. At the end of it, -and when the bowing pigeon has been driven off and is walking away, -having his tail, therefore, turned to the one he is leaving, this one -also bows, once only, but quite unmistakably. The bow was directed -towards her retiring adversary, and also wooer, the two birds therefore -standing in a line." And on another occasion "A stock-dove flies to -another sitting on the warrens, and bows to her, upon which she also -bows to him. Yet his addresses are not successfully urged." - -The sexes are here assumed, for the male and female stock-dove do not -differ sufficiently for one to distinguish them at a distance through -the glasses. When, however, one sees a bird fly, like this, to another -one and begin the regular courting action, one seems justified in -assuming it to be a male and the other a female. Both, however, bowed, -and there was a fight, though a short one (I have seen others of longer -duration), between them. It becomes, therefore, a question whether -the much more determined fights which I have witnessed are not also -between the male and the female stock-dove, and not between two males. -If so, the origin of the conflict is, probably, in all such cases--as -it certainly has been in those which I have witnessed--the desires -of the male bird, to which he tries to make the female submit. That -she, in the very midst of resisting, taken, as it would seem, "in her -heart's extremest hate," should yet bow to her would-be ravisher seems -strange, but she certainly does so. Whether it would be more or less -strange that two male birds, whilst fiercely contending, should act in -this way, I will leave to my readers to decide, and thus settle the -nature of these curious ceremonious encounters and their graceful and -interesting aerial continuations, to their own satisfaction.[3] - -[3] With this suggestion, however, that fighting may be blended with -sexual display in the combats of male birds owing to association of -ideas, for rivalry is the main cause of such combats. - -However it may be, the bow itself--which I will now notice more -fully--is certainly of a nuptial character, and is seen in its greatest -perfection only when the male stock-dove courts the female. This he -does by either flying or walking up to her and bowing solemnly till -his breast touches the ground, his tail going up at the same time to -an even more than corresponding height, though with an action less -solemn. The tail in its ascent is beautifully fanned, but it is not -spread out flat like a fan, but arched, which adds to the beauty of -its appearance. As it is brought down it closes again, but, should the -bow be followed up, it is instantly again fanned out and sweeps the -ground, as its owner, now risen from his prostrate attitude, with head -erect and throat swelled, makes a little rush towards the object of -his desires. The preliminary bow, however, is more usually followed -by another, or by two or three others, each one being a distinct and -separate affair, the bird remaining with his head sunk and tail raised -and fanned for some seconds before rising to repeat. Thus it is not -like two or three little bobs--which is the manner of wooing pursued by -the turtle-dove--but there is one set bow, to which but one elevation -and depression of the tail belongs, and the offerer of it must not only -regain his normal upright attitude, but remain in it for a perceptible -period before making another. This bow, therefore, is of the most -impressive and even solemn nature, and expresses, as much as anything -in dumb show can express, "Madam, I am your most devoted." - -I believe--but I am not sure, and quite ready to be corrected--that the -stock-dove's bow is either a silent one, or, at least, that the note -uttered is subdued--the latter seems the more probable. At any rate, I -was never able to catch it, either when watching on the warrens at a -greater or less distance, or when not so far, amongst trees--for the -stock-dove woos also amongst the leafy woods, as does the wood-pigeon, -of which it is a smaller replica, but without the ring. "The male -wood-pigeon, when courting, bows to the female lengthways along the -branch on which he is sitting, elevating his tail at the same time, -in just the same way as does the stock-dove. As he does so, he says -'coo-oo-oo,' the last syllable being long drawn out, and having a very -intense expression, with a rise in the tone of it, sometimes almost to -the extent of becoming a soft shrillness. Having delivered himself of -this long 'coo-oo-oo,' he says several times together in an undertone, -and very quickly, 'coo, coo, coo coo,' or 'coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, -coo, coo,' after which, rising, and then bowing again, he recommences -with the long-drawn, impassioned 'coo-oo-oo,' as before. All this he -repeats several times, the number, probably, depending on whether -the female bird stays to hear his addresses or, as is usual in the -contrary, flies away. If she admits them pairing may take place, and at -the conclusion of it both birds utter a peculiar, low, deep, and very -raucous note which I have heard on this occasion, but on no other." - -If the courting of the female stock-dove by the male whilst on the -ground, or amongst the branches of a tree, is of a somewhat heavy -nature--more pompous than beautiful--as is, I think, the case, it is -lightened in the most graceful manner by the aerial intermezzos--the -broidery of the theme--which charmingly relieve and set it off; for -often, "after bowing and walking together a little, near, but not -touching--a Hermia and Lysander distance--both rise, both mount, attain -a height, then pause, and, as from the summit of some lofty precipice, -descend on outspread joy-wings in a very music of motion. It is pretty, -too, to watch two of them flying together and then alighting, when one -instantly bows before the other with _empressé_ mien. Before, you have -not known which was which, or who was escorting the other. Now you feel -sure that it is _he_--the _empressé_, the pompously bowing bird--who -has taken _her_--the retiring, the coy one--for a little fly." For -though it is undoubted that the female stock-dove bows to the male, -yet, in courting, it is the male, I believe, who commences and carries -it to a fine art. - -There are no birds surely--or, at least, not many--who can sport more -gracefully in the air than these. "One is sitting and cooing almost -in a rabbit-burrow, and so close to a rabbit there that it looks like -a little call. Sure enough, too, after a while, the bird, who, of -course, is the visitor, rises--but into the air _sans cérémonie_--and -makes as though to fly away. But having gone only a little distance, -with quick strokes of the wings, it rests upon their expanded surface, -and, in a lovely easy sweep, sails round again in the direction from -whence it started. It passes beyond the place, the wings now again -pulsating, then makes another wide sweep of grace and comes down near -where it was before. In a little it again rises, again sweeps and -circles, and again descends in the neighbourhood. Another now appears, -flying towards it, and as it passes over where the first is sitting, -this one rises into the air to meet it. They approach, glide from each -other, again approach, and thus alternately widening and narrowing the -distance between them, one at length goes down, the other passing on -to alight, at last, at that distance which the etiquette of the affair -prescribes. This circling flight on swiftly resting wings is most -beautiful. The pausing sweep, the lazy onwardness, the marriage, as it -were, of rest and speed is a delicious thing, another sense, a delicate -purged voluptuousness, a very banquet to the eye." Such beauty-flights -are almost always in the early morning, when appreciative persons are -mostly in bed, seen only by the dull eye of some warrener walking to -find and kill the beasts that have lain tortured in his traps all -night, exciting (if any) but a murderous thought at the time, with the -after-reflection, "If I'd a had a gun now----" - -Stock-doves, as is well known, often choose rabbit-burrows to lay -their eggs in, and, having regard to their powers of flight and -arborial aptitudes, it might be thought that but for the rabbits they -would never be seen on these open, sandy tracts, the abode of the -peewit, stone-curlew, ringed plover, red-legged partridge, and other -such waste-haunting species. But the nesting habits of a bird must -follow its general ones almost necessarily in the first instance, and -though there are many apparently striking instances to the contrary, -they are probably to be explained by the former having remained fixed -whilst the latter have changed. No doubt, therefore, the stock-dove -began to spend much of its time on the ground before it thought of -laying its eggs there, and of the facilities offered by rabbit-holes -for so doing. That the habits as well as the organisms of all living -creatures are in a more or less plastic and fluctuating state is, I -believe, a conclusion come to by Darwin, and it agrees entirely with -the little I have been able to observe in regard to birds. I have seen -the robin redbreast become a wagtail or stilt-walker, the starling a -wood-pecker or fly-catcher, the tree-creeper also a fly-catcher, the -wren an accomplished tree-creeper, the moor-hen a partridge or plover, -and so on, and so on, all such instances having been noted down by me -at the time. Most birds are ready to vary their habits suddenly and -_de novo_ if they can get a little profit on the transaction, and the -extent to which they have varied gradually in a long course of time and -under changed conditions is, of course, a commonplace after Darwin. -The wood-pigeon has not yet begun to lay its eggs in rabbit-holes or -anywhere but in trees and bushes, but that it may some day do so is not -improbable, for it comes down sometimes, though not very frequently, -on the same sandy wastes that are loved by the stock-dove, and here, -like him, the male will court the female as though on the familiar -bough.[4] When I have seen him courting her thus on the ground, the -low bow which he makes her has been prefaced by one or more curious -hops, which I have not seen in the stock-dove's courting. They look -curious because they are so out of character, hopping being, as far as -I know, a mode of progression foreign to all the _columbidæ_. Whether -the wood-pigeon hops upon any other occasion I cannot be sure. If he -does not--and it is certainly not his usual habit--his adoption of it -here may be looked upon as a purely nuptial antic. In this the lark, -which is also a stepping and not a hopping bird, keeps him company, -as would the cormorant, were it not that he hops often as a matter -of convenience. Larks I have not seen hop in everyday life, though -sometimes I have thought that they did when running quickly over -ploughed land in winter, as starlings often do when they break from -a run which has become too quick for them into a running hop. But I -came to the conclusion that this was only apparent, and due to their -up and down motion over the clods of earth. A hop is quite foreign to -the lark's disposition, yet, when courting, "the male bird advances -upon the female with wings drooped, crest and tail raised, and with -a series of impressive hops." The hop of the wood-pigeon, under -similar circumstances, is of a heavy and deliberate nature, as might -be expected his build and size, and has the same set and formal from -character as the bow which immediately follows it. - -[4] The same remark applies to the turtle-dove. - -The turtle-dove bows too, in courtship, but it is a series of quick -little bows, or, rather bobs, which he makes to his _fiancée_ instead -of one or more slower and much more imposing ones. Essentially, -however, it is the same thing. The pace has been quickened and the -interval lessened, whilst, to allow of the increased speed, the bow -itself has been shorn of much of its pomp and circumstance, so that -it has become, as I say, a mere bob. The turtle-dove may perform some -half-dozen or more of these bobs, taking less time, perhaps, to get -through them than do his larger relatives to achieve one of their -solemn and formal bows. Still he is pompous too, he bends down low at -the shrine, and though each little bob may not be much in itself, yet, -when thus strung together, the display as a whole is equal to the other -two. - -All the time he is thus bowing or bobbing the turtle-dove utters a -deep, rolling, musical note which is continuous (or sounds so), and -does not cease till he has got back into his more everyday attitude. -The hen looks sometimes surprised, sometimes as though she had expected -it, and sometimes, I think,--but of this I am not quite positive--she -will return the little series of musical bobs. This is in tree-land; -but I have seen the turtle-dove court on the ground, and he then, -between his bobbings, made a curious dancing step towards the female, -who retired and gave her final answer by flying away. But, besides -this, these birds have another and most charming nuptial disportment. -Sitting _à deux_ in some high tree, one of them will every now and -again fly out of it, mount upwards, make one or two circling sweeps -around and above it, then, after remaining poised for some seconds, -descend on spread wings in the most graceful manner, alighting on -the same branch beside the waiting partner. This is a beautiful thing -to see, and especially in the early fresh morning of a clear, lovely -day. It seems then as if the bird kept flying up to greet "the early -rising sun," or as rejoicing in the beauty of all things. These are -the coquetries, the prettinesses of loving couples, as to which--on -one side at least--what has not been said by the writers of our clumsy -race! But "if the lions were sculptors"--How might a bird novelist -expatiate! - -[Illustration: _Turtle-Doves: The Nuptial Flight._] - -Not less beautiful is the nuptial flight of the wood-pigeon. Of -this, the clapping of the wings above the back is the most salient -feature, a sound which is never heard during the winter or after the -breeding-season is fairly over. In full flight, the bird smites its -wings two or three times smartly together above the back, then, holding -them extended and motionless, it seems to pause for one instant--if -there can be pause in swiftest motion--before sinking and then rising -and sinking again, as does a wave, or as though it rested on an aerial -switchback. Then continuing his flight--recommencing, that is to say, -the strokes of his wings--he may do the same when he has gone a few -air-fields farther, and so "pass in music out of sight." Sometimes -there will be only a single clap of the wings instead of two or -three,[5] but always it is made just before the still-spreading of -them, and the hanging pause in the air; for let the speed be never -so great--and it hardly seems possible that it could be checked so -suddenly, and why should the bird wish to check it?--yet the effect -upon the eye of the wings extended and motionless after they have -been pulsating so rapidly is as of a pause. This pause, or rather -this rest-in-speed, as the bird, renouncing all effort, is carried -swiftly and placidly onwards in a curve of the extremest beauty has -a delicious effect upon one. One's spirit goes out until one seems -to be with the bird oneself, hanging and sweeping as it does. Yet in -this glory of motion it will often be shot by beings, in all grace and -beauty and poetry of life, how infinitely its inferiors! This makes -me think of Darwin's comment upon Bate's account of a humming-bird -caught and killed by a huge Brazilian spider, wherein the destroyer and -the victim--"one, perhaps, the loveliest, the other the most hideous -in the scale of creation"[6]--are contrasted. Spiders, too, had they -their Phidiases, might be idealised and made to look quite beautiful -in marble, even perhaps to our eyes (what cannot genius do?) whilst -to their own, of course, the _spider_ form would be "the spider form -divine." - -[5] Sometimes, too, not any, the flight being the same. - -[6] I quote from memory. - -Wood-pigeons will also fly circling about above the trees in which -they have been sitting, in rapid pursuit of each other, and whilst -doing so, one or other of them may be heard to make a very pronounced -swishing or beating sound with the wings, reminding one of the peewit, -nightjar, and a great many other birds. Of instrumental music produced -during flight, the snipe is a familiar example. Here, however, the very -peculiar and highly specialised sound known as bleating or drumming is -produced, not by the feathers of the wing, but by those of the tail, -which have been specially modified, as we may suppose (those, at least, -of us who are believers in that force), by a process of musical sexual -selection. To quote Darwin: "No one was able to explain the cause until -Mr Meves observed that on each side of the tail the outer feathers are -peculiarly formed, having a stiff sabre-shaped shaft with the oblique -barbs of unusual length, the outer webs being strongly bound together. -He found that by blowing on these feathers, or by fastening them to -a long thin stick and waving them rapidly through the air, he could -reproduce the drumming noise made by the living bird. Both sexes are -furnished with these feathers, but they are generally larger in the -male than in the female, and emit a deeper note." - -The possibility of reproducing the sound in the manner described seems -conclusive as to the cause of it. Otherwise I should have come to the -conclusion, by watching the bird, that the wings and not the tail were -the agency employed. - -"I have just been watching for some time a snipe continually coursing -through the air and making, at intervals, the well-known drumming or -bleating sound,--bleating certainly seems to me the word which best -expresses its quality. The wings are constantly and quickly quivered, -not only when the bird rises or flies straight forward, but also during -its swift oblique descents, when one might expect that they would be -held rigid in the ordinary manner. From each sweep down the bird rises -and beats again upwards, but when the flight has been continued long -enough the wings are pressed to the sides as the plunge to earth is -made, which is also one way in which the lark descends. It is during -these downward flights--but not during the descent to earth--that -the sound strikes the ear. A second bird flies, to my surprise and -interest, quite differently. After scudding about for some little -time in a devious side-to-side pathway, less up and down, as it seems -to me, than the other, it suddenly tilts itself sideways, or almost -sideways--one wing pointing skywards, the other earthwards--and makes -a rapid swoop down, with the wings not beating. I watch it doing this -time after time, both with the naked eye and through the glasses, and -each time that the swoop is made no bleating or other sound accompanies -it: the flight is noiseless, like that of an ordinary bird. Two other -snipes are now flying about in this latter way and chasing each other. -At first--and this included a great many sweeps down--I heard no sound. -Afterwards I thought I heard it faintly sometimes, but could not be -sure that it was not made by another bird--a frequent difficulty in -watching snipe." Again, "A snipe is standing alone 'in the melancholy -marshes,' quite still, and uttering the creaky, see-sawey note. I can -see the two long mandibles of the beak dividing slightly and again -closing. The note is now thin and subdued, but, the bird taking flight -suddenly, it becomes much accentuated. It joins two other birds in the -air, and all three now sport and pursue each other about, constantly -uttering this cry, but bleating only occasionally. I am lying flat on -the ground, and they often fly close about and over me, the light, too, -being good, it being all before 5.40, and not much after 5, perhaps, -when it commenced (this was April 4th). I note that they often descend -through the air without vibrating the wings, and there is then no -bleating sound--this whilst quite close. I think--but am not yet quite -sure--that they sometimes descend in this way uttering the cry. When -they bleat, however, there is never the cry at the same time. It is -impossible to tell when these birds are going to alight, as they often -descend in the manner that they use when alighting, but, when almost -down, skim a little just over the ground, and, rising again, continue -their flight as before. Yet that they have had it in their mind to -alight I feel sure, for they always do so with that particular action." - -Since, then, the snipe has two ways of making his rapid descents -through the air, in one of which he quivers his wings and in the -other not, and since, on the latter occasion, the bleat is not heard -or, if heard, only faintly, it would be natural to suppose that the -sound--if not vocal--was produced by the rapidly vibrating feathers -of the wing when in swift downward motion rather than by those of the -tail, which should not, one would think, be affected by the difference. -Also the fact of the vocal note not being uttered at the same time -as the bleat might make one think that this, too, was vocal. Such -arguments, however, would be at best but "poor seemings and thin -likelihoods"--the last one, I believe, not supported by what we know -(at least I cannot at the moment think of a bird that produces vocal -and instrumental music at the same time). If the sound can really be -reproduced by waving the modified feathers of the tail, then this is a -demonstration.[7] - -[7] I have lately observed that when the snipe descends with quivering -wings, some outer feathers of the tail on each side are shot out from -it in a most noticeable manner, making--or looking like--two little -curved tufts. They are not seen before, which seems to me strong -evidence. The tail itself is fanned. - -Snipe, as already observed, descend to the ground in order to alight -upon it in a manner quite different to the oblique downward-shooting -sweeps, with wings extended, whether vibrating or not, as practised -in ordinary nuptial flight. There are three ways, possibly more; but -three I have seen. In the first the bird shoots gracefully down, with -the wings pressed to the sides, as already described. In the second the -wings are raised straight, or almost straight, above the back, and this -gives, perhaps, a still more graceful appearance. The third way is not -nearly so usual a one as the other two--in fact, I only recall having -seen it once. In this the wings are but half spread (whilst held in -the ordinary manner) and motionless, and the bird descends in several -sweeps to one side or the other, something after the manner in which -a kite comes to the ground. No sound attends any of these forms of -descent. - -The cry of the snipe which I have alluded to, is of a curious -nature, something like the word "chack-wood, chack-wood, chack-wood, -chack-wood," constantly repeated, and having a regular rise and fall -in it, which is why I call it a "see-saw note." Sometimes, when the -bird is a little way off, it sounds very much like a swishing of the -wings; but when these are really swished, as they often are--purposely, -I believe, and as a nuptial performance--the difference is at once -apparent. "Two snipes will often fly chasing each other, uttering this -note, and making from time to time the loud swishing with the wings. -Often, too, there will be a short, harsh cry--harsh, but with that -wild, loved harshness that lives in the notes of birds that haunt the -waste--which is instantly followed by a swishing of the wings, making -quite a music in the air. When at its loudest and harshest, this cry, -which then becomes a scream, is quite an extraordinary sound, having -a mewing intonation in it suggesting a cat as the performer. Yet it -is nothing so extraordinary as some notes of the snipe which I have -heard, mostly during the winter, and which are indeed--at least they -have struck me as being so--amongst the most wonderful that ever -issued from the throat of bird. I will recur to them again when I -come to the moor-hen (for it was in his company I heard them), a bird -that is itself as a whole orchestra of peculiar brazen instruments. -These wild cries and screams blend harmoniously with the curious, -monotonous, yet musical bleating, and come finely out of the gloom -of the evening thickening into night, as it descends over the wide -expanse of the fenlands. Best heard then--and there: the darkening sky, -the wide and wind-swept waste of coarse tufted grass, amongst which -brown dock-stalks stand tall-ly and thinly, the long, raised bank with -its thin belt of reeds beyond, emphasising rather than relieving the -flatness, the lonely thorn-bush, the stunted willow or two, the black -line of alders marking the course of the sluggish river, the wind, the -sad whispered music in the grasses, the wilder music in the air, the -aloneness, the drearness--such voices fit such scenes." - -The male and female snipe both bleat, but the feathers in the tail -which produce the sound are less modified in the female, and the sound -which they produce is said to be different in consequence. That there -must be a difference would seem to follow of necessity; but, according -to my own experience, it requires a nice ear to distinguish the -bleating of the one sex from that of the other. There is, indeed, some -slight difference in the sound made by each individual snipe, but I -only once remember hearing one bleating with a markedly different tone. -Here the sound had a lower, softer, and deeper intonation, and was, to -my mind, a more musical sound altogether. When heard just before or -after the bleat of another snipe the difference was very marked, but I -considered it to be rather an individual than a sexual distinction, for -I do not know that there is any reason to suppose that the female snipe -bleats less frequently than the male except when she is sitting on her -eggs. - -Snipe, when bleating, fly round and round in a wide irregular circle, -and for a long time one will not overstep the invisible boundary so as -to encroach upon the domain of the other. It seems--but the illusion -will be broken after a time--as though each bird had his allotment -in the fields of air and knew that he would be guilty of a rudeness -in entering that of another. Thus, though three or four of them may -be flying and bleating in the neighbourhood, it is often difficult -to watch more than one at a time with anything like closeness of -observation, a difficulty which is often increased by the failing -light; for, in my own experience, snipe bleat best either in the -early--though not very early--morning, or when evening has begun to -close in. To follow their wide, swift, eccentric circle of flight one -must keep turning round on a fixed point, and this, amidst swamp and -grass-tufts, is difficult to do without losing one's balance. Yet -still one watches and turns and strains one's eyes into the darkness, -unable to go, for one loves to see that small, swift, vocal shadow -appearing out of the great, still, silent ones and disappearing, again, -into them. When thus disporting, each within its own charmed circle, -the downward rush and bleat of one snipe will often for a long time -immediately precede or follow that of another, bleat answering to -bleat, till at length the duet is broken and complicated by a third -intermingling voice. At last a bird, trampling on etiquette, will flit -into the circle of the one you are watching, and the two, excitedly -pursuing each other with "chack-wood, chack-wood," or, with the harsh, -wild scream and loud swish of pinions, will speed off and vanish -together. - -No doubt the male snipes bleat against each other in rivalry, but it -would also seem (a sentence, I confess, which I never use when I have -an undoubted instance to give) that the male and female bleat to one -another connubially, or in a lover-like manner. Here, however, is an -instance (as I translate it) of the one bleating whilst the other sits -listening and responding vocally on the ground. - -"A snipe flies with a scream over the marshy meadows. As he passes one -little swampy bit another snipe utters from out of it the see-sawey, -'chack-wood' note, in answer, as it appears, to the scream. The first -snipe now flies round about over the meadows and land adjoining, -bleating, whilst the other one in the grass continues to see-saw." - -Many birds, as is well known, have the instinct, when suddenly -discovered with their young ones, of tumbling over or fluttering along -the ground as though they had sustained some injury which had rendered -them unable to fly, so that the murderous or thievish longings of "the -paragon of animals" being diverted from their progeny to themselves, -the former may take thought and escape. The nightjar, partridge, and, -especially, the wild-duck, are good instances of this, and in every -case where I have come upon them under the requisite conditions they -have never failed to show me their shrewd estimate of man's nature. -With all these three birds, however, it has always been the presence -of the young that has moved them to act in this manner, their conduct -during incubation being quite different. The instance which I am now -going to bring forward with regard to the snipe has this peculiarity, -if it be one, that the bird was hatching her eggs at the time and was -still engaged in doing so a few days afterwards, proving that the young -were not just on the point of coming out on the occasion when she was -first disturbed. As I noted all down the instant after its occurrence, -the reader may rely upon having here just exactly what this snipe did. - -"This morning a snipe flew out of some long reedy grass within a few -feet of me, and almost instantly taking the ground again--but now on -the smooth, green meadow--spun round over it, now here, now there, its -long bill lying along the ground as though it were the pivot on which -it turned, and uttering loud cries all the while. Having done this for -a minute or so, it lay, or rather crouched, quite still on the ground, -its head and beak lying along it, its neck outstretched, its legs bent -under it, with the body rising gradually, till the posterior part, with -the tail, which it kept fanned out, was right in the air. And in this -strange position it kept uttering a long, low, hoarse note, which, -together with its whole demeanour, seemed to betoken great distress. It -remained thus for some minutes before flying away, during which time -I stood still, watching it closely, and when it was gone, soon found -the nest, with four eggs in it, in the grass-tuft from which it had -flown. Its action whilst spinning over the ground was very like that -of the nightjar when put up from her young ones." It is to be noted -here that this snipe flew a very little way from the nest, and when on -the ground did not travel over it to any extent, but only in a small -circle just at first, after which it kept in one place. The Arctic skua -(Richardson's skua, as some call it, but I hate such appropriative -titles--as though a species could be any man's property!) behaves in -the same kind of way, for, lying along on its breast, with its wings -spread out and beating the ground, it utters plaintive little pitiful -cries, keeping always in the same, or nearly the same, spot. This -has, of course, the effect of drawing one's attention to the bird, -and away from the eggs or young (whether it acts thus in regard to -both I am not quite sure, but believe that it does), but the effect -produced on one--though here, of course, as throughout, I only speak -for myself--is that the bird is in great mental distress--prostrated -as it were--rather than acting with any conscious "intent to deceive." -The same is the case with the nightjar, whose sudden spinning about -over the ground in a manner much more resembling a maimed bluebottle -or cockchafer than a bird, seems to proceed from some violent nervous -shock or mental disturbance. The same, too, though in a lesser degree, -may be said of the partridge, and in all cases it is obvious that the -bird is very much excited and _ausser sich_. - -Darwin, if I remember rightly,[8] found it difficult to believe that -birds, when they thus distract our attention from their young to -themselves, do so with a full consciousness of what they are doing and -why they are doing it. When the female wild-duck, however, acts in this -manner, it is difficult, I think, to escape from this conclusion. She -flaps for a long way over the surface of the water, pausing every now -and again and waiting, as though to see the effect of her ruse, and -continuing her tactics as soon as you get up to her. Having thus led -you a long distance away, she rises, and leaving the river, flies in -an extended circle, which will ultimately bring her back to it by the -other bank when you are well out of the way. The chicks, meanwhile, -have (of course) scuttled in amongst the reeds and rushes, though they -often take some little while to conceal themselves. She acts thus on -a river or broad stretch of water, which enables her to keep you in -sight for some time. But it is obvious that if you come upon her with -her family in a very narrow and sharply winding stream, the first bend -of it will hide you from her, and she would then, assuming that she -is acting intelligently, have all the agony of mind of not knowing -whether her plan was succeeding or not. It was in such a situation -that I met her only last spring, and to my surprise--and indeed, -admiration--instead of flapping along the water as I have always known -her to do before in such a _contre-temps_, she instantly flew out on -to the opposite bank, and began to flap and struggle along the flat -marshy meadow-land, of course in full view. I crossed the stream and -pursued her, allowing her to "fool me to the top of my bent," and -this she appeared to me to do, or to think she was doing, on much the -same kind of _indicia_ as one would go by in the case of a man. Now, -unless this bird had wished to keep me in view, and thus judge of the -effect of her stratagem, or unless she feared that "out of sight" -would be "out of mind" with regard to herself (but this would be to -credit her with yet greater powers of reflection), why should she have -left the water, the element in which she usually and most naturally -performs these actions, to modify them on the land? Yet to suppose -that it has ever occurred suddenly, and as a new idea, to any bird to -act a pious fraud of this kind, would be to suppose wonders, and also -to be unevolutionary (almost as serious a matter nowadays as to be -un-English). - -[8] But I have not been able to find the passage, so may be mistaken. - -But may we not think that an act, which in its origin has been of a -nervous and, as it were, pathological character, has become, in time, -blended with intelligence, and that natural selection has not only -picked out those birds who best performed a mechanical action--which, -though it sprung merely from mental disturbance, was yet of a -beneficial nature--but also those whose intelligence began after a time -to enable them to see whereto such action tended, and thus consciously -to guide and improve it? There is evidence, I believe--though neither -space nor the nature of this slight work will allow me to go into -it--that such abnormal mental states as of old inspired "the pale-eyed -priest from the prophetic cell," and to-day influence priests or -medicine-men amongst savages (to go no farther), can be, and are, -combined with ordinary shrewd intelligence; nor does it seem too much -to suppose that a bird that was always seeing the effect of what it -did when it, as it were, fell into hysterics, should have come in time -to reckon upon the hysterics, to know what they were good for, and -even to some extent to direct them--as a great actor in an emotional -scene must govern himself in the main, though, probably, a great deal -of the gesture, action, and facial expression is unconsciously and -spontaneously performed. - -Now, if we assume that these ruses employed by birds for the protection -of their young--as in the case of the wild-duck--have commenced in -purely involuntary movements, without any proposed object, the instance -here given of the snipe may perhaps throw some light upon their origin. -A bird, whilst incubating, and thus, hour after hour, doing violence -to its active and energetic disposition, is under the influence of a -strong force in opposition to and overcoming the forces which usually -govern it. Its mental state may be supposed to be a highly-wrought and -tense one, and it therefore does not seem surprising that some sudden -surprise and startle at such a time, by rousing a force opposite to -that under the control of which it then is, and producing thereby -a violent conflict, should throw it off its mental balance and so -produce something in the nature of hysteria or convulsions. But let -this once take place with anything like frequency in the case of any -bird, and natural selection will begin to act. As the eggs of a -bird are stationary, and do not run away or seek shelter whilst the -parent bird is thus behaving in their neighbourhood, it would, on the -whole, be better for it to sit close or to fly away in an ordinary and -non-betraying manner. Allowing this, then, as the eggs of a bird would -be less exposed to danger the less often the sitting bird went off them -in this way, might not natural selection keep throwing the impulse -to do so farther and farther backwards till after the incubatory -process was completed? Then the tendency would be encouraged--at -least in the case of birds whose young can early get about--for, as -a rule, such antics would shield them better than sitting still. The -young would generally be in several places--giving as many chances of -discovery--and, on account of the suddenness of the surprise, would -often be running or otherwise exposing themselves. Take, for instance, -the case of the wild-duck, where I have always found the brood a most -conspicuous object at first, and taking some time, even on reedy -rivers, to get into concealment. - -And I can see no reason why an aiding intelligence in the performance -of such movements should not be selected _pari passu_ with the -movements themselves, though of a nervous and, originally, purely -automatic character. Natural selection would, in this way, develop a -special intelligence in the performance of some special actions, out of -proportion to the general intelligence of the creature performing them, -though, no doubt, this also would tend to be thereby enlarged. And this -is what, in fact, we often do see or seem to see. - -I may add that when, a few days afterwards, I again approached this -same nest the bird went off it without any performance of the sort. -This, if we could be sure that it was the same bird, would seem to show -that the habit was in an unfixed and fluctuating condition. On the -other hand, a bird that acts thus in the case of its young, would, I -think, always act so. - -Perhaps it may be wondered why I have not included the peewit in the -list of birds which employ, or appear to employ, a ruse in favour of -their young ones, since this bird is always given as the stock instance -of it. The reason is, that whilst the birds I mentioned have always, -in my experience, gone off, so to speak, like clock-work, when the -occasion for it arrived, I have never known a peewit to do so, though -I have probably disturbed as many scores--perhaps hundreds--of them, -under the requisite conditions, as I have units of the others. I have -also inquired of keepers and warreners, and found their experience to -tally with mine. They have spoken of the cock bird "leading you astray" -aerially, whilst the hen sits on the nest, and of both of them flying, -with screams, close about your head when the young are out, which -statements I have often verified. But they have never professed to -have seen a peewit flapping over the ground as with a broken wing, in -the way it is so constantly said to do. I cannot, therefore, but think -that, by some chance or other, an action common to many birds has been -particularly, and yet wrongly, ascribed to the peewit. As it seems to -me, this is just one of those cases where negative evidence is almost -as strong as affirmative, and though, of course, quite ready to accept -any properly witnessed instance of the peewit's acting in this way, I -cannot but conclude that it does so very rarely indeed. - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -Watching Wheatears, Dabchicks, Oyster-catchers, etc. - - -The wheatear is common over the warren-lands, and as I have been so -fortunate as to witness for a whole afternoon, and very closely, a -series of combined displays and combats on the part of two rival males, -which struck me as very interesting, and as bearing on the question of -sexual selection, I will give the account _in extenso_, as I noted it -down from point to point between the intervals of following the birds -about on my hands and knees. Should the narrative be tedious--and it -is, I confess, somewhat minute--I need not ask my readers to absolve -nature and give me the blame of it, for I am assured that anyone in -the least degree interested in birds and their ways might have lain and -watched these bizarreries a hundred times repeated, without wishing to -get up and go. My observations were made on the last day but one of -March, and are as follows:-- - -"2.30 (about).--Two male wheatears have for some time been hopping -about in each other's company, and one now makes a hostile -demonstration against the other. This he does by advancing and lowering -the head, with the beak pointed straight forward, ruffling out the -feathers, fanning the tail, and making a sudden, swift run towards him. -He stops, however, before the point of actual contact, and the two -birds hop about, each affecting to think very little about the other." -The wheatear, I should say, always hops, and, by so doing, always give -me something of a surprise, for there is that in his appearance which -does not suggest hopping, but rather that he would run over the ground -like a wagtail. His hops, however, are so quick, and take him forward -so smoothly, that the effect on the eye is often much more like running -than hopping. I therefore often speak of him as running, though, I -believe, he never does so in the strict sense of the word. To continue. -"After some time, during which there was nothing specially noteworthy -in their behaviour, the two birds flew, one after the other, to some -little distance off on a higher and more sandy part of the warren, and -here a female wheatear appeared, hopping near them. One of the males at -once ran to her, but had instantly to fly before the fierce wrath of -the other. The hen then flew to a stunted willow in the neighbourhood, -where she sat perched amongst the topmost twigs, the males not -following her, but continuing to hop about in each other's vicinity -as before. She remained there some five or ten minutes, when she flew -out over the warrens, and with my attention concentrated on the rival -birds, I lost her, and cannot say where she went down. - -"One of the male wheatears now enters a shallow depression in the -ground--not a hole, or the mouth of a rabbit-burrow, but one of -those natural fallings away of the soil which make rugged and give -a character to these sandy, lichen-clothed wastes. As soon as he is -in it he seems to become excited, and running forward and coming out -on the opposite brink, he flies from this to the one by which he has -entered, hardly two feet off, then instantly back again, again to the -other, and so backwards and forwards some dozen or twenty times, so -rapidly that he makes of himself a little arch in the air constantly -spanning the hollow, all in the greatest excitement. Finishing here, -he runs a little way to another such depression, enters it, and coming -out again, acts in precisely the same way, making the same little -rapidly moving arch of two black up-and-down-pointed wings, moving now -this way, now that, now forwards, now backwards, from edge to edge of -the trough, perching each time on each edge of it, but so quickly, it -seems rather to be on the points of the wings than the feet that he -comes down. Wings are all one sees; they whirl forwards and backwards, -backwards and forwards, making a little arch or bridge, the highest -point of which, in the centre--which is the point of the upper wing--is -some two feet from the floor of the trough, whilst the point of the -lower one almost touches it. All this time the other male bird is quite -near, but seems to take little notice of the performance. At length the -frenzied one desists from his madness of motion, and the two now hop -about over the warren as before, closely in each other's company. In -some ten minutes or so there is the same display--or rather frenzy--but -whether made by the same bird or the other one I am unable to say. This -time it commences on the even turf and not in a hollow, but after a -few throws the bird finds one and throws, thenceforth, over that." I -have seen, I think, a Japanese acrobat throw a wonderful succession of -somersaults backwards and forwards within his own length. With the bird -there was no somersault, but the effect was something the same. The -man's body also presented the appearance of an arch in the air (as when -one vibrates a lighted joss-stick from side to side), but, as the bird -moved much more quickly, the resemblance in its case was more perfect. - -"Once or twice again, now, one of the two birds acts in the same way, -always seeming to prefer to do so over a depression in the ground. -One then flies up a little way into the air, descends again, and, -on alighting, instantly recommences as before, again, I think, over -a slight hollow. The motion is equally violent, but not so long -continued, some seven or eight flings, perhaps, in all. At the end of -it he stops still, advances the head straight forwards, lowering it a -trifle, swells the feathers, and broadly fans the tail. Then the two -birds fly at each other, but almost in the act of closing they part, -with a little twitter, and commence hopping over the warren as before. -It is a constant little run of hops, a pause, and then another little -run of hops, each bird following the other about in turn, the distance -between them being, as a rule, from two or three feet to five or six -paces. - -"3.10.--Another little fly up into the air, followed by the frenzied -dance on descending. Then the two come together in the mouth of a -rabbit-burrow, fly at each other as before, separate again almost -immediately, and continue their hopping over the warren, the one still -dogging the other. - -"3.30.--The two fly at each other as though to fight; but, again, just -as they seem about to meet, they avoid, and quicker than the eye can -follow they are a yard or so apart. One of them then dances violently -from one depression of the soil to another, arching the space between -the two; at the end of it he fans out the tail and stands looking -defiantly at his rival, who fans his and returns the glance, then makes -a little run towards him, sweeping the ground with it. Instead of -fighting, however, which both the champions seem to be chary of, one of -them again runs into a hollow--this time a very shallow one--and begins -to dance, but in a manner slightly different. He now hardly rises from -the ground, over which he seems more to spin in a strange sort of -way than to fly--to buzz, as it were--in a confined area, and with a -tendency to go round and round.[9] Having done this a little, he runs -quickly from the hollow, plucks a few little bits of grass, returns -with them into it, drops them there, comes out again, hops about as -before, flies up into the air, descends, and again dances about. - -[9] Very like the action of the nightjar when disturbed with the young -chicks. - -"At about four the female reappears, flying from the warren towards the -same willow-tree where she had before sat. She perches in it again, and -after remaining but a short time, flies down, and once more becomes -invisible. Shortly afterwards one of the male birds flies to a little -distance, but whether towards her or not I cannot say. He then rises -into the air and descends with a twittering song, upon which the other -one, who has remained where he was, does so too. The two are now a good -way apart, but the distance is soon diminished till they are again -quite near, when one of them flies away, then turns and flies back -again and settles not quite so near. As he does so, the other one flies -in an opposite direction, and at the end of his flight rises into the -air with the twitter-song and descends, when the other immediately does -the same, just as before. Then again they hop, now this way, now that -way, but always diminishing the distance, till at length not more than -some three or four feet separates them. But it must not be supposed -(and this applies throughout) that the birds seem to have any sinister -intention, or even any impertinent curiosity, in regard to each other. -They do not advance openly to the attack, but get to close quarters in -a very odd sort of way. Seeming for the most part to be unconscious of -each other's presence, hopping constantly away from and approaching -one another but obliquely, they in reality dog each other's steps and -keep a constant eye on each other's movements. When at length there is -but this short space between them, they stand for a moment looking -at each other, yet without any very warlike demonstration. Then, all -at once, one darts upon the other--so swiftly that I cannot be sure -whether he flies, hops, or does both--and there is now a fierce and -prolonged fight. For a moment or two they are in the air (though not -at any height), then struggling on the ground, when one, getting -uppermost, holds the other down. At last they separate, and for a few -seconds stand close together as though recovering breath. Then, as by -mutual consent, they retire from each other to a short distance and -hop about again in the same manner as before. One of them then again -flies singing into the air, and on coming down dances, but to this -the other does not respond, and now all goes on in the usual way, the -birds getting once or twice again quite close, but separating without -fighting. At half-past four there is another twittering flight into the -air, and a dance on descent, which is emulated in a few minutes by the -rival bird. Shortly afterwards one flies a considerable way off, but is -followed almost at once by the other, and the same thing goes on. Then -there is another flight and song with, this time, no dance on descent, -but, as though to make up for this omission, on the next occasion, -which is some few minutes afterwards, there are two distinct transports -on alighting, separated by a short interval. On this occasion the bird -did not sing either in ascending or descending. - -"Here some other birds claimed my attention, and I was away for a -quarter of an hour. On returning, at a quarter to five, I found the -two wheatears still together, and precisely the same thing going on. -Shortly after five they again fought, but this time entirely in the -air. They mounted, fighting, to a considerable height, descended, -still doing so, and separated in alighting. Afterwards both of them -sang whilst on the ground, and then one mounted up, still singing, and -danced when he came down. At half-past five I could only see one of the -birds, and this one I noticed to run several times in and out of one -of those sandy depressions I have spoken of, and which seem to play -such a part in these curious performances. A little later both of them -seem gone, but now, at a quarter to six, as I am about to follow their -example, I again see them, in company with the hen. She shortly runs a -little away from them, the two males remaining together, but making no -further demonstration. In a little, one of them flies to her, and these -two are now in each other's company, singing, flying, and twittering, -for some ten minutes. It would seem as though she had made her choice, -and that this was submitted to by the rejected bird, but just before -leaving at six o'clock all three are again together." - -It is to be observed here that these two birds, though they were in -active and excited rivalry for the greater part of an afternoon, and -though they made many feints and, as it were, endeavours to fight, -yet only really fought twice, seeming, indeed, to have a considerable -respect for each other's prowess, and "letting I dare not wait upon -I will" during most of the time. Perhaps they were brave, but the -idea given me by the whole thing was that of two cowards trying to -work themselves up into a sufficient degree of fury to overcome, for -a moment or two, their natural timidity. "Willing to wound, but yet -afraid to strike," seemed to me to describe their mental attitude. - -Much has been said as to the pugnacity of birds, but I think that a -large amount of timidity often mingles with this pugnacity, even in -the most pugnacious kinds. I have seen, for instance, two pheasants -sit, first, face to face, pecking timidly at, or rather towards, each -other, and then, on rising, make various little half-hearted feints -and runs, one at another, as though trying to fight and not being -able to, and this for quite a long time. At last one of them ran to -some distance away, and then, turning, made a most tremendous, fiery -rush down upon the other one, like a knight in the tilt-yard. Nothing -could have looked bolder, more spirited, more full of fire and fury, -but--just like these wheatears--at the very moment that he should -have hurled himself upon his foe he swerved timidly aside, and all -his brave carriage was gone in a moment. And what struck me (and, -indeed, as humorous) was that this other bird--the one thus charged -down upon--who had been just as timid, and had seemed to find fighting -equally difficult, did not retreat, as one might have expected, before -this great show, but sat quietly, as knowing it to be "indeed but -show," and that there was nothing really to fear. In fact, it was like -the drawing of swords between Nym and Pistol in _Henry V._, each being -afraid to use his, and knowing the other to be so too. Black-cocks, -again, are often very ready to avoid a conflict, and dance much more -fiercely than they fight. A bird, indeed, which is a very demon in the -"spiel" or "lek-platz" may, as I have seen, become meek and retreat -from it upon the entry of another, which other is then, of course, -_ipso facto_, the boldest bird in existence. Blackbirds are considered -to be quarrelsome,[10] and I know that even the hens--or, perhaps, they -especially--will sometimes fight in the most vindictive manner. But, as -with these wheatears, I have seen in the case of rival cock blackbirds -a great deal of chariness of real fighting mingle with much ostentation -of being ready to fight. - -[10] Whereas the thrush (it is usually added) is peaceable. But this is -one of those passed-on things with which natural history is burdened. -From my own experience, I know it to be otherwise. I have watched -thrushes fighting furiously, not only with one another but with the -blackbird also. - -I am not, of course, disputing the pugnacity of birds during the -breeding season and often at other times. That is quite beyond doubt, -and proofs or instances of it are altogether superfluous. But the -pugnacity is all the greater if, in order for it to assert itself, a -greater or less degree of timidity, varying, of course, in different -species and individuals, must first be overcome. Assuming that this is -sometimes the case (and I know not how else such instances as I have -given are to be explained), is it so unlikely that rival birds, wishing -to fight yet half afraid to, and being thus in a state of great nervous -tension, should fall into certain violent or frenzied movements, into -little paroxysms of fury, as when a man is popularly said to "dance -with rage"? Anything that excites highly tends to exalt the courage and -conquer fear, as we know with our own martial music, to say nothing of -the "pyrrhic" and other dances. It seems possible, therefore, that -such violent movements as are here imagined might have this effect, -and thus, though excited originally by rage--or some high state of -emotion--only, might be persisted in and increased through experience -of their efficacy. But if this does ever happen, may we not have here -the origin--or one of the origins--of those undoubted displays made by -the male bird to the female, on which the theory of sexual selection -is chiefly based? That the male birds should, in the beginning, have -consciously displayed their plumage, in however slight a manner, to -the females, with an idea of it striking them, seems improbable, and, -even if we might assume the intelligence requisite for this, the theory -of sexual selection supposes the beauty of the plumage to have been -gained by the display of it, not that the display has been founded -upon the beauty. Then what should first lead a bird of dull plumage -consciously to display this plumage before the female? A mere habit of -the male, increased and perfected by the selective agency of the female -(as this is explained by Darwin), has hitherto--as far as I know--been -considered a sufficient explanation of the origin and early stages of -such displays as are now made by the great bustard, the various birds -of paradise, or the argus pheasant. But if we can show a likelihood as -to how this habit has arisen we are, at least, a step farther forward, -even if a slight difficulty has not thereby been removed. - -Now, with regard to these wheatears, it will, I think, be admitted that -the little frenzies of the male birds--as I have described them--were -of a very marked, and, indeed, extraordinary nature, and also, -perhaps, that it is more easy to look upon them as sudden bursts of -excitement--nerve-storms or emotional whirlwinds, so to speak--than -as displays intended to attract the attention of the female bird. -Certainly there was nothing like a set display of the plumage; and, -with regard to the female, the question arises, Where was she, at least -during the greater part of the time? The two male birds in the course -of their drama got over a considerable amount of ground, and constantly -flew from one part to another, so that, in order to have had anything -like a good view, the female must have accompanied them, and I must -then, perforce, have seen her, which I did not, except on the occasions -related. She was, therefore, not with them, and, if watching them -at all, could only have been doing so from such a distance that the -dancings of the male birds would have been very much thrown away. Yet -that she took some interest in what was going on appears likely from -her flying up twice into the willow tree during its continuance, and -being with the two rivals at the end of the day. She might, too, have -been listening to the song and observing the flights up into the air, -which would have been much more noticeable from a distance. - -One might expect a female bird to take _some_ interest in two male ones -fighting for her merely, without any adjunct, and if they added to the -fighting peculiar violent movements, such as those here described, that -interest would tend to become increased. Now I can imagine that with -this material of violent motions on the one side and some amount of -interested curiosity on the other, the former might gradually come to -be a display made entirely for the female, and the latter a greater or -lesser degree of pleasurable excitement raised by it with a choice in -accordance, which is sexual selection. And that the display would come -at last to be made intelligently, and with a view to a proposed end--as -in the case supposed of the female wild duck (or other bird) diverting -attention from its young--I can also understand. In both instances mere -nervous movements due to a high state of excitement would have been -directed into a certain channel and then perfected by the agency either -of natural or sexual selection. - -On this view the curiosity (passing insensibly into interest and -satisfaction) of the female bird would have been directed, at first, -not to the plumage but to the frenzied actions--the antics--of the -male, and he, on his part, would have first consciously displayed -only these. From this to the more refined appreciation of colours and -patterns may have been a very gradual process, but one can understand -the one growing out of the other, for waving plumes and fluttering -wings would still be action, and action is emphasised by colour. - -Where, however, such movements had not been seized upon and controlled -by the latter of these two powers--_i.e._ sexual selection--(and there -is no necessity that they should be), we should have antics not in the -nature of sexual display properly speaking, but which might yet bear a -greater or less resemblance to such. That this is, in fact, the case -has been pointed out by the opponents of sexual selection, and often -as if it were evidence against it (though no one, unfortunately, can -point to men as a ground for disbelief in armies). Mr Hudson, for -instance, in his very interesting work, "The Naturalist in La Plata," -after bringing forward a number of cases of curious dance-movements (or -of song), performed by birds, and which are, in his opinion, not to be -explained on the theory of sexual selection, says, in regard to other -cases brought forward by Darwin in support of that theory: - -"How unfair the argument is, based on these carefully selected cases -gathered from all regions of the globe, and often not properly -reported, is seen when we turn from the book[11] to nature, and closely -consider the habits and actions of all the species inhabiting any _one_ -district!" - -[11] But from _which_ "book"? Not, I suppose, from Darwin's alone. - -Now, had Darwin been of opinion that antics performed by a bird which -could not, or could not easily, be explained by his theory, were fatal -to it in other cases--if he had thought that the one was inconsistent -with the other--then, no doubt, it would have been unfair on his -part to have marshalled the affirmative evidence without concerning -himself with the negative. But why should he have held that view, or -on what good grounds can such a view be maintained? As well might it -be argued--so it appears to me--that woollen or other goods could -only have been produced through the action of the loom, or some such -special machinery. But let the wool be there, and it can be worked -up in various ways. Mr Hudson would account for all such displays or -exhibitions by "a universal joyous instinct" present throughout nature, -but to which birds are more subject than mammals. I do not dispute -the instinct--or rather, perhaps, the emotion--or that some of the -displays in question may be due to it simply and solely: but I cannot -believe that all are. Why should this be the case, or how can movements -which are often of a complex and elaborate nature be explained solely -by reference to some large general factor, such as joy or vital energy? -These may lie at the root of all; but something else, some more special -process is, I think, in many cases required. One would not be content -to explain all the phenomena of history by a reference to human nature, -and though it may be true, as the Kaffirs say, that in a cattle-kraal -there can only be one bull, yet nature is a good deal larger than a -cattle-kraal. I believe myself that various antics which are performed -by birds have grown out of various nervous, excited, or automatic -movements arising under the influence of various special causes. Two -such possible causes--viz. (1) sudden alarm whilst incubating, and -(2) paroxysms of rage or nervous excitement during rivalry for the -female I have already indicated. Two other possible ones have also been -suggested to me by some of my observations, and I will now, by the aid -of these, make an attempt--I daresay a lame one--to throw light on the -possible origin of a very extraordinary case of bird-antics, described -by Mr Hudson in the work I have mentioned, and which is believed by him -to be unique. - -The bird in question is the spur-winged lapwing, and the following is -Mr Hudson's account of its performances:-- - -"If a person watches any two birds for some time--for they live in -pairs--he will see another lapwing, one of a neighbouring couple, rise -up and fly to them, leaving his own mate to guard their chosen ground; -and instead of resenting this visit as an unwarranted intrusion on -their domain, as they would certainly resent the approach of almost any -other bird, they welcome it with notes and signs of pleasure. Advancing -to the visitor, they place themselves behind it; then all three keeping -step begin a rapid march, uttering resonant drumming notes in time -with their movements, the notes of the pair behind being emitted in a -stream, like a drum-roll, while the leader utters loud single notes -at regular intervals. The march ceases; the leader elevates his wings -and stands erect and motionless, still uttering loud notes; while the -other two, with puffed-out plumage, and standing exactly abreast, stoop -forward and downward until the tips of their beaks touch the ground, -and, sinking their rhythmical voices to a murmur, remain for some time -in this position. The performance is then over, and the visitor goes -back to his own ground and mate, to receive a visitor himself later on." - -Now the most curious point in this remarkable performance, so well -described, is that three birds--a pair (male and female), and one -other, whether male or female is not stated--take part in it, and how -is this fundamental peculiarity to be explained better on the theory -of "a universal joyous instinct" than on that of sexual selection, if, -indeed, the former one helps us so well? Joy, no doubt, is there, but -something else--some shaping force--is surely required to account for -the particular form in which it finds expression. Now with regard to -the peculiarity pointed out--the odd bird (though all act oddly)--I -have, whilst watching birds in the early spring, been struck by the -frequency with which three of the same species will be seen in each -other's company, usually chasing one another about, and, as with the -spur-winged lapwing, these three are almost always made up of a pair (a -male and female) and another bird, a male, as I believe. It may be said -that here there can be no analogy, for that it is either merely a case -of two males courting one female, or that the odd male is both a rival -and intruder, endeavouring to come between the married happiness of two -who have made their choice. This latter explanation is the one that has -generally seemed to me to meet the case, but what I have frequently -noticed with surprise is that the state of anger, or, indeed, fury, -which one might imagine would obtain under such circumstances between -the two male birds, is either wholly absent, or very much subdued. Now -it is in the case of our own peewit, more than with any other species, -that I have noticed this quite amicable association of three birds, two -of which would often seem to be a paired couple, and as my notes, made -whilst I had the birds under observation, both illustrate the point and -contain the explanation of it which I have to offer, I will here quote -from them: - -"_February 25th._--Three peewits in company with each other. Two are -flying close together, as though they were a paired couple, whilst one -follows them at a short interval. - -"_February 27th._--Three peewits flying together in the same way as -before--that is to say two, which may be paired birds, are close -together, whilst there is commonly a short space between them and the -third one. This arrangement may be temporarily suspended or reversed -by the bird that has been separated getting up to the other two, when -one of these will often fall behind, so that now the bird which was the -follower makes one of the two advanced ones, whilst one of these has -taken its place. As there is no sexual distinction in the plumage of -peewits,[12] it is impossible to be quite sure to what sex each of these -birds belongs, but I believe that two of them are male and female, and -the third a male, either of the two males being alternately in the -close company of the female. This, indeed, may be in the nature of the -matter. The pairing off of the birds, we will suppose--as is likely -at this time--is not yet completed, and, assuming two of the three -to be of one sex, it may not be quite settled with which of them the -third will pair. It is not, indeed, necessary to suppose that either -of the three will eventually pair with one of the others, though this -may be probable. But what appears to me to obtain is this, that the -association of two birds (male and female) together has a tendency -to bring up a third, presumably a male, who envies this arrangement, -and would fain itself make one of the two. But how, then, is the -amicableness--or, at any rate, the absence of any marked evidence of -hostility--to be accounted for? I believe that at this early season the -sexual feelings have not yet become fully developed, or so strong as -to produce jealousy to any active extent. Things are only beginning, -the emotions are, as yet, in their infancy, and thus, I believe, -the curious, not fully defined nature of the actions of the three -birds--their seeming to be half unconscious of what they really want -or mean--may be accounted for. As the season advances, the tendency -will be more and more for the two birds (but I here speak of birds -generally) to avoid, or actively to drive away, the third, and for the -third to find another bird for a partner, the whole being tempered by -the character both of the species of bird and the individual birds -belonging to it. The three birds being thus brought together, without -the feelings being of a very strong or defined character, and the -feelings of animals generally being, as I believe they are, of a very -plastic nature (by which I mean that they pass easily from one channel -into another), I can understand a sort of sport or game of three -birds together arising, at first almost imperceptible, till, by the -fundamental laws of evolution--variation and inheritance--it might -pass into something highly peculiar, as in the case of the spur-winged -lapwing--for though such sport might commence in the air, there would -be no reason why it should not pass from thence on to the ground. And -that the number should be three, and not more, is thus also explained, -for whilst the sight of a paired male and female bird would be likely -to excite the sexual feelings--even though, as here supposed, somewhat -languid--of another male, so as to make it join them, three together -would hardly have this effect in an equal degree, and, moreover, more -than three would tend to become a flock, when other feelings would -come into play. However this may be, I have, as a matter of fact, been -struck with the frequency with which, in the early spring, three birds -will keep together, as and in the manner before stated." - -[12] For ordinary field observation at least. - -This, it will be observed, was written at a time of year when peewits -are only beginning their nuptial antics, though, as to their having -begun them, there is no doubt, as I had carefully noted this at a still -earlier date. But long subsequent to this, and when the theory of a -not fully developed state of the sexual feelings could no longer be -tenable as an explanation of non-combativeness, I noticed, or thought I -noticed, a more than usual tendency in this species for a single bird -to project itself, so to speak, into the midst of a married pair, and -for its presence not to be resented, but rather otherwise. If this be -really so--for, of course, I may be deceived--it is interesting, and -perhaps assists the suggestion which I have offered as to the origin of -the astonishing conduct of the spur-winged lapwing, the two being such -near relations. When the habit had once commenced, it might continue -and become fixed, irrespective of season. - -But it may be said that all the evidence which I here bring forward -is of three birds being together, and that there is none as to any -sport or antic, of however incipient or rudimentary a nature. I have, -however, often seen peewits sport and wanton in the air in threes, but -I admit that more evidence in this direction is wanted. The little -that I have, and will here give, relates, not to the peewit, but to -two birds very different both to it and to each other. The first of -these is that attractive and delightful little creature, the dabchick -or little grebe (_Podiceps fluviatilis_), a bird whose society I have -always cultivated to the best of my ability. My first note, taken on -14th December, I give merely by way of showing that sexual feelings -in birds may not always lie entirely dormant, even in the depth of -winter; for, from having long watched the same birds in the same little -reedy creek, I feel sure that the two I here chronicle were male and -female. - -These were "pursuing each other, first over the water--fly-flapping -along the surface in their peculiar way--then on and under it, ducking, -coming up close together, ducking again, and so on, flapping, ducking, -and swimming, each in turn. It is very sustained and animated, -suggesting an amorous pursuit of the female by the male, even at -this time of year. They make a great noise and splashing, they are -obstreperous, and a hen moor-hen standing staidly on some bent reeds -gives a look as though doubtful of the strict propriety of such -conduct,--in the winter,--then with an 'Ah, well! dabchicks will be -dabchicks, I suppose, at all times,' resigns herself to the inevitable, -and takes to preening her feathers." In the other case, which is the -one that bears more directly on the question under discussion, three -dabchicks pursued each other in this manner, one behind the other, and -following the course of the stream. The last bird was particularly -energetic, and seemed determined to interfere with the pursuit of the -foremost by the one just in front of him. "When quite near me they all -three pitch down and instantly dive. The first to come up stops dead -still on the water, looking keenly and expectantly over it, his neck -stretched rigidly out, his head darting forward from it at a right -angle, as rigid as the neck. The instant another one appears, he dives -again with a suddenness as of the lid of a box going down with a snap, -and this other one has seen him at the same time, and dives still more -quickly, if that were possible--so quickly that there is just a swirl -on the water, the appearance seems part of the disappearance, 'and -nothing is but what is not.' And this, as I think, continues, but owing -to the rapid progress of the birds under the water, and their getting -amongst flags and weeds, I never have an equally 'convincing' sight of -it." - -Now, here, on the 4th February, we have, as in the case of the peewits, -three birds together, all in pursuit of each other, but two, as it -appeared to me, in a little more intimate association, and the third -seeming to wish to _make_ a third. They chase each other excitedly down -the stream for a little, then all pitch down upon it and dive, and one, -upon coming up, dives again at the merest sight of another who behaves -similarly, a peculiarly set and rigid attitude being adopted by the -waiting bird. Is this not something like a little romp or water-dance -following on the excitement of the chase? True, it may have been -fighting between the two males, for dabchicks, like the great crested -grebe and other water-birds, probably fight by diving and attacking -each other beneath the surface. To my eyes, however, it had very much -the appearance of a romp, or, at any rate, a something betwixt sport -and earnest. Assuming it to have been so, then here is a habit of a -sport or antic between three birds at the end of an excited chase of -each other. Now supposing this habit to increase, then, as the birds -became more enamoured of their little sport--as it became more and -more a fixed habit with them--is it not likely that the preliminary -chase before the romp began would be thrown more and more into the -background? The more one enjoys a thing, the more eager is one to begin -it, and as here, the longer the chase lasted, the longer must the romp -at the end be postponed, the tendency would be for the former to become -shortened and shortened, till at length it ceased altogether, the -approach of the one bird getting to be associated in the minds of the -other two with the sport or game alone. In the final stage this last -might be extraordinary in a high degree, but every trace of its origin, -as here suggested, would have vanished. And so strongly might the habit -or instinct of thus romping _à trois_ be now implanted, that one of -any pair of birds would be ready to join any other pair, and they to -receive him, in order to indulge in it. - -I can, indeed, see no reason why birds that sported well should succeed -in life better than others, but if such sporting were an outcome of -general vigour, and vigorous birds were selected, their sportings would -be selected also. And that movements of this sort would tend sooner -or later--if only by mere preference--to fall into some sort of form, -also seems not unlikely. It will be remembered that what I have just -recounted took place early in February, whereas the dabchick does not, -in my experience, commonly build before May. One would not, at so early -a period, expect to find the jealous and combative feelings of the -male in regard to the female bird fully awake, but if there were apt -to be occasional sudden outbursts of this--little flare-ups, inducing -appropriate action for a few moments and then passing quickly away--the -birds might be left, as it were, surprised at themselves and not -quite knowing what had started them off. The originating cause would -have ceased or subsided, but the excitation consequent on the bodily -activity which had been thus aroused would require a further outlet, -and this might pass in time into some prescribed play or antic which -might afterwards be indulged in for its own sake. - -My other instance is that of the oyster-catcher. If anyone will watch -these birds closely, he may see three of them go through a performance -bearing the same sort of resemblance to that of the spur-winged -lapwing, that the combs of the humble-bee do to the more perfect ones -of the hive-bee. He may see, for instance, two standing side by side -with their heads bent forwards and downwards, as the two lapwings bend -theirs, though here the length of the brilliant, orange-red bills, -the tips of which, also, almost touch the ground, make the angle of -inclination a much lesser one. In this attitude they both of them utter -a long, continuous, piping note, of a very powerful and penetrative -quality, sometimes swaying their heads from side to side as though in -ecstasy at their own performance, and seeming to listen intently in a -manner strongly suggestive of the musical connoisseur. The third bird, -who is obviously the female, either stands or walks at a short distance -from the two pipers, who will frequently follow and press upon her, and -then, though the march is not quite so formal and regular, it yet bears -for a few moments a considerable resemblance to that of the spur-winged -lapwing, as described and figured in Mr Hudson's work. Of course, there -is really no march at all in the proper sense of the word, but there is -the occasional resemblance, and the resemblance suggests the origin. -In the case of the spur-winged lapwing the play is commenced by one -bird of a pair flying to another pair, and thus making the trio. There -is the same kind of rough and imperfect resemblance to this in the way -in which these oyster-catcher trios commonly open, but as an account of -what I actually saw may give a better idea of how the birds act than -can a mere generalisation, I will illustrate the last point, as well as -those others which I have mentioned, by this means. - -"When one of the male birds--standing near the female--commences thus -to pipe, the other one, if on the same rock, runs excitedly up to -him, and pushing him out of the way so as to occupy almost his exact -place, pipes himself, as though he would do so instead of him. The -other, however, is not to be silenced, but standing close by him the -two pipe together, throwing their heads from time to time in each -other's direction, and then back again, in a frenzy or ecstasy, as -though they were Highland bagpipers of rival clans piping against each -other, and swinging their instruments as they grew inspired by their -strains. Continuing thus to act, the two male birds approach and press -upon the female. She flies to a corner of the rock, the two, still -piping vigorously, follow and again press upon her. She flies down -upon a lower ledge of it, the two pipe down at her from above. She -flies from the rock, they half raise their heads, and cease to pipe, -then with single querulous notes, and in their ordinary attitude, walk -disconsolately about. - -"After some ten minutes the female flies back again. The demeanour -of the two birds is at once visibly affected, and they begin to pipe -again, though not so vigorously as before. They continue to do so, more -or less, at intervals, the third bird (the female) remaining always -passive, and never once piping. All at once one of the two pipers flies -violently at the other, who flies off, and is closely pursued by him. -They alight--it would seem together--on the edge of a great rocky slab, -but are instantly at some little distance apart, looking at each other -and bearing themselves after the manner of rivals. How they separated, -whether as recoiling from a conflict, or avoiding it, I cannot now say. -The movements of birds are often so quick, that the eye, though it may -follow, forgets them as they pass. On another occasion, a bird close to -where I sit, on hearing the pipe from a rock a little off the shore, -becomes excited, pipes for a moment itself, and then darts off to the -rock. On alighting, he instantly runs to the piping bird, and the two -pipe together to a third, exactly as before. This third one, silent and -unresponsive, soon flies away. The piping instantly ceases, and the two -birds assume normal attitudes. - -"The note of the male oyster-catcher when thus courting the female -differs both from its ordinary one, and, as I think, from that of the -female. The usual note is a loud 'wich, wich, wich,' or some similar -sharp, penetrative cry, constantly reiterated. The pipe is a much more -wonderful affair, and, though harsh, is like a real composition. It is -of long continuance, beginning with something like 'kee, kee, kee, kee, -ker-vie, ker-vie, ker-vie, ker-vie, ker-vie,' a loud and ear-piercing -clamour. Gradually, however, it sinks, becoming in its later stages -quite faint, and ending, commonly, in a sort of long-drawn-out, -quavering trill which the bird seems to pause upon with pleasure. -Holding down its head all the time, it seems to drink in every tittle -of the sound, and to strive to give it its full and just expression. -So much has it, whilst doing this, the appearance of a musician, and -so much does the long, straight, orange bill resemble a pipe it is -playing on, that if fingers were to appear there of a sudden, and begin -to 'govern the stops,' one would hardly feel surprise--for a moment or -two. A point to be noted is that the piping bird is not always turned -towards the female he is courting, even when close beside her. He turns -towards her, commonly (perhaps always), when he begins, but having -once begun, he seems more enthralled by his own music than by her, and -will turn from side to side, or even right round and away from her, as -though in the rhythmical sway of his piping." - -Here, then, at last, we have upon our own shores, and amongst our own -birds, an unmistakable case of a display or performance of a very -marked character, in which three birds are present, though one takes -only a passive part. The motive power here is obviously sexual; two -males are, at least to all appearance, courting one female. But I made -at the time this special observation, that, though the rival birds -did, upon two occasions, fly at each other, and though the piping of -one always brought the other over to him to pipe in rivalry, yet, -when once they began to pipe vigorously, their interest seemed to -become centred in, and, as it were, abstracted into this. The actual -display, in this case vocal, seemed to have become, or to be in -process of becoming, of more importance than the emotion which had -given birth to it, the essence seemed merged into the form, the book -had become its binding. I suggest that this may be sometimes actually -the case in nature, that a movement, or a note, or series of notes, may -become itself so all-absorbing as to demand the whole consciousness -of the bird who, in performing it, forgets the why and the wherefore -of the performance. Let this process once commence, and certain -movements--antics--performed at first with a definite object, might be -gone through at last for themselves alone, the object having become now -merely to perform them. In this case, we should have a pure antic or -display, the reason of it being unobvious and its origin a puzzle. Such -a principle, if it exists, might, perhaps, be called the "law of the -formalisation of actions once purposive" (which sounds learned enough), -and perhaps traces of it may be seen amongst ourselves. What, for -instance, are our civilised dances except movements which have become -quite formal and meaningless, but which once, as in the war-dance of -the savage, had an intense significance? The analogy is not quite -perfect, unless we could show that actual war, for instance, had -sometimes passed into a dance. Whether this has ever been the case with -man I do not know, but I believe that it may have actually happened -with some birds, for which idea I will further on adduce my, perhaps, -somewhat slender evidence. But, coming back to the oyster-catchers, I -can understand that under such a law as this, the actions of the two -male birds in regard to the female might gradually get to be of a -quite formal and non-courting nature, and, though I will not here try -to indicate the steps by which the female bird might gradually enter -into the dance-movements or the song, they do not seem to me impossible -to conceive of. The number of performers, however, having once become -fixed, would be likely to continue, through habit, as long as no other -influence arose to affect it. - -The fact that it was in the early days of July, when the true -courting-season should have been over, that I witnessed these -movements, may perhaps strengthen the above view. - -In seeking to explain such performances as those of the spur-winged -lapwing in this latter way, one must assume the number of three -birds to have originated in accordance with general principles, and -that first there has been a real courtship of the female bird by two -males, the antics proper to which have, at last, become stereotyped -into a formal dance or display. This, however, would not exclude the -possibility of what I have suggested in the case of the dabchicks and -common peewit, and I believe myself that it is not by one only, but by -many causes, that the many curious antics of birds are to be explained. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER V - -Watching Gulls and Skuas - - -The oyster-catcher brings us to the sea, so to sea-birds I will -consecrate the next few chapters. - -Gulls and skuas are best watched on some lonely, island, where they -breed, and thither we will now transfer ourselves. - -They breed together, or, more strictly speaking, conterminously, and -more than half of the whole island--all that part where it is a peaty -waste clothed with a thin brown heather--is now, in early June, their -assembly ground and prospective nursery. The gulls are in much the -greater numbers, and all of them here are of the black-backed species, -mostly the lesser of the two so named, but with a fair sprinkling of -the greater black-backed also. Lying down and sweeping the distance -with the glasses--for near they have risen and float overhead in a -clamorous cloud--one sees everywhere the bright, white dottings of -their breasts, soft-gleaming amidst the uniform brown of the heather. -They are not at all crowded, but scattered widely about at irregular -and, for the most part, considerable intervals. There is rarely a -group, and though many pairs may be seen standing closely together, yet -this is the exception rather than the rule. Most birds of such pairs as -are present are some three or four to a dozen or twenty yards apart, -whilst the greater number of the whole assembly stand singly, the bird -nearest to each, at a much greater distance, being one of another pair. -This is because the partner birds are for the time being absent, but -every now and again one may be seen to fly up and join the solitary -one, whilst, similarly, one of a couple will from time to time fly -off and leave the other alone. Thus, though the eye will distinguish -at any time many paired couples, to the majority of the birds it will -not be able to assign a partner with certainty. But this varies very -much. On some occasions there will be many more close couples than on -others, and it is when this is the case that the gullery has the most -pleasing appearance. Here and there one sees a bird, not standing, but -couched closely down amidst the heather. These birds have laid, and are -now hatching, their eggs. For the most part they are alone, but as the -season advances and they become more and more numerous, the partner may -often be seen standing near the nest, and presenting every appearance -of a joint interest and proprietorship in it. - -When a bird flies up to its partner it usually comes down close beside -it. The two will then be together for awhile, but soon they either walk -or fly to a little distance from one another. After remaining apart -for a longer or shorter time they visit again, then again separate, and -so they continue to act, at longer or shorter intervals, till one or -other of them flies off to sea. - -This system of making each other little visits and then going away -and remaining for some time apart, seems a feature of the gull tribe -generally, and it is particularly marked in the case of the great skua. -A pair of these birds will each have its apartments, so to speak, and, -by turns, each will be the caller on or the receiver of a call from the -other. Either, one will walk or fly directly over to where the other is -standing or reclining, or it will make several circling sweeps before -coming down beside it, or else--for this is another fashion--each of -them will set out to call on the other, and meeting in the centre -between their respective places, have their gossip there. - -However the meeting takes place, when the birds are together one of -them will commonly bow its head down towards the ground in a heavy sort -of manner, whilst the other stands facing it with the head and bill -lifted into the air. All at once one of the birds--usually, I think, -the caller, if either has remained at home--turns round, raises its -wings above its back, and holding them thus, makes a heavy sort of -spring or running leap forward along the ground. This it does several -times, lowering the wings each time that it pauses, and raising them -again to make the leap. From this it might be thought that the bird -flew rather than leapt, but this, when I saw it, did not appear to me -to be the case. It did not fly, but only jumped with the wings held up. -The birds are now apart again as before, but after a short interval -the one that has behaved in this odd way returns, and they again stand -_vis-à-vis_, regarding each other, but this time without so much bowing -or raising of the head. Then one of them--and I think it is the same -one--turning as before, there is almost an exact repetition, and this -may take place some three or four times in the course of an hour. - -The two will then often take wing and fly for a while together, -sometimes over the sea, but more often in a series of wide circles -round and about their home. They are masters of flight, and, after -two or three flaps, will glide for long distances without an effort, -alternately rising and sinking, varying their direction by a turn of -the head or, as it seems, by presenting the broad surface of their -wings to the different points of the compass, and sweeping either with -or against the wind, apparently with equal ease. Or, with the wind -blowing violently (its normal state), they will neither advance nor -recede, and it is certainly a very surprising thing to see one of these -great sombre-plumaged birds hanging motionless, or almost motionless -at but a foot or so above the long coarse grass, which is being all -the while bent and swayed in the direction towards which its head is -turned; if it advances at all, it is against the bend of the grass. - -But though I have said that the great skua is a master of flight, I -have not yet termed its flight either graceful or majestic. For a -long time, indeed (during which I had only seen it near its temporary -home), I was unable to do so, not, at least, with a full conviction, -for though I admired it, yet there seemed always to be in it some want -which I felt, but was unable to define. It puzzled me, but at last I -discovered what it was, and my discovery, which acquits the bird and is -to the honour of nature, I will give as I wrote it down directly after -I had made it. - -"One of the great skuas has now flown right out to sea. There its -flight, which is peculiar, becomes instantly very graceful. Descending -with a sweep, which, though majestic, is yet soft and gentle, it seems -about to sink upon the waves, when, almost as it touches them, it -glides again softly upwards, to descend once more in the same manner. -Thus, ever rising and sinking, seeming always about to rest, yet never -resting, it glides, tireless, and seems to coquet with the sea. On -land, too, these wide circling sweeps had had a grace and charm, but -it had not entirely pleased the eye. Something had been absent, but -what that something was, it had been beyond me to say. Now, I knew -it. What it wanted had been the illimitable plain of the ocean which, -in a moment, took away all heaviness from the form and all harshness -from the colouring. The sombreness of the sea blends now with its own, -and the waves are moving with its own motion. All is in harmony, the -picture has found its frame." Gulls, too, are more graceful when they -sweep over the sea than the shore near it. They have then softness and -expanse as a background. The latter, I think, is the more important, -and may be unconsciously demanded by association of ideas. Earth had -not been wide enough for the great skua. - -[Illustration: _Great Skuas: Nuptial Flight and Pose._] - -Often when one of the great skuas is circling round, and the other -standing at its post, this one will stretch itself up and raise its -wings above the back every time its partner passes. This raising of -the wings enters into one of the most salient of the many nuptial -antics of this bird, which I will now describe. In its completest form -it commences aerially. "The two birds have been circle-soaring one -above the other, and are now at a considerable height above one of -their chosen standing-places, when the lower one floats with the wings -extended, but raised very considerably--half-way, perhaps, towards -meeting over the back--an action which, in their flight, is uncommon. -As it does this it utters a note like 'a-er, a-er, a-er' (a as in -'as'), upon which, as at a signal, the other one floats in the same -manner, and both now descend thus, together, to the ground. Standing, -then, the one behind the other, at about a yard's distance and faced -the same way, both of them throw up their heads, raise their wings -above their backs, pointing them backwards, and stand thus for some -seconds fixed and motionless, looking just like an heraldic device. At -the same time they utter a cry which sounds like 'skirrr' or 'skeerrr.' -The foremost bird then flies off, and is instantly followed by the -other." - -If the wings were not extended, this pose would somewhat resemble that -of the great plovers, for though the neck is stretched more forwards, -it is curved in the same curious way, and the head, though held -high, is bent towards the ground. The wings, however, give it quite -a different character, and I have, I feel sure, seen some figures of -birds on a shield whose attitude bore a wonderful resemblance to that -of these skuas. May not some of the figures of animals in heraldry -have come right down from savage times, even if they do not represent -totems? Savages, as we know, catch the more salient and strongly -characterised attitudes of animals with wonderful truth and force. - -The two birds will often (as might be expected) assume this pose -without any previous descent on upraised wings, and, presumably, such -descent need not be followed either by this or any other special -attitude. Also, when so posing, they do not always stand in line, but -indifferently sometimes, as far as relative position is concerned, -though at the same approximate distance from one another. I have seen -the descent followed by the pose, but not in line, and I have seen the -pose exactly as I have described it, but not preceded by the descent. - -Obviously (or, at least, in all probability), the birds would be as -likely to stand in line when posing on one occasion as on another, and -I have therefore put them into line here to give a picture of this -nuptial sport when at its best and fullest. - -Sometimes during these visits that the birds pay to each other, the two -will bend their heads down together and pick and pull at the grass. -When they raise them there may be a blade or two of it in the bill of -one, which is allowed to drop in a negligent, desultory way. Or one, -which I take to be the female, plucks up a tuft and walks with it to -the male as though to show him. She lets it drop, and then both birds, -standing front to front, lower their heads at the same time and utter -a shrill though not a loud cry. This seems as though one bird were -suggesting to the other the propriety of building a nest, but it -may be the actual manner in which the nest is built. There would, of -course, be no doubt as to this, if the birds--or one of them--were to -continue thus to pluck and bring tufts or blades of grass. But this -was never the case when I saw them, nor did I ever remark any action -on their part that had more the appearance of systematic nest-building -than this. The nest of the great skua is very slight, a mere -pressed-down litter of coarse long grass, shallow, and having a pulled, -tattered look round the edges suggestive of the crown of a shabby straw -hat or bonnet from which the remaining portion has been torn. Compared -to it, the nest of a gull, being formed of quite a considerable -quantity of bog-moss and heather, basin-shaped, and fairly regular and -with well-formed, soft, cushiony rim all round it, is almost a work of -architecture. - -Yet neither do gulls seem to work regularly or systematically in the -building of their nests. One may be seen piking into the ground with -its powerful beak and then withdrawing it with a tuft of moss or a -sprig of heather held between the mandibles. After making a few sedate -steps with this the bird lays it down, but instead of fetching some -more, now, and continuing the work, it merely stands there and appears -to forget all about it. Another will fly up with some material, and, -after circling a little above its partner on the ground, will alight -and lay it down as a contribution beside it, in a very stolid sort -of way. The other bird does not help, and does not seem particularly -interested, and the two now stand side by side for about half-an-hour, -when the one that has last arrived flies away, and, on returning -again, brings nothing. Sometimes a gull may be seen walking with -moss or heather in the bill, whilst its consort walks beside it, but -without having anything. When the heather is placed by the one bird, -the other stands by and seems interested, but does not assist, and no -further supply is brought. It would appear, therefore, that only one -bird--and this, no doubt, the female--actually builds the nest, though -the other--the male--may look on and take a greater or less amount of -intelligent interest in what she is doing. But though the above is from -the life it hardly seems possible that gulls could get their nests done -at all if they worked no better than this. When I first got to that -island "de cuyo nombre no quiero acordarme," but few eggs had yet been -laid and many of the nests were only half finished, or not even so far -advanced as that. Most, however, were completed, or nearly so, and it -is probable that what I saw represented merely the finishing touches, -which will also apply to the great skuas. - -What I saw was, indeed, very little, and it is only a surmise that the -female gull builds the nest without being aided by the male. I think -so, however, because usually, when both the male and female assist in -the building, they work together, and whilst collecting the materials -keep more or less in each other's company, arriving with them either at -the same time or shortly after each other. This, at least, has been the -case with those birds which I have watched. I have, indeed, seen two -gulls pulling up the moss or heather within a yard or so of each other, -and these I at first put down as a married couple. This, however, was -not the case, for they laid down what they pulled in different places, -and several times they attacked each other and fought quite fiercely. -With other birds, too, I have noticed a kind of rivalry between the -females when collecting materials for the nest. Hen chaffinches seem -particularly jealous of each other in this respect. They pull the -lichens from the trunks of trees, fluttering up against them, and using -both their claws and beaks, and when thus engaged, or when flying off -with what they have got, two will often fly at each other and fight -furiously in the air. I do not think that the one tries to take what -the other has collected--there ought, one would think, to be enough -for all--but, rather, that the sight of one when thus occupied, has an -irritating effect on the other, and so it seemed to be with these two -gulls. - -Male gulls fight, too, as might be expected, the motive being usually, -if not always, jealousy. Sometimes a little drama may be witnessed, -as when a pair who would fain be tender are annoyed and hampered by a -rejected suitor--the villain of the piece. This odious bird advances -upon them with a menacing and, it would almost seem, a scandalised -demeanour every time that he detects the smallest disposition towards -an impropriety of behaviour, and when the husband-lover rushes -furiously upon him he flies just out of his danger, and acts in the -same way on the next occasion, which is immediately afterwards. -This goes on for some time, the envious bird becoming more and more -rancorous and more and more torn between rage and discretion every -time valour assaults him. At last rage carries it, and, strange to -say,--considering it as melodrama--he, the villain, makes quite a -spirited stand against the "good" hero, who, by all the laws of such -things, should fell him to the ground and spurn him, so as to make the -orthodox situation. Instead of this there is an equal combat which ends -only in "nothing neither way," except that, as the bad gull still goes -on afterwards, it is more in his favour than the other's. He wins, in -fact, for the lovers are at length wearied out, and the contemplated -impropriety never does take place. It is a pity almost that it cannot -sometimes go like this in stage reality. To see the hero, just when -most reeking with noble utterance, put suddenly into an unshowy -position by the "hound" or the "cringing cur" would be a glorious -thing, a delightful--almost a Gilbertian--_dénouement_. One could -applaud it "to the very echo that should applaud again," but one never -gets the chance--or, rather, one would not if one tried, for I will not -suppose that anyone with a taste for nature affects the melodrama--or -even the drama nowadays. - -Gull-fights are sometimes very fierce and determined, and when this is -the case they often cause great excitement among a number of others. -As on the human plane, fights between birds make impressions upon one -according to the greater or lesser amount of intensity manifested, -becoming sometimes quite tragic in their interest. Not only is this the -case with oneself, but birds that are not fighting seem affected in -the same way. I have noticed this with partridges somewhat--but more -in the gullery. An ordinary scuffle between two birds attracts little -if any notice from the others, but when it is sustained and bitter, -supported with great courage on either side, there may be quite a crowd -of excited onlookers. I have seen a very desperate combat which I at -first thought was a general scrimmage. It was not so, however. Two -alone were engaged, but a cloud of gulls swept over and hovered about -them, often hiding them from view. All were interested, and interested, -it seemed to me, against one of the two birds who stood all the time -on the defensive, beating or trying to beat off with wings and beak -the continual eager rushes of his assailant. Many times they closed -and went struggling and flapping over the ground, attended all the -time by gulls in the air and gulls walking about and near them. When -they disengaged, the same bird--as I inferred from the dramatic unity -of its conduct--attacked again in the same eager way, as though the -greater vivacity of its feelings or disposition made it always more -quick than the other, though this one was equally brave and determined. -One might almost fancy that the attacking gull had had some great wrong -done it by the one it attacked. This latter, however, a powerful and -steady fighter, finally beat off its assailant, who now took to the -air. Sweeping backwards and forwards above the hated one, it made each -time that it passed a little drop down upon it with dangling legs and -delivered, or tried to deliver, a blow with the feet, a strategy which -the other met by springing up and striking with the beak. - -Such a conflict as this makes quite a commotion in the gull world, -all those birds that have been standing anywhere in the neighbourhood -flying and circling excitedly about above the combatants, or settling -and walking up to them. I did not see the _casus belli_, so merely -assume it to have been jealousy between two rival males. Quite possibly -the birds were females. In none of these fights, nor in others that -I have seen between black-backed gulls on the island, did there seem -to be any special set method either of attack or defence, as is so -noticeable in the case of some birds. It was a generalised fight--"a -pankration"--in which each bird did whatever it could without art or -plan. A fight between two herring-gulls that lasted a long time was of -another character. "They fought most savagely, but in a curious manner. -Each seized the other by the beak, which they then (or one of them) -endeavoured to extricate by pulling backwards, so that the stronger -bird, or each alternately, dragged the other over the ground, a process -which the one being dragged tried to resist by spreading the wings at -right angles and opposing them to the ground. To me it seemed that one -of the birds had each time seized the other to advantage and strove -to retain its hold against the efforts of the less fortunate one to -disengage. The length of time during which they remained with the beaks -thus interlocked was remarkable. I was not able to time them, but it -was so long as to grow tedious, and I several times turned the glasses -on to other objects and, after a short interval, brought them back -again, always finding them as before. A quarter of an hour, or, at the -very least, ten minutes, would not, I think, be an over-estimate of the -time they sometimes remained in this connection. The instant the beaks -were unlocked the birds fiercely seized each other by them again, there -was the same dragging and resistance, the same lengthy duration, and -this was repeated three or four times in succession. At length there -was a very violent struggle, and the bird that seemed to have the -advantage in its hold, by advancing upon the other while never relaxing -this, forced its head backwards and at length right down upon its back, -the bird so treated being obviously much distressed. At last, with a -violent effort, this latter got its bill free, and the two, grappling -together, and one, now, seizing hold of the other's wing, rolled -together down the steep face of the rock. At the bottom they separated. -The bird, as I think, that had had the worst of it all along flew back -to the place from which they had fallen, while the other remained, -seeming somewhat hurt by the fall. Some time later there was another -conflict between the same two gulls which was similar in all respects, -including the place at which it was fought, except in its ending. This -time there was no fall down the rock, but the one bird flew off, soon, -however, to alight again, the other one pursuing and continuing to -molest it with savage sweeps from side to side." - -No doubt, in a fight like this, each bird seizes the other by the beak, -as fearing what it might otherwise do with it, as two men with knives -might seize hold of each other's wrists. But this might become in time -so confirmed a habit that the birds, when fighting, would have no idea -of doing anything else, and thus not attack each other in any less -specialised way, however much one might have the other at an advantage. -I do not mean to say that it has really come to this with the gulls in -question--the facts, indeed, do not bear out this view--but several -times, when watching birds fighting, I have seen, as I believe, a -tendency in this direction, and it has occurred to me that the process -might be carried even further. - -There was no other bird very near to these two gulls during all the -long time that they fought, no female who was obviously the cause of -the affair, and to whom either of them went, or showed a desire to go, -either in the interval between the two combats or at the end of it all. -Yet that the two were rival males seems hardly to be doubted, taking -the season into consideration. This--and the same observation applies -to the two wheatears who fought for hours without the female being at -all _en évidence_--seems to show a power of retaining a vivid mental -impression of the loved or coveted bird in her absence, to which is -added a tranquil pleasure of the paired birds in each other's society -apart from mere sensual gratification. It is absurd, therefore, to -keep the word "love" to ourselves, as we do in the spirit if not the -letter. As in other things, there is no line drawn here in nature, -and it is in watching animals that one gets to know the real meaning -of all our high terminology. It is wonderful how long two birds who -have chosen each other will stand quite motionless close together, as -though they were a couple of stones, and then show by some mutual or -dependent action that each is in the other's mind. Here is an instance. -"A pair of herring-gulls have been standing for a long time one just -behind the other on the edge of the grassy slope of the cliff, quite -motionless, looking like the painted wooden birds of a Noah's ark. All -at once both, as in obedience to a common impulse, burst into wild -clamorous cries for a few seconds and then fly out over the sea. Quite -soon they return and, settling again in precisely the same spot and -relative position, stand motionless as before, for full three hours, -when one, uttering a little chattering, almost talking note, again -launches himself from the verge and flies around for some three or four -minutes in the near neighbourhood, with a frequent 'how, how, how.' He -then re-settles just in his old place behind the other, talks a little, -again flies off, returns and talks as before. The other gull has -remained motionless, or almost so, all the time, and the two now stand -silently as before." It seems strange that the birds should first act -so mutually and then so independently of each other, but far stranger, -as it struck me, was the absolute instantaneousness with which, on the -first occasion, they both burst out screaming. - -It is possible that close attention to animals might lead to evidence -pointing in a new and unexpected direction, but I will leave this for -another chapter. - -Gulls have no very salient or pronounced courting antics--I mean I have -observed none--and, in the same sense, there is no special display of -the plumage by one sex to the other. When amorous, they walk about -closely together, stopping at intervals and standing face to face. -Then, lowering their heads, they bring their bills into contact, either -just touching, or drawing them once or twice across each other, or -else grasping with and interlocking them like pigeons, raising then, -a little, and again depressing the heads with them thus united, as -do they. After this they toss up their heads into the air, and open -and close their beaks once or twice in a manner almost too soft to be -called a snap. Sometimes they will just drop their heads and raise them -again quickly, without making much action with the bills. This is -dalliance, and between each little bout of it the two will make little -fidgety, more-awaiting steps, close about one another. Always, however, -or almost always, one of the birds--and this one I take to be the -female--is more eager, has a more soliciting manner, and tender-begging -look, than the other. It is she who, as a rule, commences and draws -the male bird on. She looks fondly up at him, and raising her bill to -his, as though beseeching a kiss, just touches with it, in raising, the -feathers of his throat--an action light, but full of endearment. And in -every way she shows herself the most desirous, and, in fact, so worries -and pesters the poor male gull that often, to avoid her importunities, -he flies away. This may seem odd (to non-evolutionists), but I have -seen other instances of it. No doubt in actual courting, before the -sexes are paired, the male bird is usually the most eager, but after -marriage the female often becomes the wooer. Of this, I have seen some -marked instances. That of a female great plover calling up the male -by her cries, when pairing took place between them, I have already -given, and I have seen precisely the same thing in the case of the -kestrel hawk. Female rooks, too, are often very importunate with the -males in the rookery when building is going on. It is always a great -satisfaction when the male and female of a species differ noticeably in -their plumage, as then one is never in uncertainty as to which of them -it is that performs any act. Often one must remain quite in the dark as -to this, and often, again, one can only surmise. Of course, when one -watches birds for any time in the breeding season, one gets clear ideas -as to which is the male and which the female, but certainty is better, -and certainty, at any moment or on any occasion, unless there is some -marked difference between the sexes, one cannot have. In the case of -gulls, however, though the plumage is alike, there is a difference in -size sufficient to strike the eye, the male being larger--in the great -black-backed gull, greatly larger--than the female. - -Leaving the palled blandishments of its spouse, the gull husband -cleaves the air, cuts the dark line of beetling precipice, and seeks -the free haven of the open sea, where, with other sensible, repentant -Benedicts, it wheels and circles. Suddenly a dusky form, slender and -swallow-like, though as large as a pigeon, shoots over the rounded -bastion of the heather, and sweeping upwards as it nears the cliffs, -darts upon one of the gulls. A second pirate follows. With wild cries, -and long, gliding sweeps, they press and harass the larger bird, who, -doubling, twisting, avoiding, dodging, but never resisting, utters -again and again a cry of distress and complaint. Its companions sweep -and eddy about them, shooting athwart and between. They protest, they -cry to heaven, their wild voices mingle in harsh, discordant unison -with the rock-dash of the waves, and the everlasting notes of the wind. -Suddenly something drops from the oppressed gull. There is a sinking -towards it of one of the dark shadows--swift beyond telling, but so -soft that the speed is not realised--the object is covered, lost, and -almost with a jerk, the eye--or rather the brain--realises that it -has been caught in the descent. Empty, and now unregarded, the robbed -bird sweeps on, the pirates sweep back to the heather, the cloud of -witnesses disperse themselves, and, as with us each day, each hour, -things smooth themselves again over the high-placed acts of successful -villainy. Who troubles over a robbed gull? What moral Nemesis concerns -itself with the wrongs of some cheated, done-to-death savage or tribe -of savages? Over both there is some shrieking, some eloquence at the -time, but both are soon lost in oblivion, the waves close over, the -world jogs on its way. Retribution, retributive justice--such fine -things may exist, perhaps, but, if so, it is for showier matters. Had -the skuas robbed an albatross, something, perhaps, would have happened. -Their sin might have found them out--then. A gull is like an Armenian, -or ... but there are so many. - -Thus closes one of nature's wild dramas. The gulls are circling again -now, and all is as before. - - "Es pfeift der Wind, die Möven schrein - Die Wellen, die wandern und schäumen." - -Such a scene as the above may often be witnessed as one lies on the -heather and watches, but for one actual robbery that one sees there -will be a dozen or so unsuccessful attempts at it. Yet, if one believes -those who have the best opportunities of knowing, neither the great -nor the Arctic skua--the latter is the bird to which attention has -just been called--ever eat a fish that has not first been swallowed -by a gull or tern. They say, moreover--at least, this assertion is -made in regard to the great skua--that if the booty is not secured in -mid-air, but falls either on the sea or land, no further attention is -paid to it by the robber. For myself, I believe that the skuas always, -or almost always, feed in this way, because I think that when, in the -satisfaction of such a daily and almost constant want as hunger, some -curious and bizarre method had been adopted it would tend to become -habitual, to the exclusion of all others. Two such different plans of -obtaining fish as are, respectively, swooping upon them whilst swimming -in the water, and catching them in the air upon their being disgorged -by another bird, after a chase which is often long and arduous, -could hardly be carried on by the same bird; for it is probable that -either one, to be successful, would have to be habitually employed, -thus leaving no room for the other. Moreover, the adoption of such a -peculiar method of obtaining food at all implies a great advantage over -the older method, and this being the case it would tend entirely to -supersede it. But that the Arctic skua, at any rate, thus habitually -chases and robs gulls one can easily satisfy oneself, nor have I ever -seen either it or the great skua stooping on fish, like terns, gulls, -or gannets. - -The young of the great skua are fed entirely on herrings, which are -first swallowed by the parent bird, and then disgorged on to the ground -in the neighbourhood of the nest. I cannot say that I have myself seen -this done, for it is impossible to watch the nesting habits of a bird -that always attacks you when you approach its nest, and continues to -do so as long as you stay anywhere near it. In these grey desolate -islands there is no sort of cover, no tree or bush with the branches of -which one can make oneself a shelter, and watch unobserved. Moreover, -as there is no night properly so speaking, only a portentous lurid -murkiness towards midnight, which seems neither to belong to night -nor day, and in which, as you can read small print, the skua can very -naturally see you, there is no approaching under cloud of darkness and -being there, ensconced, when morning dawns. But that the bird disgorges -the herrings for the young ones after the manner of gulls generally, -and does not carry them in its beak or claws, which is contrary to -their practice, there can be no doubt. Now, as every one of these -herrings has--as I believe it has--been secured in the manner above -described, it is curious to reflect that, when finally swallowed by the -young skua, it "goes a progress" for the third time, nor would it be -easy, perhaps, to find another instance (outside this family of birds) -of prey that has been twice given up, through fear once, and then, -again, through love. - -The herrings lying about the nest, and which have thus been recently -disgorged for the second time, look almost as fresh and clean as if -nothing peculiar had happened to them. They are disgorged whole, or -nearly so; for, as I myself observed, in the great majority of cases -the head is absent. Thus at one nest, in the neighbourhood of which -(but this means often a considerable space of ground) forty-one -herrings or their remains were lying, only ten retained the head -or any part of it. At another, where there were thirteen, all were -entirely headless: at another there were eight, of which one only -had part of the head remaining: at another ten, eight of which were -headless: at another seven, six of which were: and at another four, -of which one retained the entire head. Thus, out of eighty-three -herrings, only fifteen had the heads to them, though the proportion -of the one to the other was different at different nests. The heads -when thus absent are entirely so--that is to say, they are not to be -found lying about separately. That the chick should eat the head of -the herring by preference seems unlikely, and particularly when it is -quite young. Yet I have seen four herrings lying about a newly-hatched -chick, which were quite fresh and almost untouched, but headless. The -question, therefore, arises whether the parent-bird eats the head after -disgorging the whole fish, or whether, in the majority of cases, it -is disgorged minus the head. Fish are, I believe, always swallowed -by birds which prey upon them, head first, and would therefore, one -would suppose, lie in the gullet in this direction. If disgorged again -tail first, as they lay, the gills, by expanding, might offer such -resistance that the head would be in most cases torn off. If this be -so, then the skua may often receive the fish headless from the gull, -or, if otherwise, the head would be still more likely to be torn off, -on a second disgorgement. This, however, one would think, must be a -very disagreeable process for the bird disgorging, and it would seem -more probable that the fish can be turned or shifted in the gullet, by -some muscular action on its part, so as to be brought up head foremost, -as it descended; but whether there is any evidence as to this, I do not -know. If the head of the herring does not remain in the gullet, then -it must be eaten by the parent skuas after ejection, and it would seem -that they looked upon this portion as their _peculium_, to which they -were honestly entitled, for they seem to leave the rest, mostly, for -the chicks, of which there are, commonly, two. At any rate, a number -of the herrings will have only a small portion eaten off them. There -is a great profusion, amounting to waste, and there does not seem any -reason why the skuas should vary their diet during the breeding season, -as they are asserted to do, since they have the sea always at hand, and -the gulls, that are to them as their milch cows, breed in their close -proximity. - -In the skuas we see the habit of obtaining food by forcing another bird -to disgorge what it has swallowed, perfected and become permanent, -so that the birds practising it have risen--shall we say?--into -rapacious parasites; but amongst the gulls themselves, who suffer -by the practice, we may see, if I am not mistaken, the habit in its -incipiency, and may get a hint as to how it might have arisen. When -fishing-smacks are in harbour they are thronged round, sometimes, by -hundreds of gulls, all the more common kinds--viz. the lesser and -greater black-backed, herring-gulls, and kittiwakes--being mixed and -crowded together. When some offal is thrown out, the birds that secure -any are at once mobbed, and often it is torn away from them almost -before they have swallowed a mouthful. To avoid this, they often rise -with it in the beak and get it down as fast as they can on the wing, -dodging and jerking their head from side to side amongst the pursuing -crowd. But I have observed that the pursuit does not always cease -after the morsel has been swallowed, and sometimes--whether rarely or -frequently I am unable to say--the oppressed gull disgorges it again, -in order to be left in peace. Now, amongst a crowd of birds like this, -the greater number would be unable to see whether the one they were -pursuing had swallowed his morsel or not, and would therefore keep -pressing about him in the hope of being able to snatch at it. But, of -course when birds that were hustled began to disgorge, this would be -noticed and soon remembered, and they would then be hustled so that -they might do so. In this, or in some similar way, I can understand the -habit arising without any initial act of intelligence on the pursuing -bird's part. - -Perhaps, however, there would be no great unlikelihood in assuming such -an act of intelligence. For one gull to conceive the idea of making -another bring up what it had swallowed, might not be so very much more -than for the sea-eagle to think, in regard to the osprey with the -fish in his talons, "I'll make him drop it." With all the gull tribe -the bringing up of the food again after swallowing it is an easy and -habitual action. Not only are the young fed thus, but I have some -reason to think that, during the nuptial season, the presenting in -this manner of some "pretty little tiny kickshaw" by the male bird to -the female is looked upon as a chivalrous and lover-like act. Perhaps -such acts are reciprocal, but I will give my two little instances and -let my readers draw their own conclusions. The first is the case of a -herring-gull. I was watching the mother bird (as I suppose) sitting -on the nest over two young ones, one of which had been hatched either -only that day or the day before, and the other a day or two earlier. -"At 12 o'clock a chick moves out from under the mother, and leaves the -nest. It is quite active, and has the general appearance of a young -chicken, being fluffy and of a yellowish grey colour, speckled with -black. At 12.40 the second young one appears, pushing itself out from -under the mother bird as she rises a little in the nest. At half-past -one the male gull, which has been near all the while, walks slowly -and importantly to the nest, which he passes and then, turning back -towards it, disgorges on to the rock a small fish, which he takes up -in just the tip of his bill and pushes towards both the chick on the -rock and the mother on the nest, all slowly and with a dry sort of -manner, as though the bird were a cynic. The mother gull leans forward -from the nest and takes it, and, first, holds it on the ground, while -the chick outside pecks at it. Then she swallows it herself. The male -now produces in the same way a small something--I suppose a gobbet -of fish--and draws the chick's attention to it by touching it with -his bill and pushing it a little towards him. The chick then swallows -it, upon which the male flies off and takes his accustomed stand on a -large projecting point of rock close at hand." This is a conjugal, a -domestic, picture. The other, which I shall now give, and in which the -hero was an Arctic skua, was, perhaps, "more condoling." - -"The one bird stands still and upright, whilst the other, holding -the neck constrainedly down, but with the head raised as far as is -compatible with this, keeps moving round and round it. After revolving -thus several times, keeping, always, very close to and, sometimes, -actually touching the standing bird, this one also stands still, always -in the same attitude, and opens his beak. The other one, standing as -before, now raises the head and opens the beak also, upon which the -satellite bird, assuming, at last, his proper height, delivers into -it, from his own, something which he appears to bring up, and this, -as it seems to me, is swallowed by the bird receiving it. The morsel -is small, but the actions of giving and taking, and, afterwards, the -movements of the beak and throat of the bird that has parted with it, -are unmistakable. This would appear, therefore, to be a little friendly -act, or, perhaps, an act of courtship--a love-token between the male -and female bird--and I take the bird who delivers the morsel, and who -is cream-marked, to be the male, and the other, who is uniformly dark, -the female." - -Skuas, as is well known, attack one if one comes at all near to -their nest, and gulls--at any rate the two black-backed kinds--will -sometimes, though much more rarely, come very near to doing so too. -For instance, the greater black-backed gull swoops at one backwards -and forwards, in the same way (though more clumsily) as do the skuas, -except that he neither touches you nor comes so near. Every time he -passes he gives a loud, harsh, tuneless cry, and drops down his legs -as though intending to strike with them. When he does this, he may be -some five or six feet above one's head--a little more, perhaps, or a -little less--and presents an odd, uncouth appearance. The skuas swoop -in silence, though the great one continually says "ik, ik" (or words to -that effect), whilst circling between the swoops. "On another occasion -two of the lesser black-backed gulls acted in this way, though one of -them continued to do so for a much longer time. These two seemed to be -angry with each other, making little motions and opening their bills in -the air as though each thought it was the other's fault." This little -trait, which would seem to raise them nearer humanity, I particularly -noted. The mode of attack, when thus aerially delivered, is the same in -all these birds, and, as it seems to me, curiously ineffective. The -beak, a powerful weapon, is not employed, nor is a blow--which, if it -were, might be of real force--delivered with one of the wings. Instead, -the webbed feet, which would seem to be weak in comparison, and have -no talons or grasping power, are made use of in the way I have already -described in the case of the two gulls fighting, when, after the tussle -on the ground, the one was swooped at by the other. - -The following account of the attack of the smaller or Arctic skua, will -apply almost equally to the great one. "The bird comes swooping down in -a slanting direction, with great speed and impetus, and as it passes -over one's head, makes a slight drop with the feet hanging down, so -that they administer a flick just on the top of it, as it shoots by. -Having made its demonstration, it shoots on and upwards, and turning in -a wide sweep, again comes rushing down to repeat it, and so forwards -and backwards for perhaps some half-a-dozen times, after which the -intervals will become longer, the circling sweeps which fill them up -wider and more numerous, till the attacks cease, and the bird flies -away." (The great skua, however, will attack almost indefinitely.) -"The force of the downward rush is in all cases very great, and the -'swirr' which accompanies it quite startling, suggesting a larger bird, -or something of a more portentous nature altogether. In striking, the -bird shoots the feet forward as they dangle, so that they hit one -with the anterior surface, and there is not the slightest attempt to -scratch or grasp with them. The force that can be put into such a blow -is but slight, and, even in appearance, there is something trivial -and inadequate about it that takes away from the effect of the bold -sweep, which, in the case of the great skua especially, strikes the -imagination, and is, indeed, a fine sight. A terrific blow with the -wing, or a seizing and tearing with beak and claw, as with an eagle, -would seem the fitting sequel to such power and fierceness." - -This failure of the sublime, and falling almost into the ridiculous, -cannot be observed when one is oneself the object of attack, and, -moreover, the buffets that one is constantly receiving, though quite -out of proportion to the size and fury of the birds, are often so -stinging and disagreeable as to spoil one for looking at the matter -from such a point of view. A ruse, however, may be adopted, and the -scales then fall from one's eyes. For instance: "To-day I sat down by -the almost fledged chick of a pair of great skuas, and, drawing my -plaid over my head, numbered the attacks of the parent birds. When I -began to count it was 3.13 P.M., and at 3.30 they had made between -them--turn and turn about--136 swoops at me. Of these, 67 were hits and -69 misses. Some of the hits were very--indeed, extremely--violent, so -that without the plaid I could not have stood it, and even as it was, -it was unpleasant. The blow is always delivered with the feet, though -sometimes (and pretty often as it seemed to me) a portion of the bird's -body touches one at the same time, thus giving more weight and force -to it. The force of the swoop is tremendous, and did the bird strike -one full with its whole bulk, it would, I believe, knock one over, as -a hare, it is said, has sometimes done by accident, in leaping over a -hedge. After this heroism, I stuck my umbrella (staff, or even stick, -would sound better, but it _was_ an umbrella) into the ground, arranged -my plaid upon it, and walked to a little distance. The birds, one after -another, swooped at the plaid but never hit it. As they got just above -it they stretched down their legs, but at the last moment seemed to -think something was wrong, and rose, so as just to clear it. 'But out -upon this half-faced fellowship!' This dangling down of the legs, in -which the speed is checked and the grand appearance lost, is quite -pitiful. Why cannot the birds fell you with a blow, or tear you with -the hooked beak? This would be 'Ercle's vein, a tyrant's vein,' but a -flick with the feet merely--it is a tame conclusion!" - -I doubt now, if the bird ever does strike you with the body even -lightly. It feels as if there must be more than the feet at the time, -but, probably, this is not the case. - -Both the male and female of the great skua defend the nest--and -especially the young--in this manner, but the swoopings of one of them, -probably of the female, are generally fiercer than those of the other. -In my limited experience this dual attack was almost invariable, but -in one instance the nest was guarded by one bird alone. This bird, -as though to make up for the deficiency, was even more than usually -fierce, making long rushing swoops from a great height and distance, -which would, I believe, have been effective each time had I not bobbed. -The other bird circled at a still greater height, and never once -joined in the attack. The height, I may say, from which the birds swoop -is not, as a rule, very considerable. The above does not apply equally -to the Arctic skua--at least in my own experience--for though often the -two birds would attack, yet in the greater number of cases only one of -them did so. Now the Arctic skua, as I have mentioned elsewhere, is -one of those birds which employs strategy (begging here the question -for the sake of brevity) as well as force to defend its young, and it -occurred to me that here might be a case of co-operation, the male -bird most probably attacking, and the female employing the ruse. I -satisfied myself, however, that the same bird sometimes does both one -and the other. How often this is so, and whether there is a tendency -on the part of either sex to resort by preference to one or the other -method, it might be difficult to find out. Yet I cannot help thinking -that this is the case, and that a process of differentiation is in -course of taking place. The facts are--or appeared to me to be--these. -In the case of the great skua, both sexes--almost, but not quite, -always--attack, and there is no ruse. In that of the Arctic skua both -sexes sometimes attack, but far more frequently (that, at least, was my -own experience) one alone does so, and here a ruse is employed. In the -former case we just see occasionally, as an exception, the raw material -(the non-attacking of the one bird) that might conceivably be utilised -by nature for the elaboration of another form of defence. In the latter -we _may_ see this other form being elaborated. - -Questions of this nature might be settled in the future on facts -observed now, as easily as a reference to an iron ring where boats were -once moored settles the question as to whether the coast has risen or -the sea encroached. The coast and the sea, however, remain. Birds, -slaughtered by millions each year, must cease almost as a class before -any great period has gone by. Of what use then the ring, the record -when what it speaks of is no more? - -Another interesting point in the Arctic skua (which it shares with at -least one other species of the genus) is its dimorphism--or rather, -to describe it more properly, its polymorphism. To me it seems to -offer a case of a species in course of variation from one form into -another. In the two extreme forms the plumage is, respectively, either -entirely sombre both above and below, or the whole throat, breast and -under surface, with a ring round the neck, and more or less of the -sides of the head, is of a fine cream colour. Between these extremes -there are various gradations, the cream being sometimes on the breast -only, whilst the throat is of a lighter or deeper grey, more or less -mottled with the still darker shade, or the lighter colour is hardly -or not at all discernible on these parts, whilst lower down it becomes -less and less salient till it is merely a not so dusky duskiness. -The cream-coloured birds, though numerous, are in the minority, and -both this and their being much handsomer suggests that the process -of change is in this direction, whilst the intermediate tintings may -represent the steps in this process. To what form of selection (if to -any) are we to attribute the change? As the cream colouring makes the -bird more conspicuous, natural selection (as distinct from sexual) -seems excluded, unless it could be shown that the change of colour -is correlated with some still greater advantage, and this is neither -apparent nor likely. There remains sexual selection, which to my -mind is strongly suggested. The modified colouring is, it is true, -shared by the two sexes, but this is quite compatible with the theory, -which supposes the tintings of the male kingfisher and numerous other -brilliant birds to have been thus acquired and transmitted in each -stage of progress to the female. It would, therefore, be interesting, -though, no doubt, difficult, to determine by observation whether the -creamy-coloured male birds were on an average more attractive to the -females than the other kind, and also whether the more handsome form -was increasing. In regard to the last point, this was the opinion of a -man guiltless of theories, but with a large amount of experience of the -birds. - -Of these two species of skua, the great and the lesser or Arctic one, -the latter appears to me to be the boldest and most aggressive. It -will chase not only gulls, but occasionally the great skua also, this -last, as it would seem, for sport or pleasure rather than for any -particular object. In the same way they often chase each other. A too -near approach to the nest may, perhaps, be the reason in either case, -but having watched them attentively I do not think that the pursuing -bird is often under any real apprehension. Gulls are persecuted by them -in the manner I have described, and sometimes, I think, also in mere -wantonness. The larger ones seem never to resist, but the kittiwake -will sometimes go down upon the water, turn to bay, and drive the -robber off. Gulls seem to fear the great skua less than the Arctic one, -and will sometimes mob and molest it. A single pair that had nested on -the outskirts of a gullery were a good deal subject to this annoyance. -One and then another gull would pursue them when they flew near, and -sometimes even swoop at them from side to side as they stood upon the -heather. But I never saw them annoy the Arctic skuas in this manner. -The latter, however, were much more numerous. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -Watching Ravens, Curlews, Eider-ducks, etc. - - -A pair of ravens on our island are also molested by the gulls, and -when either of them flies from one point to another of the coast in -their neighbourhood its path is marked by a constant succession of -"annoying incidents" of this nature. That these stately birds should -have to put up with rudeness from mere gulls does not seem right; -but so it is, nor did I ever see either of the two make any serious -attempt to over-awe them. Personally, I must say that I was at first so -little impressed by these ravens, that for a long time I did them the -injustice of looking upon them as carrion crows. Certainly, the hoarse, -bellowing croak which they uttered as they flew round when disturbed by -me impressed me and made me wonder, but their size appeared altogether -incompatible with the state of being a raven. I suppose the great -frowning precipices over which they commonly circled had a dwarfing -effect upon it, but they were manifestly smaller than any of the gulls -which molested them, and this I was not prepared for from the specimens -which I have seen in museums or languishing in captivity. That they -were ravens however, is, I think, certain from the very peculiar -croaking note to which I have alluded, and which they uttered at this -time almost constantly. - -When I came to the island these birds had already hatched out their -young, of which there were four lying in a loose cradle of what -looked like sticks, but could not have been, since these were nowhere -procurable. It was a mass of something having the general appearance of -a battered and flattened rook's nest, but what the actual materials of -which it was constructed were, I am unable to say. The nest was on a -ledge half-way down the face of a huge precipice forming one side of a -fissure in the coast-line--the mouth of an immature fiord--dug out in -the course of ages by the slow but ceaseless sapping of the sea. From -the summit of the opposite side I could look across at and down upon -it, having an excellent view. The young birds--five in number--who were -well fledged, and within, perhaps, a fortnight of leaving the nest, lay -in it very flatly with their wings half spread out, and so motionless -that for some time, upon first seeing them, I almost thought they must -be dead. The sudden yet softly sudden rearing itself up of one with -an expressive opening of the beak--expressive of "surely, surely, it -must be meal-time again now"--gave a delightful assurance that this -was not the case, and then there were more such risings and expressed -convictions. At intervals only, however, for it was wonderful how still -the young birds would lie for quite a long time, and so closely inwoven -within the cup of the nest that it was only when they stirred that five -became a possibility. The ledge being quite bare and open, the nest -with the young in it, making a black bull's-eye in the midst of a great -sheet of white, was conspicuously apparent. Several times I saw the -young birds move themselves backwards to the inner edge of the nest, -and then void their excrements over it, so that only a little of the -quite outer portion was contaminated. By this means the nest is kept -clean and dry, whilst all around it is defiled. It would seem as though -this power of ejecting their excrements to a distance which various -birds possess was, sometimes at least, in proportion to the size and -bulk of the nest which they construct. The nest of the shag, for -instance (and in a still greater degree that of the common cormorant), -is a great mass of seaweed and other materials, and the force with -which the excrement is shot out over this, both by the young and the -parent birds, astonishes one, as does also its upward direction. I had -always felt surprise when seeing cormorants and shags perform this -natural function whilst standing on the rocks, but it was not till I -had watched the latter birds for hour after hour, as they sat on their -nests, that I understood (or thought I understood) the significance of -it. In spite of the popular saying, it does not seem probable that all -young birds act in this way, and many nests are so constructed that it -would hardly be possible for them to do so. In most cases everything -necessary for sanitation or convenience could be effected afterwards -by the parent birds, but this would not be the case with ravens and -cormorants, or with other such carnivorous or fish-eating species. -Perhaps, therefore, the power which I speak of may stand in joint -relation to the diet and habits of the bird, and the kind of nest which -it builds. - -I made many attempts to witness the feeding of these young ravens by -their parents, but owing to there being no kind of cover from which I -could watch, and no means of erecting a proper shelter, I was unable -to do so. I did what I could by means of pieces of turf, and a plaid -or waterproof stretched over them, but this was not sufficient to -allay the suspicions of the old birds, who had always seen me as I -came up, and from my first appearance over the brow of the hill flew -around croaking and croaking, awaiting impatiently the moment of my -departure. It would have been difficult not to sympathise with them, -not to feel like an intruding vulgarian amidst that lonely wildness. -For my part, I never tried not to, but yielded at once to the feeling, -and retired each time with the humiliating reflection that the scene -would be the better without me. Yet it seems strange that in any -scene of natural beauty or grandeur, the one figure--should it happen -to be there--that has the capacity to feel it is just the one that -puts it out. Scott, for instance--though he _were_ Scott--would not -have improved any Highland bit, and Shakespeare's Cliff would hardly -have looked the better for the presence even of Shakespeare himself. -The samphire-gatherer, however, would have blended artistically, but -neither he nor a kilted shepherd or clansman would have had any more -appreciative perception of the beauties into which they fitted, than -the "choughs and crows" themselves, the sheep, or the majority of -tourists.[13] It is not a matter of clothes alone. It would seem as -though one must stand outside of a thing, and therefore be out of -keeping with it, before one can feel and grasp it, though, heaven -knows, the one need not involve the other. - -[13] Scott, however, credits the Highlanders--I mean the rank and -file--with an artistic appreciation of the scenery amidst which they -lived (see "Rob Roy"). I should bow to such an authority, but confess I -find it hard to believe. - -But, though I missed the feeding, I twice saw the raven mother--the -real one--cling on to the side of the nest and look in upon her young -ones, who rose and greeted her hungrily. That was a glorious thing to -see. There was something in the bird's look almost indescribable, a -blending--as it seemed to me--of cunning, criminal knowledge combined -with lightheartedness, and strong maternal affection. With the first -two of these, and with the stately, yet half grotesque action, the -bright, black eyes, and steely, glossy-purpling plumage (it never -looked black through the glasses), a faint, flitting idea, as of the -devil, was communicated, enhancing and giving piquancy to the delight. -She hung thus for some moments, seeming to enjoy the sight of her -children, yet all the while having her black, cunning eyes half turned -up towards myself. Then she flew away, joining her mate, who had waited -for her some way off at the accustomed place on the cliffs. It was -when I saw her like this, and when the glasses isolated her from the -general of rock and sea, that this raven seemed to assume her true -size and dignity, and to become really a raven. When she flew it was -different. Her sable pinions beating against the face of the precipice -added no effect to it, but she was instantly dwarfed and dwindled, and -became as nothing, a mere insignificant black speck, against its huge -frowning grandeur. - -Though, really, their plumage is all of gleaming, purply blues, at a -little distance, and when they fly, ravens look a dead ugly black, -which is also the case with rooks, who are almost equally handsome -when seen closely. Their flight is peculiar, and though it strikes -the imagination, yet it cannot be called at all grand or majestic in -the ordinary sense of those words. The wings, which are broad, short, -and rounded--or at any rate present that appearance to the eye--move -with regular, quick little beats, or, when not flapped, are held out -very straightly and rigidly. When thus extended, they are on a level -with or, perhaps, a little below the line of the back, and from this, -in beating, they only deviate downwards, and do not rise above it, or -very triflingly so, giving them a very flat appearance. A curious curve -is to be remarked in the anterior part of the spread wing, at first -backwards towards the tail, and then again forwards towards the head. -All the primary quills seem to partake of this shape, and they are also -very noticeably disjoined one from another, so that the interspace, -even whilst the wing is beaten, looks almost as wide as the quill--by -which I mean the whole feather--itself. I tried to imagine the effect -of a number of these sombre, quickly-beating pinions with the short -eager croak, having something of a bellowing tone in it ("the croaking -raven doth bellow for revenge") over the wide-extended carnage of an -ancient battlefield, and I thought I could do it pretty well--in spite -of the difficulty, in the present day, of conjuring up such scenes. - -[Illustration: _Raven: The Game of Reversi._] - -But, though the ordinary flight of ravens be as I have described, it -does not at all follow that they may not sometimes soar or sail for -long distances through the air, or descend through it at great speed, -and with all sorts of whirring and whizzing evolutions. For all these -things do the rooks, and yet their ordinary flight is of a heavy and -plodding character. One very peculiar antic, or "trick i' the air," -the raven certainly has. Whilst flapping steadily along with regular, -though quick beat of the wings, it closes these all at once, quite -tightly, as though it were on the ground, and immediately rolls over -to one side or the other. Either the roll is complete, so that the -bird comes right round again into its former position, or else, having -got only so far as to be back downwards, it rolls back the reverse -way. This has a most extraordinary appearance. The bird is stretched -horizontally in the position in which it has just been flying, and -in rolling over makes one think of a barrel or a man rolling on the -ground. Being in the air, however, it may, by dropping a little as it -rolls, make less, or, possibly, no progress in a latitudinal direction, -though whether this is the case or not I am not sure. - -To watch this curious action through the glasses is most interesting. -Each time there is a perceptible second or two during which the bird -remains completely reversed, back to earth and breast to sky. The -appearance presented is equally extraordinary, whether it makes the -half roll and returns, or goes completely round. I have sometimes seen -rooks make a turn over in the air, but this was more a disorderly -tumble, recalling that of the peewit, and, though striking enough, was -not nearly so extraordinary as this orderly and methodical, almost -sedate, turning upside down. The feat is generally performed four or -five times in succession, at intervals of some seconds, during which -the steady flight is continued. Most often it is done in silence, but -sometimes, at each roll over, the raven cries "pyar," a penetrating and -striking note. - -Sometimes these ravens would roll in this manner whilst pursued by -or skirmishing with a gull, and once I saw one of them do so during -a curious kind of skirmish or frolic--it was hard to tell its exact -character--with a hooded crow. Whether the hooded crow turned itself -almost at the same time in a manner somewhat or entirely similar, I am -not quite sure, but it struck me that it did do so. Of course, one may -very easily just miss seeing the action of a bird clearly, especially -if there are two or more together, and it is then, often, very annoying -to be left with no more than an impression, which may or may not be -correct. It is more satisfactory, almost, to see nothing than not to -be sure, but both impression and doubt should be stated, for both are -facts, and should not be suppressed. But on no other occasion have -I seen a hooded crow behave in this way, though I have watched them -often. Once, but only once, I saw one indulging in an antic which was -sufficiently striking, but of quite a different character. This bird -would spring suddenly from the ground, mount up almost perpendicularly -to a moderate height, and then descend again on the same spot or close -to it, making a sudden lurch and half tumble in alighting. It did this -some dozen times, but not always in so marked a manner, for sometimes -the mount or tower was not straight up from this spring--as a mountain -sheer from the sea--but arose out of what seemed an ordinary flight -over the ground. As it descended for the last time another crow flew up -to and alighted beside it in a manner which seemed to express an entry -into its feelings. This was in East Anglia, on the last day but one of -February, and I look upon it as a premature breaking out of the nuptial -activities before the birds had taken wing to their more northerly -breeding-places. As to these aerial antics of the ravens, I doubt if -they were strictly nuptial, on account of their performance of them -whilst skirmishing with gulls, or with the hooded crow. - -These two ravens were most devoted guardians of their young, and -they pursued a plan with me--for I was the only intruder on their -island--which was well calculated to blind me with regard to their -whereabouts, and would certainly have succeeded in doing so, had not -the nest been so openly situated, and such a conspicuous object. They -took up their station daily--and in this they never once varied--at -a point on the cliffs considerably beyond the place where they had -built their nest, and which commanded a wide outlook. As I came each -morning along the coast, which rose gradually, I became visible to them -whilst about as far from their nest on the one side as they were on the -other, and the instant my head appeared over the brow of the hill they -rose together with the croaking clamour I have mentioned, and circled -about round their own promontory. This strategy could hardly have been -improved upon had it been carefully thought out by a man, for in the -first place my attention was at once directed to the birds themselves, -and then if the _likelihood_ merely of there being a nest had occurred -to me, that part of the cliffs from which they rose, and about which -they wheeled, would have seemed the most likely place in which to -search for it. No doubt, had the nest been well concealed, the birds -would have done better not to have shown themselves, but conspicuous as -it was, they could hardly have adopted a better plan of getting me away -from just that part of the coast where it was situated. - -I have spoken in the last chapter of the extreme boldness of the -smaller of the two skuas, and how, whether in sport or piracy, he -chases birds much larger than himself. It was, therefore, something -of a surprise to me when I observed one morning this bold buccaneer -being himself pursued by another bird. This was one of a pair of -curlews, birds that are as the spirit of the sad solitudes in which -they dwell. It is, indeed, more as a part of the scene--that treeless, -mist-enshrouded waste beneath grey northern skies, which they emphasise -and add expression to--than in themselves that one gets to consider -them. Just thickening with a shape the dank, moist atmosphere, seeming -to have been strained and wrung out from the mist and rain and drizzle, -they are, at most, but a moulded, vital part of these. They move -like shadows on the mists, when they cry, desolation has found its -utterance. And yet, for all this, their general appearance, with their -long legs and neck, and immensely long sickle-shaped bill, is very much -that of an ibis--insomuch, that seeing them in this bleak northern -land, has sometimes almost a bizarre effect. This should seem quite -irreconcilable with the other, and yet, though it certainly ought to -be, somehow it is not, so that, at one and the same time, this opposite -bird brings a picture, by looking like an ibis, of Egypt and the -South, and is likewise the very incarnation of grey skies, of mist and -morass. So strangely can contradictions be reconciled in the mind, or -rather so well and impartially can we grasp two aspects of a thing when -neither concerns us personally. - -When they stand or walk slowly and sedately these curlews hold their -long, slender necks very erect, and it is this, with the beak, that -gives them their ibis-like character. When they run they lower the -neck, and the quicker they go the lower do they hold it. In taking -flight they sometimes make a few quick running steps with raised body, -as though launching themselves on the air; but at other times they will -rise from where they stand without this preliminary. In flight they -may be called conspicuous, at any rate by contrast with the wonderful -manner in which they disappear simply--"softly and silently vanish -away"--when on the ground. This is by reason of their colouring, which -on all the upper surface of the body and the outside of the wings is of -a soft, mottled brown, which blends wonderfully with, or, rather, seems -to become absorbed into the general surroundings of moor and peat-bog, -so that they never catch the eye, and are simply gone the instant this -is taken off them. But the plumage of the under surface of the body and -of the inside of the wings is much lighter, and this becomes visible as -the bird rises (as with the redshank), and alternates with the other as -it flies around. It is thus--round and round in a wide circle--that a -pair of them will keep flying when disturbed in their breeding-haunts. -But though each bird is equally disturbed and anxious, and though -their mournful cries answer each other like two sad complaining souls, -yet they keep apart, and, on settling, do not run to each other. From -the drear slope of a hill a wail goes up, and from another hill, or -the cheerless hollow between, the sad sound is answered. Or one will -fly wailing whilst the other wails and sits, or the two will follow -each other along the ground, but without coming very near. Thus, in a -kind of sad, solitary communion, they wail and lament, and so exactly -is each the counterpart of the other, one might think that the prophet -Jeremiah had been turned into a bird, which had subsequently flown -asunder. - -In flight the wings are for the most part constantly quivered, with a -quick and somewhat tremulous motion, but sometimes the bird will glide -with them outstretched, and not moving, just over the ground, before it -alights, or make a steep-down descent holding them set in this manner, -and so settle. There is also a trick or mannerism of flight which -is graceful, and may be of a nuptial character. Rising to a certain -height on quivering wings, they sink down, holding them extended and -motionless. After but a short descent, they rise again in the same -quivering way, and so continue for a greater or lesser space of time. - -The note which they utter is, first, a melancholy "too-ee, too-ee, -too-ee," then a much louder and sharper "wi-wi, wi-wi, wi-wi" (i as -in "with"), and there are various other ones, one of which--if memory -did not trick me--is just, or very, like a note which is but seldom -heard of the great plover, "Tu-whi, whi, whi, whi, whi." This bird -is itself a curlew, so that the resemblance can be understood. Its -affinities with the oyster-catcher are (unless it is the other way -about) less close; yet some part of the piping of the latter bird -reminded me strongly of the "clamour," as it is called, of the former -one. Sometimes, but more rarely, the mournful "too-ee, too-ee, too-ee" -of the curlew is followed by a note as mournful, but louder and more -abrupt. This sounded to my ear something like "chur-wer--whi-wee," but, -of course, all such renderings are arbitrary, and more or less fanciful. - -One of the strangest sounds that came to me on that lonely island was -the courting-note of the male eider-duck. This varies a good deal, -not in the sound, which is always the same, but in the duration and -division of it. Sometimes it is one long-drawn, soft "oh" or "oo," -more generally, perhaps, this is syllabled into "oh-hoo" or "ah-oo," -and often there is a much longer as well as very distinct and powerful -"hoo-oooooo." The sound seems always to be on the point of catching, -yet just to miss, the human intonation, sometimes suggesting a soft -(though often loud) mocking laugh, at others a slightly ironical or -surprised ejaculation. But this human element only just trembles upon -it and is gone. Rousing for a moment the sense of man's proximity -with its attendant associations, these vanish almost in the forming, -and are replaced by a feeling of unutterable loneliness and wildness. -For what recalls, yet is far other, enforces the sense of the absence -of that which it recalls. Yet this feeling changed too, or, rather, -with it there came another as of the unseen world, also, I think, -comprehensible, since what is almost, yet not quite, human must needs -suggest fays, elves, elementals, and all their company. I loved the -sound. If not quite music, it was most softly harmonious, and always, -from first to last, brought into my mind with strange insistency, those -lines in the _Tempest_: - - "Sitting on a bank, - Weeping again the King my father's wreck, - This music crept by me upon the waters, - Allaying both their fury and my passion - With its sweet air." - -Then, of course, I was on Prospero's island, though, heaven knows, this -bleak northern one was little like it. Thus can some poor bird that we -murder, by an association merely, or called-up image, as well as by -actual song, - - "Dissolve us into ecstasies, - And bring all heaven before our eyes." - -It was some little time before I could be quite sure to what bird -this strange note belonged. It seemed too poetical for a duck, -though, indeed, an eider-duck is the poetry of the family. Also, it -was difficult to locate, seeming to bear but little relation to the -place or distance at which it was uttered. But I soon found that -whenever there were eider-ducks I heard the note, whereas I never did -when they were nowhere about. At last--quite close in a little bay, -as though they had come there to show me--I "tore out the heart of -their mystery." It was a lovely sight. Even the female eider-duck, -sober brown though she be, has a most pleasing appearance, but the -male bird is beauteous indeed. In the pure white and deep, rich black -of his plumage he looks, at first, as though clothed all in velvet -and snow. There are, however, the green feathers on the back of the -head and neck, which do not look like feathers at all, but rather a -delicate wash of colour, or as though some thin, glazed material--some -finest-made green silk handkerchief--had been tied round his head with -a view to health by the female members of his family. And although -at first, with the exception of this green tint, all that is not the -richest velvet black looks purest white, the eye through the glasses, -growing more and more delighted, notices soon a still more delicate -wash of green about the upper parts of the neck, and of delicate, very -delicate, buff on the full rounded breast just where it meets the -water. These glorified males--there were a dozen of them, perhaps, to -some six or seven females--swam closely about the latter, but more in -attendance upon than as actually pursuing them; for the females seemed -themselves almost as active agents in the sport of being wooed as were -their lovers in wooing them. The actions were as follows:--The male -bird first dipped down his head till his beak just touched the water, -then raised it again in a constrained and tense manner--the curious -rigid action so frequent in the nuptial antics of birds--at the same -time uttering that strange, haunting note. The air became filled -with it, every moment one or other of the birds--sometimes several -together--with upturned bill would softly laugh or exclaim, and whilst -the males did this, the females, turning excitedly, and with little -eager demonstrations from one to another of them, kept lowering and -extending forwards the head and neck in the direction of each in turn. - -As there were a good many females in this "reunion," the numbers of the -males about any one of them at one time was not great. Some of them -were attended by only one cavalier or left quite lonely for a time--but -all kept shifting and changing. The birds kept always swimming on, and -were now all together, now scattered over a considerable surface of -water. Sometimes two males would court one hen, who would then often -demonstrate between them in the way I have described. Often, however, -the male birds are in excess of the females, and sometimes there will -be only one female to a number of males, who then press so closely -about her that they may almost be said to mob her, though in a very -polite manner. There are then frequent combats between the males, one -making every now and again a sudden dash through the water at another, -and seizing or endeavouring to seize him by the head or scruff of -the neck. The two then struggle together till they both sink or dive -under the water. Shortly afterwards they emerge separately, and the -combat is over for the time. During, if not as a part of, these nuptial -proceedings, the birds of both sexes will occasionally rise in the -water and give their wings a brisk flapping. They may also occasionally -dive as a mere relaxation, or to give vent to their feelings, at least -so it appeared to me. - -The female eider-duck--as far as I could observe--does not utter the -curious note, but only a deep quacking one, with which she calls to -her the male birds. It appeared to me that she would sometimes show a -preference for one male over another, and also (though of this I cannot -be so sure), a power of dismissing birds from her. But if she really -possesses such a power, she cannot very well assert it when closely -pressed upon by a crowd of admirers. I noticed, too, and thought it -curious, that a female would often approach a male bird with her head -and neck laid flat along the water as though in a very "coming-on -disposition," and that the male bird declined her advances. This, taken -in conjunction with the actions of the females when courted by the -males, appears to me to raise a doubt as to the universal application -of the law that throughout nature the male, in courtship, is eager and -the female coy. Here, to all appearance, courtship was proceeding, and -the birds had not yet mated. The female eider-ducks, however--at any -rate some of them--appeared to be anything but coy. As time went on -and the birds became paired this curious note of the males became less -and less frequent, and at last ceased, a proof, I think, that the note -itself is of a nuptial character, and also that the birds at the time -they kept uttering it were seeking their mates. - -I regret that I was not able to observe the further breeding or nesting -habits of these interesting birds. A few of the females may have laid -before I left the island, but the greater number were still on the -water. One day I put one up from the heather, upon which I lay down and -waited. Soon a pair of them--both females--flew round me and alighted -together not far off. Both then lay or crouched in the heather at a few -yards from each other. Later, whilst watching from the coast, I saw -two female eiders walking side by side at a slight distance apart. At -intervals they would pause, stand or sit for a little, and again jog -on together. These birds must, I think, have been selecting a place in -which to lay their eggs, and if so, it would seem that they like to do -this in pairs. I also saw a male eider-duck sitting for a considerable -time amidst the heather right away from the sea. It is, of course, -impossible to mistake the sexes after the males have assumed their -adult plumage, and, moreover, this bird subsequently flew down into the -little bay just beneath me. I say this because it is authoritatively -stated that the male eider-duck never goes near the nest. It is -probable that a week or so later this bird could not have sat where he -was without being near to _a_ nest at any rate; and, moreover, what -should take the male bird from the sea, or its immediate coast, at -all, if it were not some impulse appropriate to the season? This and a -statement made to me by a native in regard to this point, which went -still further against authority, makes me wish that I had been able to -see a little more. As it is, I have only a right to ask with regard -to this one male eider-duck, "Que diable allait-il faire dans cette -galere?" - -It is difficult to tire of watching these birds, ducks, yet so -wonderfully marine. The freedom of the sea is upon them, far more than -Aphrodite they might have sprung from its foam--it is of the male with -his snowy breast that one thinks this. One cannot see them and think -of a pond or a river--yet, always, they are so palpably ducks. It is -delicious to see them heave with the swell of the wave against some low -sloping rock--lapping it like the water itself--and then remain upon -it, standing or sitting--living jetsam that the sea has cast up. They -ride like corks on the water, they are the arch of each wave and the -dimple of every ripple. - -Eider-ducks feed by diving to the bottom of the sea off the rocks where -it is shallow, and getting there what is palatable. Probably this is, -in most cases, eaten under water, but whilst, as a rule, emerging -empty-mouthed, they occasionally bring up something in their bill, and -dispose of it floating on the surface. In one case this was, I think, a -crab; in another, some kind of shell-fish. Their dive is a sudden dip -down, and in the act of it they open the wings, which they use under -water, as can be plainly seen for a little way below the surface. This -opening of the wings in the moment of diving is, I believe, a sure sign -that they are used as fins or flippers under water, and that the feet -play little or no part. - -Birds, amongst others, that dive in this way are--to begin with--the -black guillemot. - -"Looking down from the cliffs into the quiet pools and inlets, one can -see these little birds--the dabchicks of the ocean--swimming under -water and using their wings as paddles, perfectly well. Instantly on -diving they become of a glaucous green colour, and are then no longer -like things of this world, but fanciful merely, suggesting sprites, -goblins, little subaqueous bottle imps, for their shape is like a -fat-bodied bottle or flat flask. Great green bubbles they look like, -and so too but--larger and still greener--do the eider-ducks." In -their small size and rounded shape, in their _deariness_, their pretty -little ways and actions, in everything, almost, these little black -guillemots are the marine counterpart of the dabchick or little grebe. -It is pretty to see them, a dozen or so together. They pursue each -other under the water--in anger, I think, but it has the appearance of -sport; it is a joyous anger. They seem all in a state of collective -excitement, and out of this one will make a sudden dart at another, -who dives, and the pursuit is then alternately under or on the water, -and sometimes just skimming along it on the wing, exactly as dabchicks -do. Yet the black guillemot is a fair flier, having to ascend the -precipices, and the dabchick too, for the matter of that, can if he -chooses rise into the air and fly seriously. There are three modes -of delivering the attack in fighting. In the first two the one bird -either just darts on the other when quite near, in which case there -may be a slight scuffle before either or both disappear, or flies at -him over the water from a greater or lesser distance and often very -nearly gets hold of him, but never quite. Invariably the other is down -in time, if it be only the justest of justs. The third plan, which is -the most _rusé_, is for the attacking bird to dive whilst yet some way -off, and, coming up beneath his "objective," to spear up at him with -his bill. And so nicely does he judge his distance that he always does -come up exactly where the swimming bird was,--not is, for this one is -as invariably gone. Yet this plan must sometimes be successful, though -I did not see a case in which it was. At least, I judge so by the -precipitation with which the bird on the water when he saw the other -one dive--as he always did, and divined his intention--flew up and off -to some distance. In just the same way have I seen the great crested -grebe rise up and fly far over the glassy waters of the sun-bathed -lake--but still more precipitately, and, indeed, in disorder, for -_he_ rose not alone from the surface but also from the well-aimed -spear-point of his successfully-lunging antagonist. Whether the little -dabchicks also, as well as the crested grebes, attack each other in -this manner, I cannot from observations say, but from the relationship -it would seem probable. - -[Illustration: _Habet! Great-Crested Grebe Attacked by Another Under -Water._] - -Razorbills also dive briskly, opening the wings and with a kick up, -as it were, of the legs and tail. If one sits on a height and they -come sufficiently near inshore to look down on them at an acute angle, -one can follow their course under the water, often for a considerable -time. One remarks then that the wings are moved both together--flapped -or beaten--so that the bird really flies through the water. In flight, -however, they are spread straight out without a bend in them, whereas -here they are all the while flexed at the joint, being raised from -and brought downwards again towards the sides in the same position in -which they repose against them when closed. These birds--and, no doubt, -the other divers--dive not only to catch fish, but also for the sake -of speed. I have seen them when travelling steadily along the shore -duck down and swim or fly like this, in a straight line and but just -below the surface of the water, always pursuing the same direction, -and seeming to have no difficulty in guiding themselves. The speed was -very much greater than when they merely paddled on the surface. Thus -we may see, perhaps, how such birds as the great auk and the penguins -came to lose the power of flight. They could fly in two ways, either -through the air or the water. The first--as long as they retained it at -all, probably--was much the quicker; but the other was quick enough for -their purposes, and the effort required to rise from the water was thus -dispensed with. These razorbills dived in order to get more quickly -to some point for which they were making. They might have got there -still sooner by flying, but the time saved was evidently not worth that -effort to them. But the power of flight might be long retained by a -bird--though useless to it in other respects--owing to its habit of -laying its eggs on otherwise inaccessible ledges of the rock. - -When three or four razorbills are swimming together, it is common -for one of them to dive first, and for the rest to follow in quick -succession, sometimes so quick that the order in which they go down, -and the succession itself, can only just be followed. They must keep -together under the water as well as above it, since they will often -emerge so, after some time, and at a considerable distance. - -The guillemot dives more or less like the razorbill, but I have not -been successful in tracing him under the water. - -There remains the puffin. "I have been able to follow the puffin -downwards in its dive, and at once noticed that the legs, instead of -being used, were trailed behind, as in flight, so that the bird's -motion was a genuine flight through water, unassisted by the webbed -feet. With the razorbill, I was not able to make this out so clearly, -for the legs are black, and the eye cannot detect them under the water, -as it can the bright vermilion ones of the puffin (one wonders, by the -way, if the latter play any part under water such as the white tail of -the rabbit is supposed to do on land), though I could see that just in -diving they were brought together and raised, so as to extend backwards -in the same way. Penguins also trail the legs like this in diving, only -giving an occasional paddle with them, whilst the wings are in constant -motion." - -It would seem, therefore, that those diving birds which swim with -their wings under the water only use their feet in a minor degree, -and that they go down with a quick, sudden duck, or bob, and in the -act of opening their wings. On the other hand, cormorants, shags, and -mergansers, birds which do not use their wings in this way, dive in a -quite different manner. Instead of the sudden, little, splashy duck, -as described, they make a smooth, gliding leap forwards and upwards, -rising a little from the water, with the neck stretched out, and wings -pressed close to the sides, to enter it again, beak foremost, like a -curved arrow, thus describing the segment of a circle. Their shape, as -they perform this movement, is that of a bent bow, and there is the -same suggestion in it of pent strength and elasticity. - -The shag is the greatest exponent of this school of diving, excelling -even the cormorant--at least I fancy so--by virtue of his smaller size. -He leaps entirely clear of the water, including even, for a moment, -his legs and feet. This seems really a surprising feat, for, as I say, -the wings are tightly closed, so that, by the force merely of the -powerful webbed feet, he is able to throw himself bodily out of the -sea. It must be by a single stroke, I think, for the motion is sudden -and then continuous. The bird may, of course, have been in ordinary -activity just previously, so that some slight degree of impetus may -be supposed to have been already gained, but this is unnecessary, and -the leap is often from quiescence. The merganser dives like the shag -or cormorant--though the curved leap is a little less vigorous--and -swims, like them, without using the wings. His food being fish, -instead of getting deeper and deeper down till he disappears, like the -eider-duck, he usually swims horizontally, sometimes only just beneath -the surface, and, as he comes right into the shallow inlets, where the -water almost laps the shore, he can often be watched thus gliding in -rapid pursuit. Though I saw all his turns and efforts, I never could -see either the fish or the capture of it--supposing that this took -place. If it did, the fish must each time have been swallowed, or at -least pouched, beneath the surface, as the bird never emerged with -one in his bill. There are, of course, several different species of -merganser and goosander. I cannot be quite sure of the identity of the -bird which has given rise to these observations--I think it was the -red-throated merganser--but, no doubt, the ways and habits of all the -species are either identical or nearly so. - -It is interesting to find the little dabchick of our ponds and streams -diving sometimes in the manner of the shag and cormorant, though, of -course, tempered with his own little soft individuality. I have this -note of him, taken in the frost and snow of a cold December day whilst -he sported in his little creek just a few feet in front of me. "He -gives a little leap up in the water, making a graceful curve, a pretty -little curl, as he plunges. One sees the curve of his back--which -is something--as he spring-glides down. The action is that of the -cormorant, but, rendered by himself, made dabchicky. Of course he is -in the water all the time; he does not shoot right out of it. There is -far less power and energy. It is a star-twinkle to a lightning-flash, -a floss ringlet to a bended bow." And again: "He is diving now very -prettily, with a graceful little curled arch in the air before going -down." - -I say that the dabchick sometimes dives like this, for he has many -ways of doing so, and it is not very often that he will repeat the same -thing twice in succession. Sometimes he dips so smoothly and still-ly -down that one seems hardly to miss him from where he was; there is -just a swirl on the stream--which seems, now, to represent him--and -that all but silent sound, so cool and pleasant, as of water sucked -down into water. Or, swimming smoothly down the current, he stops -suddenly, brings the neck stiffly and straightly forward, with eye -fixed intently, severely on the water--piercing down into it as though -making a point--and then down he goes with a click, almost a snap, -flirting the water-drops up into the air with his tiny little mite of a -tail. I have seen it stated, I think, that the dabchick has no tail, or -that he has no tail to speak of. I shall speak of it, for I have seen -it enter largely into his deportment. When, as I say, he dives like -this, suddenly, it may be flirted up with such vigour that, mite as it -is, it will send a little shower of sparkling drops to 20 feet away -or more. It may be said that it is not so much the tail as the whole -body that does this. I say that the tail has its share, and a good -share, too--more, perhaps, than is quite fair. At any rate, I have seen -the prettiest little drop of all whisked right off the tip of it, and -the sun shining more upon that one than any of the others--and that, -I think, is having a tail to speak of. But when swimming along quite -quietly, the dabchick's tail, instead of being cocked or flirted up -like the moor-hen's, is drawn smoothly down on the water so as not to -project and thus interfere with its owner's appearance, which is that -of a little, smooth, brown, oiled powder-puff, "smooth as oil, soft as -young down." The dabchick, therefore, has a tail, and knows how to -regulate it. - -Between these two extremes of the dabchick's manner of diving, and -independently of the little curled leap _à la_ cormorant, there -are infinite gradations, as well as all sorts of mannerisms and -individualities. But in all these I do not distinctly remember to have -seen him throw out his wings in the act of going down. - -I should be pretty sure, therefore, that he swims only and does not -fly (if this expression is permissible) under water, if I did not seem -to remember having once seen him do so, as I lay with my head just -over the river's bank and he passed underneath me. But it was years -ago; I have no note, and my memory may very likely have deceived me. -Possibly both in regard to this, as well as the way in which he dives, -the dabchick may be in a transition state. His multifariousness in this -latter respect seems to render this likely. The shag, if I mistake not, -never dives in any other way than that which I have described, unless -he is really alarmed, when he disappears instantaneously and in a -dishevelled manner. - -The moor-hen, also, may follow no fixed plan in his diving, for I have -certainly seen him using his feet only under water, and I believe I -have also seen him using his wings. Though this, too, was many years -ago I ought not to be mistaken, as the incident made such a deep -impression on me at the time. I was standing on the bank of a little -creek, or streamlet, running out of a reedy moor-hen-haunted river. -The creek itself, however, was clear where I stood, and all at once -a strange object passed right in front of me, swimming beneath the -surface. It was a moor-hen, but the wings used in the way I have been -discussing--a thing to me quite unexpected--seemed to give it an -entirely unbirdlike appearance, and surprised me into thinking for -the moment that it was some kind of turtle. The legs, I believe, were -also used, alternately in a kind of long, gliding stride, and may -just have touched the mud at the bottom. This, however--and I believe -the moor-hen often walks in this way along the bottom rather than -swims--would seem to make its use of the wings at the same time all the -more unlikely. I have but my memory, which, as evidence after so many -years, is of little value. In all such matters what is wanted is a note -taken down at the time. As to the actual dive down of the moor-hen, -whenever I have seen it it has always been a sudden duck, sometimes in -a rather splashy and disordered manner, but whether the wings were ever -thrown partly open I am not able to say. I have noted cases, however, -where they certainly were not, and this again makes it more likely that -the moor-hen in diving does not use the wings at all. I do not know -that I have ever seen the moor-hen dive, unless it was in alarm from -having seen me; and with regard to this a question arises which, I -think, is of interest--to what extent, namely, does diving enter into -the moor-hen's ordinary habits, how often does it do so of its own -free will? Possibly it may differ as to this in different localities. -Jefferies, for instance, writes as though it were always diving. Yet I -have watched moor-hens latterly, at all seasons, and for several hours -at a time, without having once seen them do so; so that from seeing -them thus _au naturel_, and without any suspicion of my proximity, I -might have come to the conclusion that they were not diving birds at -all. As it is, I am inclined to think that they rarely dive except to -avoid danger, and only then when surprised and as a last resource. For -instance, if a moor-hen sees one from the smallest distance it flies -to the nearest belt of reeds, but if one appears quite suddenly on the -bank just above it--as sometimes happens--it will then often dive. -Even here, however, according to my own experience, it is more likely -to trust to its wings; so that, as it seems to me, the habit under any -circumstances is only an occasional one, and may, therefore, be in -process either of formation or cessation. If we look at the moor-hen's -foot, which shows no special adaptation to swimming, but a very marked -one for walking over a network of water-herbage, the former of these -two suppositions seems the more probable. The bird from a shore and -weed-walker has become aquatic, and is probably becoming more so. If -the habit of diving is only becoming established, it is possible that -some localities might be more conducive to its quick increase than -others, and it would be interesting, I think, if observers in different -parts of the country would make and record observations on this point. - -The chariness of the moor-hen in diving is the more interesting because -the coot, which belongs to the same family, has the same general -habits, and has evidently become aquatic by the same gradual process, -dives frequently, and is accustomed to feed upon weeds which it pulls -up from the bottom of the water. Here is an instance, in which it will -also be seen that the coot's manner of diving is very much more formed -than the moor-hen's, which may be said to be archaic. "It dives down -and reappears, shortly, with some dank weediness in its bill, which it -proceeds to peck about and swallow on the surface. Then it dives again, -comes up with some more, which it likewise eats, and does this several -times in succession. After five or six dives it comes up with quite a -large quantity, with which it swims a little way to some footing of -flag and reed, and on this frail brown raft it stands whilst picking to -pieces and eating 'the fat weed' which it has there deposited. Having -finished, or selected from it, it swims to the same place again and -continues thus to dive and feed, each time coming up with some weeds in -its beak, which I see it eat quite plainly. It is charming to see this, -and also the way in which the bird dives, which is elaborate, studied, -and yet full of ease. Rising, first, from the water in a light, buoyant -manner as if about to ascend, balloon-like, into the air, it changes -its mind in the instant and plunges beneath the surface, having, as -it goes down, a very globular and air-bally appearance. It is like -the sometime dive of the dabchick, but with more deportment and less -specific gravity. The dabchick is an oiled powder-puff, the coot a -balloon, the dabchick a small fluff-ball, the coot an air-ball." - -From this it would seem as though the coot belonged to the cormorant -school of diving, disagreeing in this with the moor-hen, to whom it is -so closely allied, whilst agreeing with the dabchick, as well as the -great crested grebe and other birds--the cormorant itself--with whom it -has no close affinities. But this cannot be said without considerable -qualification, for, though the description I have given is from the -life and seen over and over again, yet at other times the dive down -of this bird is so totally different that no one who had seen only -the one could think it capable of the other. In the winter, coots -swim about in flocks, and then one may see first one little spray of -water thrown up as a bird disappears, and then another. That is all; -there is the spray and there is no bird, whereas just before there was -one. Indeed, I think it is a quicker dive than any that I have seen -a sea-bird make, only equalled, perhaps (or even, perhaps, not quite -equalled), by that of a really alarmed dabchick. As for the process of -it, it is undiscoverable, the eye catches only the spray-jet, which -is pretty and always just the same. But there is no disorder, no -higgledy-piggledyness. It is something which you can't see, but which -you feel is the act of a master. Here again, then, the coot in diving -is quite the moor-hen's superior. The dive of the latter bird is, as -we have said, archaic. It is unpolished, and greatly wants form and -style. Now, the coot is fin-footed--that is to say, the skin of the -toes is extended so as to form on the interspace of each joint a thin -lobe-shaped membrane. In this formation, which likewise distinguishes -the grebes, we may, perhaps, see the gradual steps by which the feet of -some more purely aquatic birds have become webbed. As the lobes became -larger they would have met and overlapped, and from this to an actual -fusion does not seem an impassable gulf. This, however, is only a -supposition. It seems more likely that the web has been, in most cases, -gained by the extension of the slight membrane between the toes, at -their junction with one another. Possibly the lobes on the toes of the -coot were gained before he became a swimmer, and served the purpose of -supporting him on mud or floating vegetation, or, as perhaps is more -probable, they may have been developed in accordance with the double -requirement. At any rate, if we suppose this structural modification -to have been effected after the bird became in some degree truly -aquatic, then, though this does not prove that the period at which it -became so was longer ago than in the case of the moor-hen, which has -remained structurally unaffected, yet it, perhaps, renders it likely, -and we can, by supposing so, understand why the one bird should dive -habitually and the other only occasionally. - -The great crested grebe exhibits the same feature of variety in his -manner of diving as does his sprightly little relative the dabchick. -Sometimes it is quite informal--he just spears the water before -disappearing, sinking in it a little before he spears--but at others -there is the cormorant leap upwards as well as forwards, before going -down. Of course, no more than with the dabchick is there the same -tremendous vigour, the wonderful supple virility which lives in the -leap of this strong-souled sea robber. I say "of course," for anyone -who has watched these birds--the most ornamental, perhaps, of any -except swans that swim the water--must have remarked a quiet, easy, -one may almost say languid, grace--something suggestive of high birth, -of "Lady Clara Vere de Vere"-ness--in their every, or almost every, -action. Masters of grace indeed they are, and consummate masters of -diving. I do them wrong descanting upon them here so scantily, but -space, my constant and persistent enemy, will have it so. I have not -even sufficient to make them any further apology. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -Watching Shags and Guillemots - - -I have referred once or twice before to the cormorant (including under -this title the shag), and once to the guillemot. In this chapter I -shall treat of both these birds a little more at large, for in the -first place they are salient amongst sea fowl, giving a distinctive -character to the wild places that they haunt, and secondly, I have -watched them closely and patiently. Both are interesting, and the -cormorant especially has a winning and amiable character, which I shall -the more enjoy bringing before the public because I think that up to -the present scant justice has been done to it. Something, perhaps, of -the wild and fierce attaches to the popular idea of this bird, due, -no doubt, both to its appearance, which has in it something dark and -evil-looking, and to the stern, wild scenery of rock and sea with which -this is in consonance, and by which it is emphasised. Perhaps the mere -name even, which has by no means a harmless sound, has something to do -with it. - - "As with its wings aslant - Sails the fierce cormorant - Seeking some rocky haunt," - -says Longfellow--lines which, to me at least, call up a graphic picture -of the bird, though I do not know that the first contains anything -which is specially characteristic of it; and Milton has recorded--as -we may, perhaps, assume--the way in which its uncouth shape appealed -to him by making it that which his grand angel-devil chooses, on one -occasion, to assume. On another one, it may be remembered, Satan takes -for his purposes the form of a toad, and on each, no doubt, the poet, -who never appears to yield to the strong temptation (as one would -imagine) of loving his great creation, has intended to convey a general -idea of fitness and symbolical similarity as between the disguised -being and the disguise taken. - -It has been conjectured that the habit which the cormorant has of -standing for a length of time with its wings spread out and loosely -drooping, suggested to Milton its appropriateness, and certainly there -is an o'er-brooding, possession-taking appearance in this attitude of -the bird, in keeping with the ideas which may be supposed to reign in -Satan's breast as he looks down from the high tree of life upon the -garden of Eden and its two newly created inhabitants. Independently of -this, however, the bird, as it stands in its ordinary posture, firmly -poised, the body not quite upright but inclined somewhat forward, with -the curved neck and strong hooked beak thrown into bold relief--the -dark webbed feet grasping firmly on the rock--has in it something -suggestive both of power and evil, which may well have struck Milton, -as it must, I think, anyone who is appreciative and either not an -ornithologist or who, if he is one, will suppress for the time being -his special scientific knowledge and _se laisser prendre aux choses_, -as did the less (falsely) critical portion of Moliere's audiences. - -For, whatever the cormorant may look, he is in reality--except from -the fish's point of view, which is, no doubt, a strong one--both a -very innocent and, as I have said, a very amiable bird. He shines -particularly in scenes of quiet domestic happiness--in the home circle -both giving and receiving affection--and it is in this light that the -following pictures will for the most part reveal him. I must premise -that they all refer to that smaller and handsomer species of our two -cormorants adorned with a crest, and whose plumage is all of a deep -glossy, glancing green, called the shag. If I speak of him sometimes -by his family name, it is because he has a clear right to it, and also -because it has a more pleasing sound than the one which distinguishes -him specifically. The habits of the two birds are almost the same, if -not quite identical. They fish together in the sea, stand together on -the rocks, and in the earlier stages of its plumage the more ornate -one closely resembles the other in its permanent dress. One might -think that they were not merely the co-descendants of a common and -now extinct ancestor, but the modified form and its actual living -progenitor. But I am aware of the arguments which could be used against -such a conclusion. - -I will now give my observations as taken down at the time, and should -they be thought minute to the point of tediousness, I can only in -extenuation plead the title of this book, whilst assuring the reader, -that however it may lie between us two, the bird, at any rate, is in no -way to blame. - -_Courtship, love-making._--"The way in which the male cormorant makes -love to the female is as follows:--Either at once from where he stands, -or after first waddling a step or two, he makes an impressive jump or -hop towards her, and stretching his long neck straight up, or even a -little backwards, he at the same time throws back his head so that it -is in one line with it, and opens his beak rather widely. In a second -or so he closes it, and then he opens and shuts it again several times -in succession, rather more quickly. Then he sinks forward with his -breast on the rock, so that he lies all along it, and fanning out his -small, stiff tail, bends it over his back whilst at the same time -stretching his head and neck backwards towards it, till with his beak -he sometimes seizes and, apparently, plays with the feathers. In this -attitude he may remain for some seconds more or less, having all the -while a languishing or ecstatic expression, after which he brings his -head forward again, and then repeats the performance some three or -four or, perhaps, half-a-dozen times. This would seem to be the full -courting display, the complete figure so to speak, but it is not always -fully gone through. It may be acted part at a time. The first part, -commencing with the hop--the _simple aveu_ as it may be called--is not -always followed by the ecstasy in the recumbent posture, and the last -is still more often indulged in without this preliminary, whilst the -bird is sitting thus upon the rock. Again, a bird whilst standing, -but not quite erect, will dart his head forward and upward, and make -with his bill as though snapping at insects in the air. Then, after a -second or two, he will throw his head back till it touches or almost -touches the centre of his back, and whilst at the same time opening and -shutting the beak, communicate a quick vibratory motion to the throat. -It looks as though he were executing a trill or doing the _tremulo_ so -loved of Italian singers, of which, however, there is no vocal evidence. - -"When the male bird makes the great pompous hop up to the female, and -then, after the preliminaries that I have described, falls prone in -front of her, he is, so to speak, at her feet; but by throwing his head -backwards he gets practically farther off, nor can he well see her -whilst staring up into the sky behind him, which is what he appears to -be doing. Thus the first warmth of the situation is a little chilled, -and on the stage we should call it an uncomfortable distance. The -female shag seems to think so too, for all that she does--that is to -say, all that I have then seen her do--is to stand and look about, -conduct which, as it is uninteresting, we may perhaps assume to be -correct. But when the antics begin, as one may say, from the second -figure, the male not rising from his recumbent position (a quite usual -one) on the rock to make the first display, the bird towards whom his -attentions are directed will often be standing behind him, and it then -appears as if he had brought back his head in order to gaze up at her -_con expressione_. In this case she, on her part, will sometimes -cosset the feathers of his throat or neck with the tip of her hooked -bill, a courtesy which you see him acknowledge by sundry little pleased -movings of his head to one side and to another. It must, however, be -understood that when I say it is the male bird who thus pays his court -to the female, I am only inferring that this is the case. There was -nothing beyond likelihood and analogy to guide me in what I saw, and -from some subsequent observations I have reason to think that these -antics are common to both sexes. As a rule, however, one may safely -assume that the bird which in such matters both takes the initiative -and does so in a very decided manner, is the male." - -I will add that the waddling step with which the male bird (as I -believe) approaches the female may become quickened and exaggerated -into a sort of shuffling dance. But I only use the word "dance," -because I can think of no slighter, yet sufficient, one. It is not, I -should imagine, intentional, but only the result of nervous excitement. - -[Illustration: _Love on a Rock: Shags During the Breeding Season._] - -These seem to be odd antics, but it is in the nature of antics to be -odd, and when such a bird as a cormorant indulges in them one may -expect something more than ordinarily peculiar. The hop, however, -which is very pronounced, is not confined to such occasions, but is -made to alternate with the customary waddle when the bird is moving -about on the rocks, and especially when getting up on to any low ledge -or projection. I do not know of any other British bird which adopts -this recumbent position in courtship, but this is just what the male -ostrich does, as I have over and over again seen. He first pursues -the hen, who flies before him, and then, having followed her for a -short distance, flings himself down, throws back his head upon his back -and rolls from side to side, each time slowly passing the splendid -white feathers of first one and then another wing over the velvet -black plumage of his body, by which, of course, they are shown to the -very best advantage. The hen commonly stops whilst he is doing this, -and may be supposed to pay some attention, but as to the amount, as I -write from memory after many years, I will not here express an opinion. -After a while the male bird rises, again pursues the hen, again flings -himself down, and this is continued for a greater or lesser number of -times, till either he gives up the chase, or the two have come to a -thorough understanding. When thus rolling with wings spread out and -head thrown back upon himself the bird is in a kind of ecstasy, and it -is easy to go right up to him--as I have myself done--and seize him by -the neck before he becomes aware of one's presence. - -These antics therefore--though in a bird so different as the -ostrich[14]--bear a considerable resemblance to those of the shag, -though the latter does not at any time make use of his wings. This, -again, is interesting, for there is nothing specially handsome in the -wings of a cormorant. The crest, however, is conspicuous as the head -is flung up, and by the opening of the bill, which is a very marked -feature, the brilliant yellow gule which matches in colour the naked -outer skin at the base of the mandibles becomes plainly visible. This -habit of opening the bill as it were _at_ each other I have remarked -in several sea-birds, and also that in all or most of these cases the -interior part thus disclosed is brightly or, at least, pleasingly -coloured. - -[14] Having been led to speak of the ostrich, I will take this -opportunity of challenging the statement to be met with in several -works of standing, that the male bird alone performs the duties of -incubation. I have lived on an ostrich-farm and (unless I am dreaming) -ridden round it every afternoon in order to feed the hens, who had till -then been sitting on the eggs, and were often still to be seen so doing. - -_Bathing._--But whether the following be bathing or a kind of aquatic -exercise either of or not of the nature of sexual display, I will leave -to the reader to decide. Birds which live habitually in the water do -yet bathe, I believe, in the proper sense of the word. - -"The cormorant, when bathing, raises himself a little out of the water -whilst still maintaining a horizontal position, and in this attitude, -supported as it would seem on the feet, he commences violently to beat -the sea with his wings, moving also the tail and, I think, treading -down with the feet upon the water. The sea is soon beaten all into -foam, and when he has accomplished this, desisting, he begins to sport -about in the whiteness of it in an odd excited manner, making little -turns and darts and often being just submerged, but no more. He does -this for a few minutes, stops, and commences again after a short -interval, and thus continues alternately sporting and resting for a -quarter of an hour or, perhaps, even as long as half-an-hour. I think -this must be bathing or washing, for other birds act in the same way, -though less markedly, so that it does not occur to one to wonder what -they are about. The little black guillemot, for instance, beats the -water briskly and rapidly with his wings, but whereas the cormorant -beats it into foam so that it looks like the wake of a steamer, he -raises only a little silvery sprinkling of spray, for he but just flips -the surface of it with the tips of his quill feathers. All the while -his little, upturned, fanned tail keeps waggle-waggling, but this, too, -acts more like a light shuttlecock than a powerful screw. Nor does he -dip so much or make such violent motions as of a mad water-dance. The -cormorant's performance is strong--an epic. His is lyrical rather. No -lofty genius but a pretty little minor poet is the black guillemot, and -after each little water-verselet he rises pleasedly and gives his wings -an applausive little shake. You might think he was clapping them--and -himself." - -_Gargoyle idylls._--"Now I have found a nest with the bird on it, to -see and watch. It was on a ledge, and just within the mouth of one of -those long, narrowing, throat-like caverns into and out of which the -sea with all sorts of strange, sullen noises licks like a tongue. The -bird, who had seen me, continued for a long time afterwards to crane -about its long neck from side to side or up and down over the nest, in -doing which it had a very demoniac appearance, suggesting some evil -being in its dark abode, or even the principle of evil itself. As it -was impossible for me to watch it without my head being visible over -the edge of the rock I was on, I collected a number of loose flat -stones that lay on the turf above, and, at the cost of a good deal of -time and labour, made a kind of wall or sconce with loopholes in it, -through which I could look, yet be invisible. Presently the bird's mate -came flying into the cavern, and wheeling up as it entered, alighted -on a sloping slab of the rock just opposite to the nest. For a little -both birds uttered low, deep, croaking notes in weird unison with the -surroundings and the sad sea-dirges, after which they were silent for a -considerable time, the one standing and the other sitting on the nest -_vis-à-vis_ to each other. At length the former, which I have no doubt -was the male, hopped across the slight space dividing them on to the -nest, which was a huge mass of seaweed. There were now some more deep -sounds and then, bending over the female bird, the male caressed her by -passing the hooked tip of his bill through the feathers of her head and -neck, which she held low down the better to permit of this. Afterwards -the two sat side by side together on the nest. - -"The whole scene was a striking picture of affection between these -dark, wild birds in their lonely, wave-made home. - -"Here was love unmistakable, between so strange a pair and in so wild -a spot. But to them it was the sweetest of bowers. How snug, how cosy -they were on that great wet heap of 'the brown seaweed,' just in the -dark jaws of that gloom-filled cavern, with the frowning precipice -above and the sullen-heaving sea beneath. Here in this gloom, this -wildness, this stupendousness of sea and shore, beneath grey skies -and in chilling air, here was peace, here was comfort, conjugal love, -domestic bliss, the same flame burning in such strange gargoyle-shaped -forms amidst all the shagginess of nature. The scene was full of charm, -full of poetry, more so, as it struck me, than most love-scenes in -most plays and novels--having regard, of course, to the _prodigious_ -majority of the bad ones. - -"The male bird now flies out to sea again, and after a time returns -carrying a long piece of brown seaweed in his bill. This he delivers -to the female, who takes it from him and deposits it on the heap, as -she sits. Meanwhile, the male flies off again, and again returns with -more seaweed, which he delivers as before, and this he does eight times -in the space of one hour and forty minutes, diving each time for the -seaweed with the true cormorant leap. Sometimes the sitting bird, when -she takes the seaweed from her mate, merely lets it drop on the heap, -but at others she places and manipulates it with some care. All takes -place in silence for the most part, but on some of the visits the heads -are thrown up and there are sounds--hoarse and deeply guttural--as of -gratulation between the two. - -"Once the male bird, standing on the rock, pulls at some green seaweed -growing there, and after a time gets it off. - - ('It was rather tough work to pull out the cork, - But he drew it at last with his teeth.') - -"The female is much interested, stretches forward with her neck over -the nest and takes the seaweed as soon as it is loose, before the other -can pass it to her. Then she arranges it on the nest, the male looking -on the while as though she were the bride cutting the cake. Now he hops -on to the nest again, and both together (for I think the male joins) -arrange or pull the seaweed about with their beaks. One would think -that the nest was still a-building and that the eggs were not yet laid. -This last, however, is not the case. Several times, whilst waiting -alone, the female bird rises a little on the nest, and each time there -is a gleam like snow and the gloom seems deeper against the cut outline -of a pure white egg. How full of poetry and interest it is lying there; -how unmeaning and, one may almost say, absurd in a cabinet!" - -The nest of the shag is continually added to by the male, not -only whilst the eggs are in process of incubation, but after they -are hatched, and when the young are being brought up. In a sense, -therefore, it may be said to be never finished, though to all practical -purposes it is, before the female bird begins to sit. That up to this -period the female as well as the male bird takes part in the building -of the nest I cannot but think, but from the time of my arrival on -the island I never saw the two either diving for or carrying seaweed -together. Of course, if all the hen birds were sitting this is -accounted for, but from the courting antics which I witnessed, and for -some other reasons, I judged that this was not the case. Once I saw -a pair of birds together high up on the cliffs, where some tufts of -grass grew in the niches. One of these birds, only, pulled out some -of the grass, and flew away with it accompanied by the other one. It -is not only seaweed that is used by these birds in the construction -of the nest. In many that I saw, grass alone was visible (though I -have no doubt seaweed was underneath it); and one, in particular, had -quite an ornamental appearance, from being covered all over with some -land-plant having a number of small blue flowers; and this I have -observed in other nests, though not to the same extent. A fact like -this is interesting when we remember the bower-birds, and the way in -which they ornament their runs. I think it was on this same nest that -I noticed the picked and partially bleached skeleton--with the head -and wings still feathered--of a puffin. It had, to be sure, a sorry -appearance to the human--at least to the civilised human--eye, but if -it had not been brought there for the sake of ornament I can think of -no other reason, and brought there or, at least, placed upon the nest -by the bird, it must almost certainly have been. The brilliant beak and -saliently marked head of the puffin must be here remembered. Again, -fair-sized pieces of wood or spar, cast up by the sea and whitened by -it, are often to be seen stuck amongst the seaweed, and on one occasion -I saw a bird fly with one of these to its nest and place it upon it. In -all this, as it seems to me, the beginnings of a tendency to ornament -the nest are clearly exhibited. It would be interesting to observe if -the common cormorant exhibits the same tendency, or to the same degree. -The shag being a handsome and adorned bird, we might, on Darwinian -principles, expect to find the æsthetic sense more developed in it than -in its plainer and unadorned relative. - -Both the sexes share in the duty and pleasure of incubation, and (as in -some other species) to see them relieve each other on the nest is to -see one of the prettiest things in bird life. The bird that you have -been watching has sat patiently the whole morning, and once or twice as -it rose in the nest and shifted itself round into another position on -the eggs, you have seen the gleam of them as they lay there - - "As white - as ocean foam in the moon." - -At last when it is well on in the afternoon, the partner bird flies -up and stands for some minutes preening itself, whilst the one on the -nest, who is turned away, throws back the head towards it and opens -and shuts the bill somewhat widely, as in greeting, several times. The -newcomer then jumps and waddles to the further side of the nest, so as -to front the sitting bird, and sinking down against it with a manner -and action full both of affection and a sense of duty, this one is half -pushed, half persuaded to leave, finally doing so with the accustomed -grotesque hop. As it comes down on the rock it turns towards the other -who is now settling on to the eggs, and, throwing up its head into the -air, opens the bill so as to show (or at any rate showing) the brightly -coloured space within. - -All this it does with the greatest--what shall we say? Not exactly -_empressement_, but character--it is a character part. There is an -indescribable expression in the bird--all over it--as of something -vastly important having been accomplished, of relief, of satisfaction, -of _summum bonum_, and, also, of a certain grotesque and gargoyle-like -archness--but as though all these were only half-consciously felt. She -then (for I think it is the female), before flying away, picks up a -white feather from the ledge and passes it to the male, now established -on the nest, who receives and places it. It has all been nearly in -silence, only a few low, guttural notes having passed between the -birds, whilst they were close together. - -Just in the same way the birds relieve each other after the eggs have -been hatched and when the young are being fed and attended to. - -"A shag (I think the female bird) is sitting on her nest with the -young ones, whilst the male stands on a higher ledge of the rock a -yard or so away. He now jumps down and stands for a moment with head -somewhat erected and beak slightly open. Then he makes the great -pompous hop which I have described before, coming down right in front -of the female, who raises her head towards him and opens and closes -the mandibles several times in the approved manner. The two birds then -nibble, as it were, the feathers of each other's necks with the ends -of their bills, and the male takes up a little of the grass of the -nest, seeming to toy with it. He then very softly and persuadingly -pushes himself against the sitting bird, seeming to say, 'It's my -turn now,' and thus gets her to rise, when both stand together on the -nest, over the young ones. The male then again takes up a little of -the grass of the nest, which he passes towards the female, who also -takes it, and they toy with it a little together before allowing it to -drop. The insinuating process now continues, the male in the softest -and gentlest manner pushing the female away and then sinking down into -her place, where he now sits, whilst she stands beside him on the -ledge. As soon as the relieving bird has settled itself amidst the -young, and whilst the other one is still there--not yet having flown -off to sea--it begins to feed them. Their heads--very small, and with -beaks not seeming to be much longer in proportion to their size than -those of young ducks--are seen moving feebly about, pointing upwards, -but with very little precision. Very gently, and seeming to seize -the right opportunity, the parent bird takes first one head and then -another in the basal part, or gape, of his mandibles, turning his -own head on one side in order to do so, so that the rest of the long -bill projects sideways beyond the chick's head without touching it. In -this connection, and whilst the chick's head is quite visible, little, -if any more than the beak being within the gape of the parent bird, -the latter bends the head down and makes that particular action as of -straining so as to bring something up, which one is familiar with in -pigeons. This process is gone through several times before the bird -standing on the ledge flies away, to return again in a quarter of an -hour with a piece of seaweed, which is laid on the nest." Here again, -as throughout, the sexes of the birds can only be inferred or merely -guessed at. Both share in incubation, both feed the young, both (I -think) bring seaweed to the nest, and both are exactly alike. - -As the chicks become older they thrust the head and bill farther -and farther down the throat of the parent bird, and at last to an -astonishing extent. Always, however, it appeared to me that the -parent bird brought up the food into the chick's bills in some state -of preparation, and was not a mere passive bag from which the latter -pulled out fish in a whole state. There were several nests all in -unobstructed view, and so excellent were my glasses that, practically, -I saw the whole process as though it had been taking place on a table -in front of me. The chicks, on withdrawing their heads from the -parental throat, would often slightly open and close the mandibles as -though still tasting something, in a manner which one may describe as -smacking the bill; but on no occasion did I observe anything projecting -from the bill when this was withdrawn, as one would expect sometimes -to be the case if unmodified fish were pulled up, but not if these were -in a soft, porridgey condition. Always, too, the actions of the parent -bird suggested that particular process which is known as regurgitation, -and which may be observed with pigeons, and also--as I have seen and -recorded--with the nightjar. - -Cormorants, as they sit on the nest, have a curious habit of twitching -or quivering the muscles of the throat, so that the feathers dance -about in a very noticeable manner, especially if that rare phenomenon, -a glint of sunshine, should happen to fall upon them. Whilst doing -so they usually sit quite still, sometimes with the bill closed, but -more frequently, perhaps, with the mandibles separated by a finger's -breadth or so. I have watched this curious kind of St Vitus's dance -going on for a quarter of an hour or more, and it seems as though it -might continue indefinitely for any length of time. All at once it will -cease for a while, and then as suddenly break out again. It is not -only the old birds that twitch the throat in this manner. The chicks -do so too in just as marked a degree, and on account of the skin of -their necks being naked it is, perhaps, more noticeable in their case -than with the parent birds. I have observed exactly the same thing, -though it was not quite so conspicuous, in the nightjar, so that I -cannot help asking myself the question whether it stands in any kind of -connection with the habit of bringing up food for the young from the -crop or stomach--the regurgitatory process. I will not be sure, but I -think that the same curious _tremulo_ of the throatal feathers may be -observed in pigeons as they sit on the nest. It is that portion of the -throat which lies just below the bird's gape (I am here speaking of -the shag), including both the feathered and the naked skin between the -cleft of the lower mandible, and extending to the sides of the neck, -which is principally twitched or quivered. - -The above, perhaps, is a trivial observation, but no one can watch -these birds very closely without being struck by the habit. - -Young shags are, at first, naked and black--also blind, as I was able -to detect through the glasses. Afterwards the body becomes covered with -a dusky grey down, and then every day they struggle more and more into -the likeness of their parents. They soon begin to imitate the grown-up -postures, and it is a pretty thing to see mother and young one sitting -together with both their heads held stately upright, or the little -woolly chick standing up in the nest and hanging out its thin little -featherless wings, just as mother is doing, or just as it has seen her -do. At other times they lie sprawling together either flat or on their -sides. They are good-tempered and playful, seize playfully hold of -each other's bills, and will often bite and play with the feathers of -their parent's tail. In fact, they are a good deal like puppies, and -the heart goes out both to them and to their loving, careful, assiduous -mother and father. As pretty domestic scenes are enacted daily and -hourly on this stern old rock, within the very heave and dash of the -waves, as ever in Arcadia, or in any neat little elegant bower where -the goddess of such things presides--or does not. The sullen sea itself -might smile to watch its pretty children thus at play, and to me it -seemed that it did. - -_Guarding the nest and affairs of honour._--When both birds are at -home, the one that stands on the rock, by or near the nest, is ready -to guard it from all intrusion. Should another bird fly on to the -rock and alight, in his opinion, too near it, he immediately advances -towards him, shaking his wings, and uttering a low, grunting note -which is full of intention. Finding itself in a false position, the -intruding bird flies off; but it sometimes happens that when two nests -are not far apart, the sentinels belonging to each are in too close a -proximity, and begin to cast jealous glances upon one another. In such -a case, neither bird can retreat without some loss of dignity, and, as -a result, there is a fight. I have witnessed a drama of this nature. As -in the case of the herring-gulls, the two locked their beaks together, -and the one which seemed to be the stronger endeavoured with all his -might to pull the other towards him, which the weaker bird, on his -part, resisted as desperately, using his wings both as opposing props, -and also to push back with. This lasted for some while, but the pulling -bird was unable to drag the other up the steeply-sloping rock, and -finally lost his hold. Instead of trying to regain it, he turned and -shuffled excitedly to the nest, and when he reached it the bird sitting -there stretched out her neck towards him, and opened and shut her beak -several times in quick succession. It was as if he had said to her, "I -hope you observed my prowess. Was it well done?" and she had replied, -"I should think I _did_ observe it. It was _indeed_ well done." On the -worsted bird's ascending the rock to get to _his_ nest, the victorious -one ran, or rather waddled, at him, putting him to a short flight up -to it. But, though defeated, this bird was cordially received by his -own partner, who threw up her head and opened her bill at him in the -same way, as though sympathising, and saying, "Don't mind him; he's -rude." In such affairs, either bird is safe as soon as he gets within -close distance of his own nest, for it would be against all precedent, -and something monstrous, that he should be followed beyond a certain -charmed line drawn around it. - -Nothing is more interesting than to look down from the summit of some -precipice on to a ledge at no great distance below, which is quite -crowded with guillemots. Roughly speaking, the birds form two long -rows, but these rows are very irregular in depth and formation, and -swell here and there into little knots and clusters, besides often -merging into or becoming mixed with each other, so that the idea of -symmetry conveyed is of a very modified kind, and may be sometimes -broken down altogether. In the first row, a certain number of the birds -sit close against and directly fronting the wall of the precipice, -into the angle of which with the ledge they often squeeze themselves. -Several will be closely pressed together so that the head of one is -often resting against the neck or shoulder of another, which other will -also be making a pillow of a third, and so on. Others stand here and -there behind the seated ones, each being, as a rule, close to his or -her partner. There is another irregular row about the centre of the -ledge, and equally here it is to be remarked that the sitting birds -have their beaks pointed towards the cliff, whilst the standing ones -are turned indifferently. There are generally several birds on the -edge of the parapet, and at intervals one will come pressing to it -through the crowd in order to fly down to the sea, whilst from time to -time, also, others fly up and alight upon it, often with sand-eels in -their beaks. On a ledge of, perhaps, some dozen or so paces in length, -there may be from sixty to eighty guillemots, and as often as they are -counted the number will be found to be approximately the same. - -Most of the sitting birds are either incubating or have young ones -under them, which, as long as they are little, they seem to treat very -much as though they were eggs. Others, however, when they stand up are -seen to have nothing underneath them, for as with other sea-birds, so -far as I have been able to observe, there seems to be a great disparity -in the time at which different individuals begin to lay. In the case -of the puffin, for instance, some birds may be seen collecting grass -and taking it to their burrows, whilst others are bringing in a regular -supply of fish to their young. Much affection is shown between the -paired birds. One that is sitting either on her egg or young one--for -no difference in the attitude can be discovered--will often be very -much cosseted by the partner who stands close behind or beside her. -With the tip of his long, pointed beak he, as it were, nibbles the -feathers (or perhaps, rather, scratches and tickles the skin between -them) of her head, neck, and throat, whilst she, with her eyes half -closed, and an expression as of submitting to an enjoyment--a "Well, -I suppose I must" look--bends her head backwards, or screws it round -sideways towards him, occasionally nibbling with her bill, also, amidst -the feathers of his throat, or the thick white plumage of his breast. -Presently, she stands up, revealing the small, hairy-looking chick, -whose head has from time to time been visible, just peeping out from -under its mother's wing. Upon this the other bird bends its head down -and cossets in the same way--but very gently, and with the extreme tip -of the bill--the little tender young one. The mother does so too, and -then both birds, standing together side by side over the chick, pay it -divided attentions, seeming as though they could not make enough either -of their child or each other. It is a pretty picture, and here is -another one. "A bird--we will think her the female, as she performs the -most mother-like part--has just flown in with a fish--a sand-eel--in -her bill. She makes her way with it to the partner, who rises and -shifts the chick that he has been brooding over from himself to her. -This is done quite invisibly, as far as the chick is concerned, but you -can see that it is being done. - -"The bird with the fish, to whom the chick has been shifted, now takes -it in hand. Stooping forward her body, and drooping down her wings, so -as to make a kind of little tent or awning of them, she sinks her bill -with the fish in it towards the rock, then raises it again, and does -this several times before either letting the fish drop or placing it in -the chick's bill--for which it is I cannot quite see. It is only now -that the chick becomes visible, its back turned to the bird standing -over it, and its bill and throat moving as though swallowing something -down. Then the bird that has fed it shifts it again to the other, who -receives it with equal care, and bending down over it, appears--for it -is now again invisible--to help or assist it in some way. It would be -no wonder if the chick had wanted assistance, for the fish was a very -big one for so small a thing, and it would seem as if he swallowed it -bodily. After this the chick is again treated as an egg by the bird -that has before had charge of him--that is to say, he is sat upon, -apparently, just as though he were to be incubated--or suppressed, like -the guinea-pigs in 'Alice in Wonderland.'" - -On account of the closeness with which the chick is guarded by the -parent birds, and the way in which they both stand over it, it is -difficult to make out exactly how it is fed; but I think the fish is -either dropped at once on the rock or dangled a little, for it to seize -hold of. It is in the bringing up and looking after of the chick that -one begins to see the meaning of the sitting guillemots being always -turned towards the cliff, for from the moment that the egg is hatched, -one or other of the parent birds interposes between the chick and the -edge of the parapet. Of course I cannot say that the rule is universal, -but I never saw a guillemot incubating with its face turned towards -the sea, nor did I ever see a chick on the seaward side of the parent -bird who was with it. It seems probable that the relative positions -of the sitting bird and the egg would be continued from use after the -latter had become the young one; and if we suppose that in a certain -number of cases where these positions were reversed the chick perished -from running suddenly out from under the parent and falling over the -edge of the rock, we can understand natural selection having gradually -eliminated the source of this danger. But natural selection may have -acted in another direction, which would have been still more conducive -to the safety of the chick. I observed that the latter--even when, as I -judged by its tininess, it had only been quite recently hatched--was as -alert and as well able to move about as a young chicken or partridge; -but whilst possessing all the power, it appeared to have little will -to do so. Its lethargy--as shown by the way in which, even when a -good deal older, it would sit for hours without moving from under the -mother--struck me as excessive; and it would certainly seem that on a -bare narrow ledge, to fall from which would be certain death, chicks of -a lethargic disposition would have an advantage over others who were -fonder of running about. If we suppose that a certain number of chicks -perished even amongst those whose parents always stood between them -and the sheer edge, we can understand both the one and the other step -towards security having been brought about, either successively or side -by side with each other. - -From the foregoing it would appear that the young guillemot is fed with -fish which are brought straight from the sea in the parent's bill, and -not--as in the case of the gulls--disgorged for them after having been -first swallowed. It is, however, a curious fact that the fish when thus -brought in is, sometimes at any rate, headless. The reason of this I do -not know, but with the aid of the glasses I have made quite certain of -it, and each time it appeared as though the head had been cleanly cut -off. Moreover, on alighting on the ledge the bird always has the fish -(a sand-eel, whenever I saw it) held lengthways in the beak, with the -tail drooping out to one side of it, and the head part more or less -within the throat--a position which seems to suggest that it may have -been swallowed or partially swallowed--whereas puffins and razorbills -carry the fish they catch crosswise, with head and tail depending on -either side. - -I have also once or twice thought that I saw a bird which just before -had had no fish in its bill, all at once carrying one. But I may well -have been mistaken; and it does not seem at all likely that the birds -should usually carry their fish, and thus, as will appear shortly, -subject themselves to persecution, if they could disgorge it without -inconvenience. With regard to the occasional absence of the head, -perhaps this is sometimes cut off in catching the fish, or before it is -swallowed, which may also have been the case with the herrings brought -by the great skuas to their young. However, I can but give the facts, -as far as I was able to observe them. - -Married birds sometimes behave in a pretty manner with the fish that -they bring to each other, and if coquetry be not the right word to -apply to it, I know of none better. The following is my note made at -the time:-- - -"A bird flies in with a fine sand-eel in his bill, and having run the -gauntlet of the whole ledge with it, at last succeeds in bringing it -to his partner. For a long time now, these two coquet together with -the fish. The one that has brought it keeps biting and nibbling at it, -moving his head about with it from side to side, bringing it down upon -the ledge between his feet, then raising it again, seeming to rejoice -in the having it. The other one seems all the while to admire it too, -and often makes as though to take it from him--prettily and softly--but -he refuses it to her, something as a dog prettily refuses to give up a -stick to his master. At last, however, he lets her take it--which, it -is apparent, he has meant to do all the time--and when she has it she -behaves in much the same manner with it, whilst he would seem to beg it -back of her, and thus they go on together for such a time that at last -I weary of watching them. There is a wonderful making much of the fish -between the two birds, yet it is not eaten by either of them, and there -is no chick, here, in the case. It is quite apparent that the fish is -only something for coquetry and affection to gather about--it is a -focus, a _point d'appui_, a peg to hang love upon. Yet the birds--and -this is what I constantly notice--seem only to have a kind of half -consciousness of what they mean." This particular fish, I may say, was -minus the head, which had the appearance of having been neatly and -cleanly cut off. - -Yet there are harsher notes amidst all this tenderness, and the -state of a bird's appetite will sometimes make a vast difference in -its conduct under the same or similar circumstances. "A bird," for -instance, "that has just come with a fish in its bill for the young -one, is violently attacked--and this several times in succession--by -the other parent, who is in actual charge of the chick. This one--we -will suppose it to be the father, though, I half think, unjustly--makes -the greediest dart at the fish, trying to seize it out of his wife's -bill, and also pecks her very violently. Once he seizes her by the neck -and holds her thus for some seconds, yet all the while in the couched -attitude and with the chick underneath him. The poor mother yields -each time to the storm, scuttles out of the way, seems perplexed and -startled, but keeps firm hold of the fish. Driven away over and over -again, she always comes back, and at length, by dint of perseverance -and right feeling, weathers the storm, insinuates herself into the -place of the greedy bird and begins to feed the chick. A new chord -of feeling is now struck, and the bird that has been so greedy and -ill-tempered co-operates in the most tender and interested manner -with the wife whom he has outraged. The 'scene' of a moment ago is -forgotten, and there is now a widely different and more accustomed one -of family concord, tenderness, and peace." - -I cannot think that such conduct as the above is common, and even on -this one occasion when I saw it, it is possible (though it does not -seem very likely) that the ill-behaving bird did not try to get the -fish for its own sake, but only to feed the chick with. But however -this may have been, fish are the constant cause of disturbance amongst -the birds generally, and the guillemot that flies in with one has to -avoid the snaps made at it by all those near to where he alights, and -must sometimes run the gauntlet of most of the birds on the ledge -before he can get with it to his own domicile. Sometimes he loses the -fish, which is then often lost again by the successful bird, and so -passed from one to another. - -Or it may be tugged at for a long time by two birds that have a firm -hold of the head and tail part respectively, and pull it backwards and -forwards, not infrequently across the neck of a third bird standing -between them. Birds incubating or brooding over their young ones are -equally ready with those standing, to try and snatch away a fish from -another, but in the great majority of cases the bird who has flown in -with his booty and has a very firm hold of it, gets it safely through -the crowd. Such episodes as these are rather of the nature of assault -and robbery than regular fighting, for the bird attacked, though often -severely pecked, never does anything but dodge and pull, for he cannot -well thrust back again whilst holding a fish in his bill, and his whole -endeavour is to avoid losing this. Combats, however, are very frequent -amongst guillemots, much more so than I should have thought the -condition of living packed closely together on a narrow ledge in the -rock would have allowed, for surely one might have expected that this -necessity would have been a power making for peace and concord. That -it has been so to some extent, I make no doubt, and it may also have -played a part in forming the character of the fighting, which is--or, -at least, it struck me as being--somewhat peculiar. Though often -violent, it is not, as a rule, vindictive, and as it seems to break out -for no particular reason, so it generally ceases suddenly by one of the -two birds stopping, as it were, in mid-thrust, and commencing to preen -itself, after which it may be resumed once or twice before ceasing -finally in the same way. The other bird seems only too happy to be left -in peace, and instead of pressing the assault whilst his adversary -is thus engaged and at a momentary disadvantage, generally stands -unconcerned or begins to preen himself also. This sudden passing from -the sublime to the ridiculous, from war to the toilette, has a curious -and half comic effect. - -Such preening under such circumstances must, one would think, spring -from a powerful incentive, and it is, I believe, chiefly when annoyed -by insects that the birds preen themselves, though whether their -efforts are actually to free themselves of these, or only to allay -the irritation by scratching, I am not quite sure. But I noticed that -a bird would often bend down its head, and with the extreme tip of -its finely-pointed bill appear minutely to explore the surface of -its webbed feet--and further, that when the partner of a bird doing -this was beside him, it would become most interested, and do its best -to assist him in the matter. One may suppose that the ledge--which -is, of course, coated with a layer of guano--is covered with these -pests, and that they often crawl over the bird's feet, and so ascend -on to the body. If the skin of the feet were sensitive, their owner -would at once know when this was the case, and with its keen eyesight -and stiletto bill might guard itself fairly well, as long as it only -stood. As, however, all the birds constantly sit flat on the rock, -even when not incubating, the searching of the feet can be of little -or no real importance to them. It is very interesting and has a very -human appearance (not so much in regard to the particular act as the -careful look and manner and the attitudes assumed) to see two birds -thus helping to clean each other's feet, as I think must here be the -case. When they nibble and preen each other they may, as a rule, I -think, be rightly said to cosset and caress, the expression and pose of -the bird receiving the benefit being often beatific, and the enjoyment -being, no doubt, of the nature of that which a parrot receives by -having its poll scratched; though, with regard to this, we must not -forget the look of supreme satisfaction which a monkey often has whilst -a friend is doing his best to make him clean and respectable. With the -foot-cleaning there is no such attitude and expression. The bird helped -is at the same time an active agent, and both of them are careful, -earnest, and investigatory. It struck me, however, that the chick was -cosseted in a somewhat more business-like manner, as though, if not -actually to clean it, at least to make it spruce and tidy. It seems -probable, indeed, that the conferring a practical benefit of the kind -indicated may be one origin of the caress throughout nature; but others -may be imagined. - -[Illustration: _On a Guillemot Ledge._] - -The usual cause of guillemots fighting would seem to be one of them -moving to a sufficient degree to attract the attention of the one -nearest to it, who then--as though the circumstances permitted of no -other course--delivers a vigorous thrust with its long, spear-like -bill. This is the usual way of fighting, so that a combat has something -the appearance of a fencing-match. The two birds stand upright with -their bodies turned more sideways towards each other, than actually -fronting, so that their heads, which alone do so, are twisted a little -round. They stand at such a distance apart, that when the neck is held -straight up, with the head flying out at a right angle, the tips of -their two long lances just touch, so that the birds form a natural -archway. In this position they make quick, repeated thrusts at each -other, usually directed at the face or neck, by a motion of which, -rather than by parrying with the beak, each endeavours to avoid the -lunge of its adversary. But besides - - "Tilting, - Point to point at one another's breasts," - -they are ready to seize hold of each other should the opportunity -occur, and when the fight is fierce, and the birds in their eagerness -press in upon each other, they then strike smartly with their wings. -Sometimes, too, each tries to seize the other's beak, but this is not -usual, as I imagine it to be with herring-gulls and cormorants. These -single combats rarely become _mêlées_, though, if one bird is forced -to retreat, those amongst whom he pushes will be ready to peck at him -and at each other. Of course, a bird, if really in distress, can always -fly down from the ledge into the sea, and this it is often forced to do -if it has been standing near the edge when the combat broke out. The -better-placed bird seems then to recognise its advantage, and presses -boldly forward upon the other. There is a short retreat, a recognition -of the danger and vigorous rally, another forced step backwards, an -ineffectual whirring of wings on the extreme brink, and, turning in the -moment of falling, the discomfited one renounces all further effort -and plunges into the abyss. And, no doubt, the little lice who crawl -about upon the ledge and see such mighty doings, would, were they -poets, write long epics telling of the wars and falls of angels. But -only combats on the brink have such dramatic terminations, and farther -inland a fight must be of an exceptionally violent kind to make the -birds not think of preening themselves, and thus bring it to an end. - -Birds that are incubating will fight as well as the others, and no -respect seems to be paid to them on this account. Often one thus -occupied may be seen thrusting up at a standing bird, who, in turn, -thrusts down at it, or two recumbent ones will spar vigorously at each -other. One wonders that under these circumstances the eggs are not -sometimes broken, as may possibly be the case; but with regard to this, -I will here quote the following note which I made on the management of -the egg during incubation:-- - -"It appears to me that the guillemot sits with the egg not only between -its legs, but resting on the two webbed feet, and pressed slightly by -them against the breast. At any rate, I have just distinctly seen the -bird rise up, take the egg carefully in this way between its two feet, -sliding them underneath it, and then sink gently down upon it again. -I believe that the egg was so placed when the bird rose, and that it -rose for the purpose of improving its position. It seems likely that -if the egg rests upon the bird's feet instead of on the bare rock, it -must be less liable to fracture, and could be pressed slightly up by -the bird amongst its feathers, so that the two opposed pressures could -be combined to advantage, or either of them relaxed when it was to the -bird's convenience. - -"Have just seen another sitting bird rise, and, in settling down again, -she certainly seemed to place her feet under the egg, assisting at the -same time to place it with the bill. When she rose the partner bird -came forward to her, and, lowering his head, looked at the egg with the -tenderest interest, then cosseted her as she stood, and again when she -had resettled. - -"Another bird has half risen, showing the egg quite plainly. It is -certainly resting on the feet." - -Guillemots, as is well known, lay their single egg on the bare rock, -but sometimes they will pick up and play with a feather, and I have -seen one carry some fibres of grass or root, which had perhaps fallen -or been blown from a kittiwake's nest, to its partner, and lay them -down as if showing her. In such acts we may perhaps see a lingering -trace of a lost nest-building instinct. They walk, as a rule, with -the whole shank, as well as the actual foot resting on the surface -of the rock, but sometimes they will draw themselves up so that they -stand upon the foot, or rather the toes, alone, just in the way in -which a penguin does, and in this attitude they can both walk and run. -Anatomically speaking, the shank is, I believe, a part of the foot, -corresponding to our own heel, and functionally it is so, too, in the -guillemot, as well as in the razorbill and puffin. It is interesting, -therefore, to see the occasional assumption of an attitude which in the -penguins has become habitual. Their ordinary walking attitude is with -the head held erect, but they often sink it to or below the breast, -at the same time craning the neck right forward, which gives them a -grotesque and uncanny appearance, like one of the evil creatures in -Retche's outlines of Faust. Again, one of them will sometimes throw the -head and neck slightly forward, and at the same time jerking the wings -sharply behind the back, will, after remaining with them thus "set" -for a moment, run briskly forward, giving them a vigorous shaking. But -in spite of wings and beaks, and a few other dissimilarities, it is of -men that one has to think when watching these erect, white-waistcoated, -funny little bodies. Indeed, they are much like us, for they fight, -love, breed, eat, and stand upright, which is most of what we do, -though we make so much more pother about it. But it has a funny effect -to see it all going on--like a "picture in little"--on a ledge of the -bare rock. - -If guillemots are watched closely, one may be noticed now and again -to scrape with its beak for some time at the ledge where it is lying, -opening and closing its mandibles upon it. Every now and then--as I -make it out--it encloses a small object between them, which must, -I think, be a piece of the rock, and with a quick jerk of the head -sideways and upwards, swallows this. This, then, is how guillemots -procure the small stones which are, no doubt, necessary to them for -digestive purposes. The great mass of the rock forming the island is -sedimentary, and in a more or less crumbling state, much of it, indeed, -quite rotten and dangerous to trust to. - -I will conclude this slight picture of life on a ledge with a few lines -from my notes, as taken during that short period which, in summer, best -answers to the coming on of night and dawn of morning here in England. - -"10.40 P.M. Some dozen birds out of about thirty that I can see appear -to be roosting. The kittiwakes are more silent than in broad day, -though there is a burst of clamour now and again. - -"10.56. There is less activity now, but few birds seem thoroughly -asleep. Many stand, and some occasionally walk about and flap their -wings. One has just flown off the ledge, but no others are doing so, -nor are any arriving upon it. The general scene is much quieter, -and so with the kittiwakes. The ledge now, at past eleven, is very -quiet, though the majority of the birds still stand, and some preen -themselves. The glasses have become inferior to the naked eye, though -one can read anything with perfect ease. The birds, it is evident, -judge of night by the light. They do not make a factitious night -according to the duration of time. They sleep, indeed, in patches, but, -on the whole, would seem to do so very little in the twenty-four hours. - -"11.17. The majority of the birds are now roosting, perhaps almost all. -I can see no puffins. They must, therefore, it seems, lie roosting too, -in holes or crevices of the rocks. - -"11.30. All quiet at Shipka. - -"11.35. A bird flies in duskily from the sea, and now no fighting -ensues. All is quiet at Shipka. - -"11.50. All quiet at Shipka--a little more so perhaps. - -"11.55. As before. - -"12 o'clock. Much as before, but two birds are, I think, cosseting. -Though one can read and write with ease, and see all objects--even -birds sitting or flying a long way off--still it is all gloom and -yellow murkiness. Light seems gone, though there be light. It is -'darkness visible,' indeed, neither true night nor true day, but more -like night than day. The great shapes of cliff and hill seem drawn in -gloom clearly, the sea gleams dimly and duskily, all is weird, strange, -and portentous. It is the marriage of opposite kingdoms, or rather, the -monstrous child of light and darkness. - -"12.15. All roosting, I think. - -"12.30. Quiet now. All quiet at Shipka. - -"12.43. Much as before. On the steep side of one of the great 'stacks' -opposite, kittiwakes are roosting in the most extraordinary numbers, -and so close together that they look not like birds, but some outcrop -on the surface of the rock. They consist, no doubt, of the partners of -all the sitting birds on the ledges. - -"1.5 A.M. The ledge is now stirring into life again, and so, too, the -great block of kittiwakes on the 'stack,' from which birds keep dashing -out, whirling and circling, settling again or visiting their sitting -partners on the nests, before flying back to it. But the clamour of -voices is, as yet, slight. - -"Now, at 1.25, it is beginning to be greater. - -"1.50. A general preening amongst the guillemots, though a good many -still lie asleep. But soon they wake, too, and begin, for now it is -light, bright, and morning." - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -Watching Birds at a Straw-Stack - - -One of the most interesting ways of watching birds at very close -quarters is to conceal oneself in one of the corn-stacks or wheat-ricks -that in the autumn begin to spring up like mushrooms all over the -country-side. This is a winter pastime, and the harder the weather the -greater will be the results yielded. To have chaffinches, greenfinches, -bramblings, tree-sparrows, buntings, yellow-hammers, blue-tits, -starlings, perhaps a blackbird or two, pheasants and partridges, all -about one and quite near, one should choose a bitterly cold day with -a biting wind driving the snowflakes before it, and the snow itself -whitening the landscape, but not so deeply as to cover things beyond a -bird's power of scratching. Rising early, one gets to the stack whilst -it is still dark. At one side there is always a great heap of refuse -material of the stack, threshed ears of corn, chopped and winnowed -straw, as well as--at least where picturesque farming prevails (and -may it long prevail)--a vast quantity of thistle-heads, poppy-pods, -campion, columbine, and all sorts of other plants and flowers that have -been garnered in with the harvest. Small birds come down on this in -flocks, and where the slope of the heap on one side joins the stack, -one should make in the latter, by a process of pulling out and pressing -in, a nice cosy cavern just big enough to squeeze into. On the floor -of this one should lay a shawl or plaid, and then, enveloping oneself -in another, enter it backwards, and, kicking one's legs farther into -the body of the stack so as to be out of the way, pull down the straw -over the aperture, arranging it thinly just in front of one's face so -as to have a good outlook. Even on the coldest morning one is warm and -comfortable under such circumstances, and the snow without and frosted -stalks that one's near breath is thawing, make one feel all the warmer. -It is for warmth, indeed, that such an ensconcement is principally -needed, for on days like this small birds, at any rate, will come -within a few paces of one, if only one sits still. Even when one walks -up to the stack in broad daylight, they only fly round to another -side of it, and one has scarcely settled oneself before they begin to -come again. But hidden thus before "black night" has ceased to "steal -the colours from things," one may have stragglers from the main crowd -within the length of one's arm, and I have even tried catching one--for -the bizarrerie of the thing--by gliding my hand stealthily through the -loose straw underneath it. The attempt failed, but I believe such a -feat would be quite possible. - -As the light begins to creep upon the darkness and the world to -grow more and more white, the arrivals commence. First a few -greenfinches--principally hens--fly down upon the heap, then -chaffinches, both cocks and hens, but hens predominating, with a few -yellow-hammers, mostly of immature plumage, and a hedge-sparrow or two. -These birds come and go independently for some little time, and it is -not till the morning has grown lighter that they begin to form a band, -in the sense not of their numbers only, but also of their actions. -It is only gradually, for instance, that their habit of all flying -away together into the neighbouring trees and returning quickly again -in the same way becomes at all marked. They are at first independent -units, but as the day brightens and the numbers increase they become -more and more interdependent. Now, too, there is more equality in the -numbers of the sexes. The females still predominate, but one would -not always think that this was the case, for as they all whirr into -a large oak tree that is beginning now to be gilded by the beams of -the tardily-rising sun, its bare boughs and twigs, as well as the -surrounding bushes, are made suddenly lovely with bright, soft green -and mauvy-purplish red. A glorious winter foliage this, that might make -an old tree feel young again! - -All the time the birds are down on the heap they are busily feeding, -seeming to put their whole soul into each peck (like the single jest -at the Mermaid) and all in a kind of sociable, yet but half friendly, -competition with each other. Gradually they spread out a little from -the heap, half-a-dozen greenfinches are amongst the straw that one -has oneself pulled out from the stack, and one of them is feeding -positively within three feet. To see them so near, and to think -that they think you anywhere rather than where you are! It is like -eavesdropping, it hardly seems right. Now the nearest greenfinch picks -out an ear of the corn and, as if to show you just how he does it, -comes even a thought nearer. He turns it till it is crosswise in his -beak, snips off the stalk, rapidly divests it of what remains of the -outer huskiness--in doing which you see him work his mandibles in a -delicate, tactile manner--and swallows the inner essence. Throughout -he does not help himself with his claws at all. It is pleasant to see -this, but still more so to have so many little dicky birds just within -a pace or two, all free and unconstrained and knowing nothing whatever -about it. It is as if you had somehow got into a bird-cage without -alarming the inmates, but even as this occurs to you you recognise the -poverty of the simile, and rejoice to be in nature's aviary--at least -one may say this of the birds if not of the straw-stack. - -There is now, besides chaffinches and greenfinches, which form the -great bulk of the numbers, quite a little crowd of bramblings--twenty -or more--their beautiful gold-russet plumage gleaming out in an -easy pre-eminence of colour; for they are, indeed, much handsomer -than the handsomest cock chaffinch or greenfinch, and as both the -sexes are alike, nothing of them is lost, there are no dead-weights. -Even the yellow-hammers when at their yellowest cannot compete with -these chestnut beauties, and the pretty little blue-tits who feed -softly--two or three together--on the poppy seeds are beaten, whether -they confess it or not. A hedge-sparrow or two hopping very quietly -and unobtrusively about on the outskirts of the great central crowd -have, of course, no pretensions to anything like distinguished beauty, -but there is one bird--one, unfortunately, not only as a species but -individually--that may, perhaps, stand up in rivalry even with the -brambling. - -This is a solitary male goldfinch who, as though knowing the sad and -waning state of his clan, feeds all by himself and--as one seems -to fancy--in a melancholy manner. Be this as it may, his mode of -feeding is quite different to that of the other birds. Whilst all, -or nearly all, of these are pecking odds and ends from amongst the -straw and draff of the heap, using their beaks only and seeming to -swallow something at each little peck, like chickens with grain, he -makes successive little excursions to the stack itself, from which -he extracts a blade of corn, a campion, or a thistle-head, and then, -standing with the claws of both his feet grasping it (like a crow with -a piece of carrion), picks it to pieces and devours it, or the seeds -it contains, in a leisurely, almost a phlegmatic, way. This is quite -different from the greenfinch, which--as just seen--in extracting the -grain from an ear of corn, uses only its bill, standing the while in an -ordinary upright attitude, and not pick-axeing down upon it as it lies -along the ground. Perhaps the goldfinch can do this too, but as this -particular one did not on any morning employ a different method to that -which I have described, it must, I should think, be the usual one; nor -did I ever see it pecking up anything from the ground in a careless -haphazard fashion, like the other birds. - -One can feed the birds with bread if one likes, and, when found and -tasted, this is appreciated. But the pieces that one throws are not -noticed, as they lie amongst the straw, so readily as one would have -supposed, and often birds will pass quite near to, or even almost touch -them, without seeing them or, at least, discovering what they are. A -whole Osborne biscuit, upon one occasion, was an object of suspicion. -Several chaffinches came up as though to peck at it, but their courage -failed them at the last moment, and it was never touched the whole time -I was there. Of course, when larger and more wary birds come to the -stack, one must keep quite still and not play any tricks like these, -if one wishes them to stay. A hen blackbird is now feeding on the -outskirts of the heap. She will not permit any small birds to be near -her, but drives them all off if they come within a certain distance, so -that she is soon in the centre of a little space which she has all to -herself. Into this a starling flies down and seems at first inclined to -meet the blackbird on equal terms, for, of course, the two instantly -recognise each other as rivals, and cross swords as by mutual desire. -But even in the first encounter the starling has to give way, and then -beats a series of retreats before the other's sprightly little rushes, -till at length, being left no peace, he has to fly away. Later, some -half-dozen starlings come down together almost on the top of the heap, -and feed in just the same way as the small birds they alight amongst. -Soon there is a combat between two of these. Both keep springing from -the ground, going up again the instant they alight, and each trying, -as it seems, to jump above the other, whether to avoid pecks delivered -or the better to deliver them. They never jump quite at the same time, -but always one goes up as the other comes down, which has a funny -effect. They never close or grapple, they do not even _seem_ to do much -pecking, and when it is all over, neither of them "seems one penny -the worse." The great thing, evidently, is to jump, and as long as a -bird can do it he has no cause to be dissatisfied. It is delightful to -watch them from so close. One can see the gleam of each feather, catch -their very expressions, and sympathise with every spring. They look -very thin and elegant, and their plumage is all gloss and sheen. All -the while they keep uttering a sort of squealing note which it is quite -enchanting to hear. - -A few partridges now come down over the thin snow towards the stack, -at first fast, with a pause between each run, during which they draw -themselves up and throw the head and neck a little back. Then they -seem to waver in their intention; and, whilst one pecks at the body of -a frosted swede, another bends above it and sips with a delicate bill -a little of the rime upon its leaves. Then they come on again, but, -as they near the stack, with slower and more hesitating steps, and no -longer uttering their curious, grating cry "ker-wee, ker-wee." Instead, -one hears now--for now they are in close proximity--all sorts of -pretty, little, soft, croodling sounds, seeming to express contentment -and happiness with a quiet under-current of affection. Then they feed -quietly on the frontiers of their winter oasis. - -All at once something gorgeous and burnished steals and then flashes -into sight. It is a pheasant. He has come invisibly from another -direction, and ascending the opposite slope of the great chaff-heap, -rises over it like a second sun. Surely such splendour should come -striding in majesty, but he is very nervous, full of apprehension, open -to the very smallest ground of fear or suspicion. Often he stops and -looks anxiously about, half crouches, then makes a little start forward -with the body as though on the point of running, but checks himself -each time and begins to peck instead. Sometimes he draws himself up -to his full height, and looks all round as from a watch-tower, but -after each fit of fear he decides that all is well and goes on feeding -again. And now another sun rises and immediately afterwards three--no, -four ("dazzle my eyes, or do I see _four_ suns?") advance together -over the crest of the hill which, though of straw and all inflammable -materials, does not--a miracle!--take fire and burn. But the snow and -the dampness must be taken into consideration. All of them are now -feeding quietly, but not all together or in view. Two have set again, -but three and the tail of another, in partial eclipse from behind, -is a sight of sufficient magnificence. Looking at them, at their -splendid body-plumage of burnished orange gold, gleaming even in the -dull morning without any sun but themselves--for the great one is now -"over-canopied"--at their glossy blue heads, rich scarlet wattles, and -long graceful tails, one cannot help wondering _how_ beautiful a bird -would have to be before compunction would be felt in killing it. Would -the golden or Amherst pheasant produce the sensation? Idle thought! -Peacocks are shot in India, trogons in Mexico, humming-birds both there -and in the Brazils, and birds of paradise in the islands of the east. -Of paradise----. Then are there birds in heaven, and do our sainted -women wear _their_ feathers? But such speculations are beyond the -province of this work. - -Now the feeding goes on apace. All the splendid birds keep scratching -backwards in the chaff-heap as do fowls, sending up clouds of it into -the air. Like the partridges, too, they utter, from time to time, a -variety of curious, low notes, which, unless one were quite near, one -would never hear, and once they make a quick little piping sound, all -together, standing and lifting up their heads to do it, as though -filled with mutual satisfaction and a friendly feeling. The low sounds -are of a croodling or clucking character. They are not quite so soft -as those of the partridges, and, low as they are, one still catches in -them that quality of tone whereof the loud, trumpety notes are made. - -I have spoken of the extreme nervousness of the first pheasant. The -later arrivals, just as would be the case with men, were not nearly -so nervous, though all were wary and circumspect. But now it is most -interesting to watch them, and to remark how, in these cautious birds, -timidity--or say, rather, a proper and most necessary prudence--is -tempered with judgment, and modified by individual character or -temperament. They are capable of withstanding the first sudden impulse -to flight, and of subjecting it to reason and a more prolonged -observation. Thus, when the small birds fly, suddenly, off in a cloud, -as they do every few minutes, and with a great whirr of wings, the -pheasants all stop feeding, look about, pause a little, seeming to -consider, and then recommence, as though they had decided that such -panic fear was uncalled for, and that there was no rational ground for -alarm. An hour or two later three out of the four birds--for two have -got gradually to the other side of the stack--see enough of me in the -straw to make them suspicious, and go off at half pace. The fourth bird -notes their retreat, looks all about, can see nothing to account for -it, and instead of following them, as might have been expected, goes -on feeding. This, though it may seem to show a defect in the reasoning -power (the power itself it certainly does show), at least argues -strength of character and independence of judgment. A certain line of -conduct is suggested by the action of a bird's three companions, but -this suggestion--this powerful stimulus, one would think--is resisted -by the one bird, put to the test of its own powers of observation, and -the line of conduct dictated by it, rejected. This self-reliant quality -and power of not being swayed by others, I have constantly observed in -birds. - -As will have been gathered, these six pheasants that came and fed -together at the stack were all males, and this has been my usual -experience. Under such circumstances I have always found them agree -together perfectly well, but there is generally some fighting to be -seen amongst the small birds, though, perhaps, not much, if one takes -their numbers into consideration. Chaffinches are the most pugnacious, -though, here again, a similar allowance must be made, for they largely -predominate, even over greenfinches, whilst, compared to these two, the -others--excepting sometimes bramblings--are only scantily represented. -Chaffinches fight by springing up from the ground against each other, -breast to breast (as do so many birds), and they may rise thus to a -considerable height, each trying to get above the other, and claw or -peck down upon it--at least, it would seem so. Their position in the -air is thus perpendicular, and as they mutually impede each other, they -are more fluttering than flying. Sometimes, however--generally after -they have got to a little height--they will disengage, and then there -will be between them a series of alternate little flights up and above, -and swoops down upon each other, very inspiriting to see. Sometimes -they will commence the fight with these swoopings, but it is more -common for them to flutter perpendicularly up as described, and then -down again. Often, too, they will rise beak to beak only, the position -being then between perpendicular and horizontal, but more the latter, -the tail part of them giving constant little flirts upwards--as when -a volatile Italian in an umbrella shop leans his whole weight on the -stick of one of the umbrellas and leaps, or, rather, swings himself -from the ground, kicking his heels into the air, to demonstrate its -strength. Imagine two volatile Italians thus testing two umbrellas -whose handles touch, continually throwing up their heels, rising a -little as they do so, never coming quite down again, and so getting a -little higher each time, and you have the two chaffinches. Or there -will be a series of alternate flying jumps from the ground like the -starling's, but more aerial. These are the more usual ways, but if one -bird can, whilst on the ground, suddenly seize another by the nape of -the neck, and then, getting on his back, twist his beak about in the -skin and feathers, it is all the better--for that one. Such fights as -these are usually between two male birds, but hen chaffinches sometimes -fight, whilst scuffles between a cock and a hen over food may also be -witnessed. - -Greenfinches fight in much the same manner, but they are more stoutly -built, and their motions are not quite so brisk and airy, though -chaffinches themselves are but clumsy birds in this respect compared to -many others--larks, for example. They, too, fight tenaciously. After a -brisk _partie_ in the air, I have seen one, on their falling together, -seize the other by the nape and be dragged about by it over the snow. - -But what has interested me more than anything else in my frequent -watchings of small birds congregated together at the stacks, is the way -in which every few minutes or so--sometimes at longer, and sometimes -at shorter intervals--they take instant and simultaneous flight, -rising all together[15] with a sudden whirr of wings, and flurrying -away to some near tree or trees, or into the hedgerow, to return in -a much more scattered and gradual manner very soon--sometimes almost -directly afterwards. These sudden spontaneous flights, where one and -the same thought seems suddenly to take possession of a whole assembly -of beings, I had before, and have often afterwards, observed in rooks, -starlings, wood-pigeons, etc., and I have been equally puzzled to -account for it in all of them. I do not remember that this habit, -which is, indeed, common in a greater or less degree to a very great -number of birds, has ever been brought forward as something difficult -of explanation, and many, perhaps, will doubt there being any such -difficulty in regard to a thing so ordinary and commonplace. As to -this, I can only say that I have arrived at a different conclusion. - -[15] This is the effect produced, but for greater accuracy see p. 245. - -What would be the ordinary way of accounting for such sudden and -simultaneous taking to flight of a number of birds? One may suppose, in -the first place, that a particular note is uttered by one or more of -them on the espial of danger, and that this acts as a _sauve-qui-peut_ -to the rest. This seems a satisfactory explanation, but as against it, -no such note is, as a rule, uttered, and even if it were, it would not -account for all the facts as I have often observed them. - -Day after day, and for hours at a time, I have watched these crowds of -little birds under the circumstances described, and only on one single -occasion was the sudden rising into the air in flight preceded by any -note at all, nor did I observe anything--I do not believe there was -anything to be observed--which could have frightened them. - -In the one case referred to, which was different, "the flight was -certainly preceded by a note--a very peculiar one, single, long, and -remarkably loud, taking the size of the birds into consideration. It -suggested somewhat the sudden blowing of a horn--though, of course, a -small one. I could not tell which bird uttered it, but feel sure, from -the quality of the tone, that it was a greenfinch. To the best of my -observation, the note was uttered before the flight commenced, and the -flight followed before it had ceased. Almost immediately afterwards I -heard, for the first time, the caw of rooks, and my theory is (or was) -that one of these, appearing suddenly in the air from the back of the -hay-stack, had been mistaken for a hawk, and that the bird so mistaking -it had immediately uttered the appropriate warning note. Unfortunately -for my little mouse" ("theories," says Voltaire, "are like mice; -they run through nineteen holes, but are stopped by the twentieth"), -"only the other day, when I was at the same place and equally near, a -genuine hawk (a sparrow one) had flown by, when, instead of a warning -note, there had been a sudden hush and silence, followed by a flight -which, as it seemed to me, was not so close and compact as usual. -Difficulties of this sort are always occurring in observation--at least -in my observation--and show how cautious one should be in translating -the particular into the general. For instance, with moor-hens, I have -noted that in one or two of their many timorous flights to the river a -peculiar cry was uttered by a single bird, which had all the appearance -and seemed to have all the probability of being a warning note; but -this was not the case on other occasions." Even here, then, there is -some difficulty in accepting the theory of a danger-signal uttered -by one bird, and causing the simultaneous flight of all, whilst in -all other instances (I am speaking now of small birds at the stacks) -either no note at all or none distinguishable from a general chirping -was uttered. Manifestly,[16] then, this explanation will not serve. But -it may be said, either that there is a leader whose movements all the -birds follow, or that when one bird flies, for whatever reason, the -rest take alarm and fly also. But where different species of birds are -all banded together, it seems very unlikely that there should be a -leader, and both this and the other explanation, which at first sight -seems satisfactory, are destroyed by the salient fact that in hardly -any case do _all_ the birds rise and fly away together, but only the -great majority. Almost invariably a certain number of them, though -sometimes only half-a-dozen or so, or even less, remain, nor has this -anything to do with the particular species of bird. Moreover, the -flying up of any bird from the crowd does not, of itself, communicate -alarm to the others, for first one and then another and often several -at a time may constantly be doing so, whilst the rest feed quietly and -take no notice. It may be said that it is only when a bird flies off -in alarm that its flight communicates alarm to its companions. That it -does so necessarily, even in such a case, I, from general observation, -very much doubt, and also, if the facts as I have given them be a -little considered, it will be seen that the difficulties are not met by -this view of the case. - -[16] My very close proximity must be taken into account. - -The theory of a leader seems more applicable to birds like rooks, -which are gregarious, and may be constantly watched in large numbers -together, without the intermixture of any other species. The same -difficulties, however, apply here, and even to a greater extent, for -the movements of rooks are more complicated, whilst alarm or any such -primary impulse as the origin (I do not say the explanation) of them, -is in most cases quite out of the question. An instance or two of these -sudden and quite simultaneous movements of bodies of rooks I have noted -down directly after observing them. They would be much in place here, -but as I have two chapters devoted to these birds, and, moreover, -as they but make a part in general scenes and pictures, I will not -separate them from their context nor any bird from its companions. - -Starlings, again, furnish striking examples of the same phenomenon. -Their aerial evolutions before roosting are sufficiently remarkable, -but, perhaps, still more so from this point of view is the manner in -which they leave the roosting-place in the morning. This is not in one -great body, as might have been expected, but in successive flights at -intervals of some three or four to ten or twelve minutes, each flight -comprising, sometimes, hundreds of thousands of birds--the numbers, -of course, will vary in different localities--and the whole exodus -occupying about half-an-hour. Each of these great flights or uprushes -from the dense brake of bush and undergrowth where the birds are -congregated, takes place with startling suddenness, and it seems as -though every individual bird composing it were linked to every other -by some invisible material, as are knots on the meshes of a net by -the visible twine connecting them. There is no preliminary,[17] nor -does it seem as though a certain number of more restless individuals -gradually affected others, but at once a huge mass roars up from the -still more immense multitude, as does a wave from the sea, or as a -sudden cloud of dust is puffed by the wind from a dust-heap. I am -speaking here of the great main flights, which are, in most cases, of -this character. The fact that quite small bands of birds will sometimes -fly off between the intervals of these, does not detract from the -more striking phenomenon or lessen the difficulty of explaining it. -For, surely, there _is_ a difficulty in explaining how the example of -one vast body of birds, soaring forth on the morning flight, should -not affect every individual of the still vaster body of which they -form a part--the whole occupying, it must be remembered, a small -and densely packed area--and why the impulse of the flying birds to -fly should, apparently, become uncontrollable in each individual of -them at the same instant of time. If we saw soldiers issuing in this -manner from an encampment, or performing all sorts of collective -movements and evolutions before entering it in the evening (as do the -starlings before descending on their roosting place), and yet satisfied -ourselves that there were neither captains nor officers, signals nor -words of command amongst them, we should probably wonder, and might -think the phenomenon sufficiently curious to make it worth study and -investigation. - -[17] As far, at least, as observable from just outside the plantation, -and to judge from the sound. But previous movements within the -plantation--unless we assume a quite human organisation--would not -explain what is here assumed to require explanation. - -I will take one more example from my notes on wood-pigeons before -returning to the flocks of small birds at the stacks. - -"A number of wood-pigeons" (this was early on a very cold winter's -morning) "have now settled on the elms near me. I am quite still, and -they have sat there quietly for some little time. All at once the -whole band fly out, to all appearance at one and the same moment, and -in a peculiar way, with sudden sweeps and rushes through the air in a -downward direction, shooting and zig-zagging across each other with -a whizzing whirr of the wings, in much the same manner as do rooks. -On account of this peculiar flight, which seems to be joyous and -sportive, I do not believe they have seen me. But whether they have or -not, the absolutely simultaneous flight of the whole body is, to me, -equally hard to account for. Supposing--what would be most likely--that -only one bird has seen me, how has this knowledge been communicated, -instantaneously, to all the rest? There was no note uttered of any -kind. I must have heard it, I think, if it had been, so near as I was, -nor are pigeons supposed to have an alarm-note. It may be said that the -sudden abrupt flight of one alarmed the rest, but all cannot have been -looking at this one at the same time, and it is difficult to suppose -that there was anything to discriminate in the actual sound of the -wings--for one or more than one bird may, at any time, fly eagerly off -without affecting the others. Moreover, if this were the explanation, -there would have been an appreciable interval of time between the -flight of the alarmed bird and the others, which, to my sense, there -was not. But, as I say, I do not believe that the birds saw me, and, if -not, the collective, instantaneous impulse of flight seems still harder -to account for on ordinary known principles. It is, of course, easy to -give a plausible explanation of a thing and take for granted that all -the facts are in accordance. But the facts, when one watches them, are -apt to discredit the theory. Observation and difficulties begin, often, -at the same time." - -Returning now to the little winter collections of chaffinches, -greenfinches, bramblings, etc., which come and feed at the corn-stacks -during the winter, in general they whirr up every three or four -minutes, but the intervals vary, and may be much longer. Sometimes -only about half the flock flies off, the rest not appearing to care -much about it; usually a much greater number does, and this often -appears to be the whole number, but almost always--unless, of course, -on the approach of a man or some other such alarming occurrence--some -few, at least, remain. As with the starlings, these flights seem often -to be absolutely instantaneous, the birds all rising together in a -solid block, but this is not always the case, and the cloud may be -preceded by a little half-hopping, half-chasséeing about of three or -four individuals, whilst sometimes there is, for a second or two, a -very quick following of one another. If this were always so, and if -one bird could not fly off without others following it, there would be -little or nothing to explain, but, as we have seen, this is very far -from being the case. In nine cases out of ten the birds begin to come -back almost as soon as they are gone; but, in spite of this, I came to -the conclusion that the cause of flight was almost always a nervous -apprehension, such as actuates schoolboys when they are doing something -of a forbidden nature and half expect to see the master appear at any -moment round the corner. Though there might be no discernible ground -for apprehension, yet after some three or four minutes it seemed to -strike the assembly that it _could_ not be quite safe to remain any -longer, and presto! they were gone. Afterwards it was recognised that -there had been no real reason for alarm, and they came back, but this -seemed to strike them individually rather than collectively. Now it -was by stacks in the open fields under no more cover, as a rule, than -the neighbouring hedgerow, that I had noticed these phenomena, and, -coming one day upon such a heap of chaff or draff--though without any -stack--in the centre of a small plantation of fir and pine trees, I -determined to watch here, a number of small birds having flown up -as I approached. I was able to conceal myself very well amidst some -bushes that grew quite near, and very shortly the birds--chaffinches, -bramblings, hedge and tree-sparrows, etc., but not greenfinches--were -down again. I stayed a considerable while, but, except once or twice -when I moved a little so as to alarm them, they remained feeding all -or most of the time. Sometimes, indeed, some or other of them would -fly into the surrounding trees or bushes, but this they did at their -leisure, without alarm or hurry, and only as desiring a change. The -simultaneousness was wanting--there were none of those nervous flights -at short intervals that I had observed when watching at the open -corn-stacks. Here, amongst the pines, and protected on every side, the -birds felt, apparently, quite secure, though whether it was altogether -a rational security may be questioned. This observation strengthened -me in my conclusion as to these flights being caused by a feeling of -nervous apprehension or alarm, but I am bound to add (another case of -the mouse) that I subsequently watched by stacks in the open, where, -also, a considerable sense of security seemed to prevail. Temperature -may perhaps have something to do with the explanation, but I have as -yet taken no steps to test this theory. - -But whatever may be the motive (which, of course, may vary) of such -sudden flights--and here I am thinking of all the examples which I have -brought forward, as well as others, in fact, the whole range of the -phenomena--how are we to account for their simultaneousness, and the -other special features belonging to them? - -It would seem as though either one and the same idea were flashed -suddenly into the minds of a number of birds in close proximity to each -other at one and the same instant of time, or that this same idea, -having originated or attained a certain degree of vehemence, at some -one point or points--representing some individual bird or birds--spread -from thence, as from one or more centres, with inconceivable rapidity, -so as to embrace either the whole group or a portion of it, according -to the strength of the original outleap. In other words, I suppose -(or, at least, I suggest it) that birds when gathered together in -large numbers think and act, not individually, but collectively; or, -rather, that they do both the one and the other, for that individual -birds are capable of withstanding the collective influence of the -flock of which they form a part, I have ample evidence. The old -Athenians--though slave-holders, wherein they may be compared to the -Americans at one period--were a very democratic people, and lived a -more public life than any other civilised community either before or -after them, of which we have any record. They were also of a very -emotional temperament, and it is curious to find amongst them the -idea (at any rate) of the φημη--a sudden wave or current of thought -which swept through an assembly, causing it to think and act as one -man.[18] When watching numbers of birds together, this φημη idea has -constantly been brought to my mind, nor do I see how the whole of the -facts are to be explained except upon some such hypothesis. If we -suppose that the sudden flurryings away of a band of small birds from -the chaff-heap where they have been quietly feeding, are caused by -the apprehension of danger, we may well credit the birds with having -sharper senses than our own, though that they are often mistaken is -shown by their almost immediate return, and also by as many of them -(sometimes) remaining as fly away. But it is impossible to imagine that -every individual bird of a large number, crowded together and busily -feeding, can at the same instant of time see the same object, or even -hear the same sound of alarm, unless very loud or conspicuous, nor can -it be supposed that the same thought, producing the same action, can -flash independently into all their minds at once, by mere chance. But -if we suppose thought to be like a wind, sweeping amongst them and -producing, each time that it rises to a certain degree of strength, its -appropriate act, then we can understand fifty, seventy, or a hundred -birds rising in this thought-wind, like leaves or straws blown up in a -sudden gust, and, in the same way as when a blizzard or tornado bursts -on a town, some frail objects in a room through which it has torn may -be left standing, whilst everything else is strewed about in ruin, -so may the thought-wave (to use the more familiar term) moving with -inconceivable rapidity amidst the flock, miss out some individuals, -though right in the midst of those that are affected, in a manner which -is hard to account for. Again, if we suppose two centres from which two -opposite thought-waves or impulses spread, we can understand two groups -of birds, which, together, have made one band, acting in different -ways or going in different directions (as one may constantly see with -rooks and starlings), whilst, by supposing that the wave, or energy, -tends to exhaust itself after spreading to a certain distance around -any point or centre where it may have originated or become focussed, -we account for such facts as many thousands of starlings, say, rising -from, perhaps, a million without the others being affected. But, no -doubt, even in an Athenian assembly there were some men capable of -withstanding the force of the φημη, and if we give to birds, even when -thus assembled together, a power of individual as well as collective -action, varying in each unit so that the one power is now more and -now less under the control of the other--but with, on the whole, a -preponderance in favour of the latter--we then, as it appears to me, -come near to explaining what I must regard as the often very puzzling -problem of the movements of such assembled bodies. - -[18] In the wilderness of Grote's twelve volumes I cannot, now, find -the passage which I seem to remember so well, nor can anyone (including -the whole of the Psychical Research Society) help me to. My Greek word, -I am told, too, is wrong. But let it stand till someone can give me the -right one. - -This, of course, is the theory of thought-transference, and if this -power does really exist in the case of any one species we might -expect it to exist also in the case of others. With the evidence of -its existence amongst ourselves I am not unacquainted, but I need -say nothing of this or of my humble opinion concerning it, here. I -have suggested it as a possible explanation of some of the actions -of birds, because I have found it difficult to account for them in -any other way. If it could be made out that animals did really, in -some degree, possess this power, it might throw a new light upon many -things, and, possibly, explain some difficulties of a larger kind -than those which I have called it in to do. To me, at least, it has -always seemed a little curious that language of a more perfect kind -than animals use has been so late in developing itself; but animals -would feel less the want of a language if thought-transference existed -amongst them to any appreciable extent. - -Assuming its existence, it is amongst gregarious animals that we might -expect to find it most developed, and gregariousness has, probably, -preceded any great mental advance. Therefore, before an animal reached -a grade of intelligence such as might render the growth of a language -possible, it would have become gregarious; and, assuming it then to -have a certain power of feeling, and being influenced by the thought -of its fellows, without the aid of sound or gesture, it is obvious -that here would be a power tending to dull and weaken that struggle -to express thought by sound, which may be supposed to have slowly and -unconsciously led to the formation of a language. Here, then, would be -a retarding influence. Still, as ideas communicated in this way would -probably be of a general and simple kind, corresponding, perhaps, more -to emotions and sensations than definite ideas, the need for more -precise impartment would gradually, as mental power became more and -more developed, become more and more felt. Then would come language (as -spoken), and spoken language, once established, would tend to weaken -the old primitive power, as an improvement on which it had arisen. -Thus if thought-transference exist in man, it may, perhaps, represent -a reversion to a more primitive and generalised means of mental -intercommunion, or the older power may exist, and still occasionally -act, or even do so habitually to some extent; in fact, it may not yet -have entirely died out. Possibly, also, it might tend to survive, and -even to some extent increase, as being, in certain ways and directions, -superior to the more precise medium. But if so, it would become--unless -specially cultivated--more and more limited to these directions. -Certain it is that people seem often to approach each other mentally -much more by feeling than by words, and in a wonderfully short space of -time. We call this insight, intuitive perception, affinity, etc.,--but -such words do not explain the process. - -Is it not possible that birds living habitually together, as part of -a crowd, may have acquired the faculty of thinking and acting all -together, or in masses, each one's mind being a part of the general -mind of the whole band, but each possessing, also, its individual mind -and will, by virtue of which it is enabled to suspend its general -crowd-acting, and act individually? - -Perhaps a careful observation of gregarious animals in a wild state, or -even (if a more special definition be wanted) of large crowds or masses -of men, might throw some light upon this subject, and it would, at -any rate, be approaching it upon a broader basis, and by methods less -tainted with our silly prejudices, than has hitherto been done. - -But when I speak of gregarious animals in a wild state, I am -forgetting that such hardly any longer exist. The great herds of -bisons, zebras, antelopes, giraffes, etc., that once roamed over places -now given over to humanity (and inhumanity) have disappeared, and what -have we learnt from them? Who has watched them--at least very carefully -or patiently--with thoughts other than of their slaughter? I know of -no careful record of their movements, taken from hour to hour and from -day to day. A few generalities, conveying some of the more obvious -and striking facts--or what seemed to be so--will alone survive their -extinction. Enlightened curiosity has been drowned in bloodthirstiness, -and the coarse pleasure of killing has over-ridden in us the higher -ones of observation and inference. We have studied animals only to -kill them, or killed them in order to study them. Our "zoologists" -have been _thanatologists_. Thus the knowledge gleaned even by the -sportsman-naturalist has been scant and bare, for--besides that the -proportions of the mixture are generally as Falstaff and Falstaff's -page--there is little to be seen between the sighting of the quarry and -the crack of the rifle. Observation has commonly left off just where it -should have begun. - -Had we as often stalked animals in order to observe them, as we have in -order to kill them, how much richer might be our knowledge! - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -Watching Birds in the Greenwoods - - -I have called attention in the last chapter to that independent or -self-reliant quality which so many birds possess, and by virtue of -which they often act differently to their fellows, even when there is -a strong inducement to them to act as they do. This seems to me an -important point, for it must be as the foundation-stone upon which -change of habit would be built, and change of habit points out a -certain path along which change of structure, were it to occur, would -be preserved, and a new species be thus formed. - -One might think that the most timid birds would, under ordinary -circumstances, be the ones least liable to change their habits, for -such change would often mean a penetrating into "fresh fields and -pastures new," where they might be expected to fear and distrust in a -higher degree than amidst surroundings with which they were familiar. -This, perhaps, may be the case, but one must distinguish between -timidity and a wary caution or prudence, which may be combined with an -independent, perhaps one may even say a bold, spirit. - -The moor-hen is an example of such a combination. I have watched these -birds for hours browsing over some meadow-land, bordering a small and -very quiet stream, near where I live. Sometimes there would be a dozen -or twenty scattered over a wide space, and every now and again, when -something had alarmed them, the whole troop, one taking the cue from -another, would run or fly pell-mell to the water, most of them swimming -across and taking refuge in a belt of reeds skirting the opposite -bank, whilst some few would remain floating in mid-stream, ready to -follow their companions if necessary. In two or three minutes, or -sometimes less, they would all be back browsing again, and so continue -till, all at once, there was another panic rush and flight. The cause -of these stampedes was generally undiscoverable; but sometimes, when -the birds stayed some time down on the water, the figure of a rustic -would at length appear, walking behind a hedge, along a path bounding -the little meadow. Of such a figure rooks and many other birds would -have taken no notice, even when considerably nearer. One cause of -alarm I frequently noted, and this was where another moor-hen would -come flying over the meadow, either to alight amongst those upon -it, or making for a more distant point of the stream. Such birds, -though not alarmed themselves--for I frequently saw the commencement -and spontaneous nature of their flights--yet always brought alarm to -the others: a fact which seems to me interesting, for it cannot be -supposed that these would have been disquieted at the mere sight of -one of their kind, and if they judged from the flying bird's manner -that it was seeking safety, then they judged wrongly. This, again, -does not seem likely, and the only remaining explanation is that they -drew an inference--"This bird _may_ be flying from danger"--which, -I think, must have been the case. At any rate, each time it was a -_sauve-qui-peut_, one of themselves sent them all in a race to the -water, just as a dog or a man would have done. But I must qualify -the word "all." Often--perhaps each time--one or two birds might be -seen (like the pheasant) to glance warily about, as though to assure -themselves whether there was danger or not, standing, the while, in -a hesitating attitude, and ready, on the slightest indication, to -follow their companions. Then, having satisfied themselves, they would -continue quietly to browse--for moor-hens browse the grass of meadows -as do geese. - -Coming, now, to the opposite side of the bird's character--its boldness -and enterprise--I remember one afternoon, when I had been watching -the stone curlews, seeing, just as evening was falling, a moor-hen -walking along the piece of wire netting which skirted a wheat-field, -or rather an arid waste of sand where some wheat was feebly attempting -to grow. The whole country around was the chosen haunt of the former -birds, as opposed, therefore, to anything damp, moist, or marshy, as -can well be imagined. The moor-hen went steadily on, with a composed -and mind-made-up step, never deviating from the straight line of the -netting till, upon coming to where this was continued at a right angle -in another direction, it found its way through, and proceeded to cross -a green road skirted with fir-trees into another Sahara-like waste, -where I lost it, at least a quarter of a mile from the nearest little -pond or pool. Possibly it was walking from one of these to another, -but quite as probably--in my experience--it was leaving its ordinary -haunts for some inland part it had discovered, where it could get food -to its liking. For the moor-hens living in the little creek or stream -that I used to watch would range over the adjacent meadow-land, and a -few of them, having come to the limit of this, would climb up a steep -bank and through a hedge at its top, down again into a little bush -and bramble-grown patch on the other side. One bird, indeed, that I -startled, actually climbed this bank and scrambled through the hedge -into the patch, instead of flying to the water; which is as though a -lady were to take up Shakespeare rather than a novel, or a servant-maid -to act by reason instead of by rote. Again, I have startled a moor-hen -out of a large tree standing in a thicket, and a good way back from the -ditch surrounding it--such a tree as one might have expected to see a -wood-pigeon fly out of, but certainly not a moor-hen. - -Such variations of habit are to me more interesting than those of -structure, for they represent the mind, as do the latter--which -they have probably in most cases preceded--the body. Changes of -structure, too, if slight, are not easy to see, and as soon as they -become observable the varying animal is dubbed another species, or, -at least, a variety of the old one, so that one is not allowed, as -it were, to see the actual passage from form to form;--one is always -either at one end of the bridge or the other end. But changed habits -may be marked _in transitu_, and there is hardly, perhaps, a bird or -a beast which, if closely watched, will not be seen to act sometimes -in a manner which, if persisted in to the neglect of its more usual -circle of activities, would make it, in effect, a new being, though -dressed in an old suit of clothes. Thus, in such a bird as the -robin, which is associated--and rightly--in the popular mind with -the cottage, the little rustic garden, and with woodlands wild--such -scenes and surroundings, in fact, as are represented, or used to be, on -Christmas cards--one may get a hint of some future little red-breasted, -water-loving bird, at first no more aquatic than the water-wagtail, but -becoming, perhaps, as time goes on, as accomplished a diver and clinger -to stones at the bottom of running streams as is the water-ouzel--a -bird as to which, Darwin says, "the acutest observer by examining its -dead body would never have suspected its sub-aquatic habits." - -To illustrate this, I take from my notes the following:--"A robin"--it -is in December--"flies on to the trunk of a fallen tree spanning the -little stream, from thence on to some weedy scum lying against it on -the water, from which he picks something off and returns again to the -trunk. Two or three times again he flies down and hops about on the -weeds, and sometimes, whilst doing so, pecks at the great black trunk. -Now he is standing on them contentedly, with the water touching his -crimson breast-feathers. He is in his first or more primitive figure, -for the robin has two. Either he is a little round globe with a sunset -in him--his rotundity being broken only by a beak and a tail--or else -very elegant, dapper, and well set up. In the first he is fluffy, for -he has ruffled out his feathers, but in the last he has pressed them -down and is smooth and glossy--has almost a polish on him." Again, -whilst walking by the river in the early morning, the water being very -low, "a robin hops down over the exposed shingle, to near the water's -edge, then flies across to the opposite more muddy surface, and hops -along it, pecking here and there. He again flies across and proceeds -in the same way, always going up the stream, crosses again, and so on. -Each time he is farther away from me, and now I lose sight of him; but -this is evidently his system. How out of character he seems amidst the -mud and ooze of the dank river-bed on this chill winter's morning, -how little like the robin of poetry and Christmas-card, how much more -in the style of some little mud-loving, stilt-walking bird: for this -is often their manner of zig-zagging from shore to shore up or down -the stream. I have noticed it but now in the redshank. Yet the old -associations are with him, for this is home, and the thatched cottage -peeps over the familiar hedge." - -And here I will chronicle an experience--my own, if it be not that of -others. Provided there be shrubbery about, there are but few places -here in England where one can sit quietly for very long, without a -robin stealing softly out and, as it were, sliding himself into the -landscape. Then--however bleak or chill it may be--his presence seems -to bring home comforts with it. But this is only when one is near home -and home comforts--not when one is far, far away from them. I remember -in the great pine-forests of Norway--so lovely yet so stern in their -loveliness--the robin seemed to have lost all his character. He did not -suggest home and all its pleasures when home was no longer near. It was -not (or perhaps it was) that by suggestion he made these seem farther -off, but that his character seemed gone. Surely, things are to us as a -part of what they move in with us, and, out of this, seem changed and -to be something else. - -I am not quite sure if the following represents any change of habits -in regard to food, induced by the presence of a foreign tree, in any -of the three birds that it concerns. I have occasionally watched -the great-tit in our own fir-plantations, but have not yet seen him -attacking the cones, though the coal-tit, as I believe, does so. For -the greenfinch I can only say that I should not have thought it of him, -nor is he often to be seen in such places. The nut-hatch is not common -where I live. - -"Standing this Christmas Eve under a large exotic conifer on the lawn -of the garden here in Gloucestershire, I became aware that various -birds were busy amongst its branches, and I kept hearing a curious -grating noise with a strong vibration in it, which seemed to be made -by them with the beak upon the large fir-cones, but as the branches -were very close together, and the birds high up, I could not observe -the manner of it--the sound (as I said before) being very peculiar. -I therefore climbed the tree (which was easy), and the birds being -now often quite near--though the branches and great clusters of -needle-tufts were much in the way--I ascertained that it was the -greenfinch alone which was producing the peculiar, vibratory noise, but -how, exactly, he did it I could not make out. He appeared to be tearing -at the woody sheaths or clubs (which stood wide apart) of the large -fir-cones, and it seemed as though, to give the vibration in the sound, -either the mandibles must work against each other with extraordinary -swiftness, or the clubs of the cone itself vibrate in some manner -against the beak, thus causing the sound in question to mingle with the -scratching made by the latter against the hard surface. - -"The great-tit and the nut-hatch are also busy at the cones. The former -strikes them repeatedly with his bill, making a quick 'rat-tat-tat.' -He attacks them either from the branch or twigs from which they hang, -striking downwards, or clinging to the side of one and striking -sideway-downwards, or even hanging at their tips, in which case he -hammers up at them. Whilst hammering, or rather pick-axeing, he -often bends his head very sharply from the body--almost at a right -angle--towards the point at which his blow is aimed, and he then -becomes, as it were, a natural, live pickaxe, of which his body is the -handle and his head and beak the pick. After hammering a little on one -of two cones that hang together, he perches on the other one, and, in -the intervals of hammering it, shifts his head to the first and gives -it, as it seems, a sharp investigatory glance. He then flies away. - -"A nut-hatch, also, I twice see hammering at the cones, in much the -same manner as the tit, and, having loosened a thin brown flake from -one of them, he flies off with it in his beak. I have not yet seen the -tit do this, nor did I ever see him get an insect. If he got anything -at all, it must have been in one of the actual blows, become a peck, -as when he hammers at a cocoa-nut hung in the garden. The greenfinches -never hammered, but only bit and tugged at the clubs of the cones. -Brown flakes often fell down from them, but I never saw the birds fly -off with these, as the nut-hatch has done. I had seen one with a flake -in his bill which, however, he soon let fall to the ground. - -"One of the greenfinches is again attacking the cones, and I can now -see the way he does it more plainly. He places his beak between the -clubs of the cones at their tips (I mean their outer ends), and then -moves his head and beak rapidly, seeming, as it were, to flutter with -his head, and as he does this you hear the grating, vibratory sound. -All the time, he is clinging head downwards to the side of the cone, -quite a feat for so large, at least for such a stout-built bird. I -will not, however, be quite sure that it is to the cone itself that he -clings. The fir-needles hang in bunches near them, and his claws may -be fixed amongst these, though I do not think so, or, at least, not -always. Besides this sound made with the beak on the fir-cones, there -is another, which one often hears, and which is usually, I think, made -by the greenfinch. To get at the cones, he often flies up underneath -them, and hangs a little, thus, before clinging, on fluttering wings. -When the tips of these strike amongst the bunches of needles, a sharp, -thin, vibratory rattle is produced--also a very noticeable sound. - -"The nut-hatch--or another one--now flies in again, uttering, as he -arrives, a curious, high, sharp note--'zitch, zitch, zitch'--and again -flies away with a thin brown flake in his bill, a very woody morsel it -would seem. And now, later in the afternoon, I see a great-tit probing -the cones with his bill, and he also pulls out a brown flake and flies -away with it. Another does the same, hanging from the tip of a cone, -on which he afterwards perches for a moment, before flying with it -to another tree. Whilst standing, all this time, in the tree, I had -noticed little hard brown seeds about the size of apple-pips, and which -had all been cracked, lying in the forks formed by the junction of -the branches with the trunk. There was hardly one such resting-place -in which there were not a few of these cracked seeds. Pulling off a -fir-cone, I began to pull it to pieces, and at once saw, at the base of -every club where it had joined and helped to form the central pillar, -the double indentation, one on either side of the median line--or -mid-rib as it would be called in a true leaf--in which the two seeds -had been lying. Soon I came upon a seed itself, and, attached to the -outer end of it--that farthest from the base of the club--I at once -recognised the little brown flaky leaf that I had seen in the bills of -all three birds, but which none of them seemed to eat. - -"Here, then, the whole mystery--for to my ignorance it had been -such--was explained. The birds were picking out the seeds from the -cone, and the way to do this was to seize the thin brown flake to which -the seed was attached, and which lay all along inside each club or -leaf of the cone, whereas the seed itself was right at the base, and -the beak of the birds could not, perhaps (or not so easily), be pushed -up so far between the stiff clubs, the hard edges of which would catch -their foreheads uncomfortably. At least with the tit and greenfinch, -whose bills are not long, this would seem to be likely. When the -birds--as was evidently often the case--pulled out only the thin -flake-leaf which had become detached from the seed, they let it fall -negligently, thus conveying the impression that they had been taking -trouble to no end. When, however, they flew away with it, it is to be -presumed the seed was attached. - -"Here, then, are three quite different birds, all busily occupied in -extracting the seeds from the large cones of an exotic species of -fir, but whilst two of them--the great-tit and the nut-hatch--effect -this by first hammering on the cone, so as to loosen the seeds, or, -rather, the woody flake to which they are attached, from the basal -part of the club (if we may assume this to be the object) before -pulling them out, the greenfinch procures them without any previous -hammering, which is an action, perhaps, to which it is not accustomed. -One should not, however, assume too hastily that the latter bird has no -plan of his own for first loosening the seeds. Remembering the rapid, -almost fluttering, motion--not at all like pecking or hammering--which -he communicates to his head and bill, with the curious, vibratory -sound--which again does not suggest an ordinary blow--that accompanies -it, and how often when I could get a fairly good view of him, he seemed -to be repeatedly seizing and letting his bill slip over the outer -edges of the fir-clubs, I am inclined to think that he was making the -stiff clubs vibrate on their stalks--their hinges, so to speak--in a -manner that would tend to loosen the seeds as effectually, perhaps, as -would tapping them. - -"Judging by these limited observations, I should say that the nut-hatch -was the most skilful of the three in extracting the seeds, as, on the -two occasions when I saw him plainly, he flew away with a flake, soon -(once almost immediately) after he had come. He looked more like a -connoisseur, too, and his bill is much longer. He alone, as I should -think, might possibly be able to drive it right down, so as to seize -the actual seed. Yet he tapped the cone in the same quick manner as -did the tit, nor did he appear to me to be probing it at such times. -Moreover, I never observed him--any more than the others--to extract -the seed independently of the flake." - -Birds that are not tree-creepers will often behave very much as if they -were so, and show different degrees of expertness in the art. It seems -quite natural that a small bird, which habitually frequents trees, -should sometimes cling to the trunk; but what surprises me is, that -with so much raw material to have worked upon, nature should not have -developed some of our small perching birds into actual tree-creepers. -My observations on the blue-tit and the wren show, at least, that -should anything occur to make it difficult for them to procure food in -other ways, or should they (and this is easier to imagine) develop a -partiality for some particular kind of insect or other creatures living -in the chinks or under the bark of trees--say spiders, for instance, -which are often to be found there in colonies--they would be all ready -to become specialised experts. At least it appears to me so, and I -think it the more curious because they do not seem often to practise -what they can do so well. Here is my note, taken in October, when, -perhaps, there would be a little more scarcity of the ordinary food of -such birds, than in the spring and summer of the year. - -"In a grove of Scotch firs this morning I noted, first a blue-tit, -clinging to the trunk of one in the same manner as a nut-hatch or -tree-creeper. Hardly had he flown off it when a wren flew to and -commenced to ascend perpendicularly the trunk of a tree quite near me, -flying thence to another which it also ascended, and so on from tree -to tree. Afterwards, however, I was able to watch blue-tits acting -in this manner for some little time, as well as quite closely, and I -decided that they were the greater adepts of the two. They climbed the -perpendicular or overhanging trunk with ease and swiftness, clinging to -the roughnesses of the bark, at which they pecked from time to time, I -imagine for insects. Usually they went straight upwards, but sometimes -more or less slantingly. I also noted--and this I had not been able to -do for certain in the wren--that they descended as well as ascended -the trunks of the trees; but here the manner of progressing was not -quite so scansorial, for it was with a little flutter. Whether they -used the feet as well as the wings in the descent I could not actually -see, but they kept quite near enough to the trunk to have done so. -These little fluttering drops or drop-runs interested me very much. The -bird never made them except whilst hanging on the trunk of the tree -perpendicularly and head downwards, and when he stopped and clung to it -again he was in precisely the same position. The drop each time might -have been from four to six or seven inches. It never appeared to me to -be more. Both the blue-tit, therefore, and the wren have acquired the -habit of creeping about the trunks of trees, in search, presumably, -of insects or spiders, as do the tree-creepers, wood-peckers, and -nut-hatch. The former of them can descend the trunk, but not, it would -appear, without the aid of its wings, either wholly or in part. For the -wren, I saw him descend once, as I think, in a quick side-eye-shot; but -some nettles intervened, and I cannot be sure." - -"On the next morning I am at the same grove, and, about seven, a good -many blue-tits fly into it, one of which is soon busily occupied on the -trunk of a fir-tree. I now observe that this bird uses his wings even -in ascending the trunk, for though he certainly crawls up it, yet he -accompanies each fresh advance, after a pause, with a little flutter, -and advance and flutter end commonly together, taking him but a very -little way. A tree-creeper on the same tree, who moves deftly about, -pressed much flatter to the trunk and never using his wings, gives a -good opportunity of comparing the two birds--the professional and the -amateur. Now, both according to my memory and my notes, the tits I -saw yesterday did not flutter at all while ascending the tree--at any -rate, that one which I saw quite close both ascending and descending, -on which my note was principally based, did not; for though I saw -others, this one gave me the best and longest view, and the only one -of the descent. Had he fluttered in the ascent also, I must certainly -have noted it, and I should not, then, have placed the two in such -contradistinction. If an inference may be drawn from such limited -observation, it, perhaps, is that this bird is in process of acquiring, -or, at any rate, of perfecting, a habit, and that, therefore, all the -individuals do not excel in it to an equal degree. The fact that I -often watched and waited to see them practising the art again, but -without success, may lend some colour to this. There was clinging -sometimes, but not climbing." - -In this competition, therefore, between the wren and the tit as -tree-creepers, the tit bears off the bell; but later I had a better -opportunity of observing the prowess of the latter bird, and, though I -did not see it descend, yet in ease and deftness, length of time during -which the part was assumed, and general fidelity of the understudy to -the original, it must, I think, be pronounced the superior. It was -early on a cold, rainy, cheerless morning towards the end of February, -that I was so lucky as not to be in bed. I say--"Have, this morning, -watched closely, and from quite near, a wren behaving just like a -professional tree-creeper. It ascended the trunk of an alder, quickly -and easily, and sometimes to a considerable height--twenty or thirty -feet perhaps--beginning from the roots, and then flew down to the -roots or base of the next one, and so on along a whole line of them. -Up the sloping roots, or anywhere at all horizontal, it hopped along -in the usual manner, but, when the trunk became perpendicular, it -crept or crawled, just like a true tree-creeper.[19] I was, as I say, -quite close, and watched it most attentively. It certainly--as far -as good looking can settle it--did not assist itself with the wings. -They remained close against the sides, or, if they moved at all, it -was imperceptible to my eyes (which, by the way, are non-pareils). -Nevertheless, at a later period--for I followed along the trees--when -I watched it at only a few paces off, it as certainly appeared that it -did use the wings, advancing up the trunk by flutterings, but these -were so small and slight, and raised the bird so imperceptibly from -the surface of the trunk, that it had all the while the appearance of -creeping. As I was still closer to the bird during the latter part of -my watching, it may be thought that this alone represents the actual -fact; but, for my part, I cannot help thinking that my eyesight served -me upon each occasion. If so, then here is more 'richness,' from a -Darwinian point of view. The tits, it will be remembered, differed -individually, but in this wren there was a _personal_ variation. He -could creep, in ascending, without using his wings, and generally did -so; still he sometimes broke into a little flutter, which, in a more -pronounced form, had been prevalent in his youth. His father always did -it in this way, and there were very old wrens still living who only -_flew_ up a trunk. But this was thought very old-fashioned." - -[19] I allude to the _apparent_ motion. The tree-creeper itself, I -believe, really hops. - -It will not be forgotten how this bird flew from the point which it -had reached on one tree, right down to the roots of another, and -ascended from these. The tree-creeper, when it flits from tree to -tree, generally does so in a downward direction. If trees were of a -uniform height, and if the bird usually ascended to the top, or nearly -to the top, of each one in succession, one could see the _rationale_, -or even the necessity, of this practice, for the tree-creeper does -not--at least not usually--descend the trunk. But in a wood, the top of -one tree may not represent half the height of another, and, moreover, -a tree will often be abandoned by the bird when it has reached only a -moderate height, or is still quite near to the ground; and it is not so -easy to see how, under these circumstances, the above-mentioned habit -should have arisen. But, now, if the forerunners of the tree-creeper -had been birds accustomed to hop about on the ground, and to peer -and pry amongst the projecting roots of trees, and if they had, from -these, gradually ascended the trunk, getting back to them at first -quite soon, but making longer and longer and more and more accustomed -excursions, then we can understand how this habit might have become--as -one may say--rooted, so as to continue after there was no longer any -particular advantage in it. Now, however, it is beginning to weaken. I -have on several occasions--which I duly noted down at the time--seen a -tree-creeper fly from one tree to another, upon which it clung, in an -upward direction. I have little doubt that what is now still a habit -will come to be a preference merely, and that, in time, even this will -cease to be discernible, and the bird be guided simply by circumstances. - -It is said that the tree-creeper never descends the tree it is on, and, -also, that it generally proceeds in a spiral direction, by which, I -suppose, is meant that the line of its course winds round and around -the trunk of the tree. This last, however, has not been quite my -experience. I have watched the bird often and carefully, and I should -say that a true spiral ascent by it is decidedly exceptional. Often -one has alighted upon the tall stem of a Scotch fir, on the side away -from me, and never come round into view at all. On other occasions, -after some time, I have seen its tiny form outlined against the sky -on one or other side of the trunk, considerably higher up, and then, -again, it has disappeared back, or flown to another tree. This can -hardly be called a spiral ascent, and I have seen no nearer approach -to one. Often, too, I have seen it mount quite perpendicularly for -a considerable distance. To me it appears that the tree-creeper -recollects, occasionally, that he _ought_ to ascend a tree spirally, -and begins to do so, but the next moment he forgets this tradition in -his family, and creeps individually. One might expect, indeed, that -insects or likely chinks for them would act as so many deflections from -the path of spiral progress, which, as it seems likely, may have been -originally adopted for the same reason and upon the same principle -that a road is made to wind round a mountain instead of being carried -up the face of it. But how is it, then, that the wren and the blue-tit -ascend tree-trunks perpendicularly? for one would have thought that -the less _au fait_ a bird was, the more would the advantages of an -easy gradient have forced themselves upon it. But these birds are -still--sometimes, at any rate--aided by their wings, so that it would -seem as though their tree-creeping had been developed, or was being -developed, as an adjunct to tree-fluttering. Now, as it appears to me, -though it might be easier for a bird to creep up a tree by going round -it, it could more easily flutter up it perpendicularly,[20] in the way -I have described, and, if so, we can understand a bird that is only in -process of becoming a tree-creeper, commencing, as it were, at the most -advanced end. For it would first have fluttered up perpendicularly, -then have both crept and fluttered so, and finally, when it could creep -without fluttering, it would do so at first on the old fluttering -lines. Then it might begin to adopt the spiral method, but as the -effort required became less and less, and structural modification--as -seen, for example, in the shape and stiffness of the tail-feathers of -the tree-creeper--came to its assistance, this would cease to be a -help, and become a habit merely, and when once a habit has lost its -_rationale_, it is in the way of being broken, even in good society. -Thus the perpendicular ascents of the tree-creeper may be the final -stage in a long process, and the return in ease to what was before done -in toil. - -[20] Or rather no particular difficulty would be experienced, so that -the shortest course would be the best one. - -The tree-creeper is assisted in its climbing by the stiff, pointed -feathers of the tail, which act as a prop, and also by its small size, -which may possibly have been partly gained by natural selection. The -great green woodpecker is possessed of the first of these advantages, -but not of the second, and it is, I believe, the case that he much more -adheres to the spiral mode of ascent than does the tree-creeper, who, -as it seems to me, has almost discarded it. It would be interesting, -therefore, to observe if the smaller spotted woodpecker shows a -greater tendency to deviate in this direction; but I have had no -opportunity of doing this. - -With regard to the other assertion--namely, that the tree-creeper never -descends the trunk of the tree--this is at least not true without -qualification, for I have seen it do so backwards, with a curious -and, as it seemed to me, a quite special motion. It was quick and -sudden, carrying the bird an inch or so down the trunk, when it ceased -and was not repeated: a jerk, in fact, but of a much more pronounced -character, made thus backwards, than any of the little forward jerks, -in a toned--one might almost sometimes say a gliding--succession, of -which the ordinary "creeping" consists. The first time I saw this -action (to dwell upon) it constituted a perpendicular descent, but my -eye was not full on the bird at the moment, so that I only observed it -imperfectly. On the second occasion I saw it quite plainly, and this -time the bird jerked itself sideways as well as downwards, stopping in -the same abrupt manner, though whether it made two short quick jerks or -only one, I could not be quite sure of. I think it was two, but that -only the last one gave the jerky effect. It would thus seem that the -tree-creeper might really progress in this way, for some little while, -if it wished to. The tail must almost of necessity be raised, or the -stiff, pointed feathers would catch in the roughnesses of the bark; -but, either from the quickness of the action, or the slight extent to -which it was lifted, I did not notice this. - -I have also seen the great green woodpecker make exactly this same -motion, downwards and backwards, on the trunk to which he was clinging, -so perhaps all true tree-creeping birds may be able to descend in this -fashion, should they wish it, though to do so head first may be beyond -the power, or rather the habit, of most of them. This, certainly, -I have never seen the tree-creeper do, but I should not be at all -surprised were I to, some day, and in describing the habits of any -bird, "never"--excepting in extreme cases--is, in my opinion, a word -that should never be used. - -The tit, however, though only an amateur tree-creeper, does, as we -have seen, descend the trunk head downwards, showing, to this extent -at least, a superiority over a much greater master of the art. But -here we have the flutter, whether helped out by the use of the feet or -not, and we can imagine that, as the bird became more and more a true -creeper, and used the wings less and less, he might cease to descend, -and only creep upwards. It must, however, be remembered that all the -tits are accustomed to hang head downwards from twigs and branches in -an uncommon degree, so that a member of the family, developing along -these lines, might find it easier to descend the trunk, or make greater -efforts to overcome the difficulty of doing so, than a bird whose -habits in this respect were less pronounced. Tits perch more generally -amongst the higher branches of trees, and have no particular habit of -hopping about the ground or creeping over and about the tangle of a -tree's projecting roots, which I have often watched wrens doing. Those -which I saw tree-creeping did not fly--or at any rate I did not notice -that they did--from the tree they were on, so as to alight upon another -at a lower elevation, but they were hardly systematic enough to let -one judge properly as to this. The wren, however, both in this respect -and in its general _façons d'agir_, had a striking resemblance to the -tree-creeper, with which bird--if I read the systematic tangle (I mean -in print) aright--he is more closely related than are the tits. - -"Howsoever these things be"--I fear I have dwelt too long upon them, -but whole books are written upon a war or even a battle--the little -tree-creeper is a very delightful bird to watch. Sometimes, on -inclement winter days, one can come very near him, very near indeed, -and almost forget the cold, the rain, the sleet, in his active busy -little comfort. To see him then creeping like a feathered mouse over -some stunted tree-trunk, and insinuating his slender, delicately-curved -little bill into every chink and crevice of the bark--so busy, so -happy, so daintily and innocently destructive! His head, which is -as the sentient handle to a very delicate instrument, is moved with -such science, such _dentistry_, that one feels and appreciates each -turn of it, and, by sympathy, seems working oneself with a little -probing sickle that is seen even when invisible, as is the fine wire -or revolving horror in one's tooth, whilst sitting in the dreadful -chair. After watching him thus--almost, sometimes, bending over him--I -have broken off some pieces of bark, to form an idea of what he -might be getting. A minute spider and a small chrysalis or two would -be revealed, but there were, generally, many cocoon-webs of larger -hybernating spiders, whilst empty pupa shells and other such debris -suggested "pasture" sufficient to "lard" many "rother's sides." And -again I wonder why there are not more professional tree-creepers, why -countries so rich and defenceless are not more invaded, in the name -of something or other high-sounding--evolution will here serve the -turn. But, in spite of this abundance, the tree-creeper does not quite -confine himself to searching the bark of trees, for I have seen him, -on one occasion, dart suddenly out and catch a fly, or other insect, -in the air, returning immediately afterwards to his tree again. To my -surprise, I cannot find this in my notes, but, as my memory is quite -clear upon the point, I mention it. This is another method of procuring -food, which, as an occasional practice, is widely disseminated amongst -our smaller birds, and here again one wonders why it has only become a -fixed habit with the fly-catcher. However, I have seen a male chaffinch -dash from the bank of a river and catch may-flies in mid-stream, -sometimes a little and sometimes only just above the surface of the -water, several times in succession, so that, in this case also, we see -the possible beginnings of another species. - -I have forgotten to admire the tree-creeper--I mean as a thing of -beauty. To do so is a very refined sensation, he is so neutral-tinted -and half-shady. One is an æsthete for the time, but the next blue-tit -dethrones one, for one has to admire him too, and _he_, with his -briskness and his Christian name of Tom, is hardly æsthetic. The -hardiness of these little creatures--I am speaking here of the tits, -but to both it would apply--is wonderful--quite wonderful. They -are downy iron, soft little colour-flakes of nature's very hardest -material. It is now--for I select a striking example--the most -atrocious weather, a howling wind, and sleet or sleety snow that -seems, as it falls, to thaw and freeze upon one's hands, both at the -same time. Later it becomes almost a storm, with more snow. It is, -indeed, a day terrible to bird and beast in the general, as well -as to man, yet, through it all, these tiny little bits of natural -feather-work are feeding on the small February buds of some elms that -roar in the wind. Wonderful it is to see them blown and swayed about, -with the snow-flakes whirling about them, as they hang high up from -the extremities of slender twigs, playing their little life-part (as -important in the sum of things as Napoleon's) with absolute ease and -well-being, whilst one is almost frozen to look at them. One must think -of Shakespeare's lines about "the wet shipboy in a night so rude," -but what a poor mollycoddle was he by comparison! Later they will -sleep--these robust little feathered Ariels--to the tempest's lullaby, -above a world all snow, and with frozen snow the whole way up the trunk -of every unprotected tree, on the windward side. Now it is dinner, with -appetite and entire comfort "in the cauld blast." - -What insects are in these tiny little new buds, or are there insects in -each one?--for these tits browse from one to another and seem equally -satisfied with all. Yet it is authoritatively stated that they eat only -the insects in buds, and not the buds themselves. In watching birds, -however, as in other things, one should be guided by a few simple -rules, and one of the most important of these is absolutely to ignore -all statements whatever, without the smallest regard to authority. -Everything should be new to you; there should be no such thing as a -fact till you have discovered it. Note down everything as a discovery, -and never mind who knew it--or knew that it was not so--before. You may -be wrong, of course. So may the authority. But what makes authority in -a matter of observation? - -To me it certainly seemed that these tits ate the elm-buds. At any -rate, I have broken a spray off a low bough where I had seen one -feeding, and taken it home. On examining it I found many a little bare -stalk where buds had been, which suggests that they had been eaten and -not merely pecked at. I tried several of these little buds (it was in -February) myself, and found them very nice and delicate. Later, in -April, I have noted down: - -"The buds being now larger, I can see the birds pecking and tugging at -them more plainly, and now and then a minute bud-leaf flutters to the -ground. I certainly think it is the buds themselves they are attacking, -for their own sake." As blue-tits feed at the stacks--certainly not on -insects--and eat cocoa-nuts, Brazil-nuts, horse-chestnuts (I believe), -meat, and, in fact, almost everything, it would be strange indeed if -they neglected such a rich pasture-ground as the buds of trees would -yield them, or if they did not care about them. On such a day as I have -described, one can understand them feeding hour after hour, and making -themselves rotund on the tiny little buds themselves, but hardly on -insects contained in them. - -The bullfinch, at any rate, is known to be a bud-eater, and he may -often be seen feeding on the elms, in company with the blue-tit, and, -to all appearance in just the same way. It is marvellous what slender -little twigs this bird will perch on, without their giving way beneath -his round burly form. Sometimes they do give way, and then he swings -about on them like a ball at the end of a piece of string, nor does -he get off on to another one without a good deal of turmoil, and some -climbing, which cannot be called quite fairy-like. In fact, he is -awkward--but in the most graceful manner imaginable. Harpagon, as we -know, "_avait grace a tousser_," and when a bird like the bullfinch -condescends, for a moment, to be awkward, his charm is merely enhanced. -Yet I cannot call him deft in the procurement of buds, as the blue-tit -is, with whom he comes into competition, and whom he will drive away. -He does not hang nibbling at them head downwards, as though to the -manner born, and then swing up again on a twig-trapeze. These things, -if not beyond him, are, at least, alien to his disposition, which is -straightforward, and to his deportment, which has a certain sobriety. -His plan, therefore, is to advance along the twig as far as it seems -to him advisable to go, and then, stretching forward and elongating -his neck, take a sharp bite at the bud, which, with his powerful bill, -secures it at once--unless he fails. In the same way, he will stretch -out from the twig he is on, to secure the bud on another, but this he -does still more cautiously. At the blue-tit, when feeding on the same -tree, he will sometimes make little dashes, driving him away. He has, -in fact, just done so (only in this instance it was the hen bird) three -times in succession. And now a fourth time has this hen bullfinch made -a dash at the blue-tit. The tit, each time, flutters away easily, and -without making any fuss about it. He is insulted, but he does not wish -to make a scene. Besides, he is smaller. - -The catkins, too, are now hanging on the alders, and on these also, -or--if any one prefers it--on the insects in them, the blue-tits feed. -They, I think, prefer the catkins, but I will not be sure. - -Whenever practicable they grasp a catkin with one claw, and the twig -from which it hangs, and which is their main support, with the other. -Often, however, they grasp catkin and twig together with both claws, -and, standing thus, peck down upon them like ("parva si magnis licet -comparare") a crow or hawk upon some dead or living creature. Or, -again, they will hang head downwards from, and pecking at, a bunch -of the catkins, without any more substantial support, or, with one -claw grasping one twig, will, with the other, hold a catkin belonging -to another twig up to the beak, like a parrot. The claws of tits -are evidently of high value as seizers and holders, if not quite -as "pickers and stealers." They are much more than mere rivets for -fixing themselves on a perch. To see one of these little birds, whilst -straddled in this way, pull the catkin towards it, is most interesting -and very pretty. The little legs are so thin and delicate that one must -be very close or get a very steady look through the glasses, both to -see, and, at the same time, distinguish them from the twigs. - -The coal-tit is even more parrot or, rather, squirrel-like, and one -can make out his actions better, for he sits upright--one may almost -say--on the ground beneath a fir-tree, supporting himself with his tail -and one claw, whilst the other grasps a fir-cone at which he pecks. At -least I think it was a fir-cone, and I afterwards picked up several -which were marked with little pits round the base, where it had joined -the stalk, difficult to attribute to squirrels, and suggesting that the -birds had severed them in this way, and not yet proceeded farther. - -If the coal-tit does this, then it seems likely that the great-tit does -so also, in which case his extracting the seeds from the larger cones -of exotic firs would be only what one might expect. The coal-tit, too, -ascends the trunks of trees--Scotch fir-trees especially--in the same -fluttering way as does the blue-tit, but perhaps still more deftly, in -search of insects, and often, as one watches him, a flake of the bark -that he has detached comes fluttering down. The golden-crested wren -may do the same, but I have been more struck by the way in which this -little bird flies about amidst the pine-trees, from one needle-bunch -to another. He hangs from them head downwards, but often, before -clinging amongst them, flutters just above or, sometimes, just below -them. In the latter case it seems as though the needles were flowers, -and that he was probing them with his bill, whilst hanging in the air -like a humming-bird; and this, amidst the dark pines and, especially, -on a gloomy winter's day, is odd to see. Often he flits down from his -pine-needles into the coarse, tufty grass just bounding the plantation, -bustles and fairy-fusses there for a little, then is up again amongst -his needles, pecking the frost from them. For this is what it looks -like, that seems to be the meal he is making, though, surely, it must -really be something more substantial--if "meal" and "substantial" are -words that can be properly used in respect of a being so tiny and -delicate. However, he seems busily examining the pine-needles, and -this may be either for minute insects upon them, or for the very small -buds which they bear. It is pleasant to watch these little birds, and -to hear their little needley note of "tzee, tzee, tzee." Sometimes, -however--but this is more as spring comes on--they will fly excitedly -about amidst the trees and bushes, uttering quite a loud, chattering -note--far louder than one could have expected from the size of the bird. - -Returning to our blue-tits on their alder-tree; they have all flown -into it--being a band of about twenty--from a small hawthorn-tree a few -paces off. Excepting for some lichen here and there on its branches, -this hawthorn-tree is bare, and the birds seem far more occupied in -preening themselves, and in giving every now and again the little birdy -wipe of the bill first on one side and then another of a twig or bough, -than in any serious "guttling." For this they fly to the alder, where, -at once, they are feeding busily. But I notice that every now and again -some few of them fly back into the hawthorn, where they sit, a little, -preening themselves as before, before returning. In fact, they use -the hawthorn-tree as their tiring-room, whilst the alder is the great -banqueting-hall. Once or twice--I think it was twice--I saw one dart at -another and drive it from its particular catkin. As they had a whole -large tree to themselves, this, I think, was pretty good. - -[Illustration: _Fairy Artillery: Willow-Warbler Pecking Catkins in -Flight._] - -But I have never seen the blue-tit behave so prettily and airily with -its catkins, as I have the little willow-warbler in April. These little -birds are then constantly pursuing each other about through the trees, -and especially the birch-trees, for which they seem to have a decided -preference, perhaps because they make a fairy setting for their fairy -selves. They affect its catkins, and one of the most pleasing of -things is to see them shoot through the yet thin veil of green, give -a flying peck at one, and become immediately enveloped in a little -yellow cloud of the pollen. It looks, indeed, as if the bird had shaken -it from its own feathers, for its intimate actions are too quick and -small to be followed, and the pollen is all around it. But as the eye -marks the tiny explosion with delight, reason, quickly following, as -delightedly tells you the why of it, and a plucked catkin illustrates. - -This is all in the early fresh morning, when the earth is like a -dew-bath and all the influences so lovely that one wonders how sin and -sorrow can have entered into such a world. It seems as though nature -must be at her fairest for so fairy a thing to be done. I, at least, -have not seen it take place later, and I cannot help hoping that no one -else will. - -But why do the little birds explode their catkins? Do their sharp eyes, -each time, see an insect upon them, or do they really enjoy the thing -for its own sake? I can see no reason why this latter should not be the -case, or, even if it is not so to any great degree now, why it should -not come to be so in time. It must be exciting, surely, this sudden -little puff of yellow pollen-smoke, and then there is the fairy-like -beauty of it. There was much laughter, naturally, when Darwin -propounded the theory that birds could admire, and when he instanced -the bower-birds, and, particularly, one that makes itself an attractive -little flower-garden, removing the blossoms as soon as they fade, and -replacing them with fresh ones, it was held that such cases as these -were decisive against his views. Gradually, however, it began to be -seen that they pointed rather in the opposite direction, and now it is -recognised that Darwin was right. This being so, it does not appear to -me absolutely necessary to suppose that when the little wood-warbler -flies at his catkin and produces one of the prettiest little effects -imaginable, he does so always merely to get a fly or a gnat. There are -other possibilities, and I think that if our common birds were minutely -and patiently watched, we might trace here and there in their actions -the beginnings of some of those more wonderful ones, which obtain -amongst birds far away. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER X - -Watching Rooks - - -In this chapter I will give a few scenes from rook life, as I have -watched it from late autumn to early spring, linking them together -by a remark now and again of a general nature, or, possibly, some -theory which my observations may have suggested to me, and seemed to -illustrate. Were I to put into general terms what I have jotted down -at all times and in all places, in the darkness before morning when -the rookery slept about me, in the dim dawn whilst it woke into life, -to stream forth, later, on wings of joy and sound, in the long day by -field and moor and waste, and at evening again, or night, when the -birds swept home and sank to sleep amidst their own sinking lullaby, -I might make a smoother narrative, but the picture would be gone. I -think it better, therefore, to make a preliminary general apology for -all roughnesses and repetitions, triviality of matter, minuteness of -detail and so forth, in fact for all shortcomings, and then to go on -in faith, not in myself, indeed, but in the rooks, believing that they -_will_ be interesting, however much I may stand in their way. - -When I speak of the rookery I do not mean the trees where the birds -build--unfortunately there are none very near me--but those where they -come to roost during the autumn and winter--true rookeries indeed if -numbers count for anything. Here, their chosen resting-place is a -silent, lonely plantation of tall funereal firs, standing shaggily -tangled together, mournful and sombre, making, when the snow has -fallen but lightly--before they are covered--a blotch of very ink -upon the surrounding white. Who could think, seeing them during the -daytime, so sad and abandoned, so utterly still, tenanted only by a -few silent-creeping tits, or some squirrel, whose pertness amidst -their gloomy aisles and avenues seems almost an affectation--who could -think that each night they were so clothed and mantled with life, that -their sadness was all covered up in joy, their silence made a babel of -sound? In every one of those dark, swaying, sighing trees, there will -be a very crowd of black, noisy, joyous birds, and strange it is that -there should be more poetry in all this noise and clamour and bustle -than in their sad sombreness, deeply as that speaks to one. The poetry -of life is beyond that of death, and when the rooks have gone the dark -plantation seems to want its soul. It is Cupid and Psyche, but under -dreary, northern skies. Every evening the black, rushing wings come -in love and seem to kiss the dark branches, every morning they kiss -and part, and, between whiles, the poor longing grove stands lifeless, -dreams and waits. But how different would it seem if the rooks were a -crowd of men--nice, cheery, jovial, picturesque, civilised men! Thank -heaven, they are a crowd of rooks! - -I will now quote from my journal: - -"Walking over some arable land that rises gently into a slight hill, my -attention is attracted by a number of rooks hanging in the air, just -above a small clump of elm-trees on its crest. They keep alternately -rising and falling as they circle over the trees, often perching -amongst them, but soon gliding upwards from them again. A very common -action is for two to hover, one above another, getting gradually -quite close together, when both sinking, one may almost say falling, -rapidly, the upper pursues the under one, striking at it--either in -jest or earnest, but probably the former--both with beak and claws. -The downward plunge would end in a long swoop, first to right or left, -and then again upwards, during which the two would become separated -and mingled with the general troop. This action, more or less defined -and perfect, was continued again and again, and there were generally -one or more pairs of birds engaged in it. The rest rose and fell, many -together, and obviously enjoying each other's society, but without any -special conjunction of two or more in a joint manœuvre. Their descents -were often of a rushing nature, and accompanied with such sudden twists -and turns as, sometimes, seemed to amount to a complete somersault in -the air--though as to this I will not be too certain. The whole seemed -the outcome of pure enjoyment, and seen in the clear blue sky of this -fine bright October morning--the last one of the month--had a charming -effect. - -"A fortnight later I happened to be near some woods to which rooks -were flying from all directions, to roost, as I thought then, but -afterwards I found it was only one of their halting places. They were -in countless numbers, one great troop after another flying up from far -away over the country. The air was full of their voices, which were of -a great variety and modulation, the ordinary harsh (though pleasant) -'caw' being perhaps the least noticeable of all. Each troop flew high, -and, on coming within a certain distance of the wood--a fair-sized -field away--they suddenly began to swoop down upon it in long sweeping -curves or slants, at the same time uttering a very peculiar burring -note, which, though much deeper and essentially rook-like in tone, at -once reminded me of the well-known sound made by the nightjar. Imagine -a rook trying to 'burr' or 'churr' like a nightjar, and doing it like -a rook, and you have it. Whilst making these long downward-slanting -swoops the birds would often twist and turn in the air in an -astonishing manner, sometimes even, as it seemed to me, turning right -over as a peewit does, in fact, exhibiting powers of flight far beyond -what anyone would imagine rooks to possess, who had only seen or -noticed them on ordinary occasions. - -"Whilst these birds sweep down into the trees others of them settle on -the adjoining meadow-land, but they do not descend upon it in the same -way, but more steadily, though still with many a twist and turn and -whirring, whizzing evolution. Neither do they utter the strange burring -note to which I have called attention, and which is a very striking -sound. Starlings are mingled with these latter birds, flying amongst -them, yet in their own bands, and alighting with them on the meadow, -where they continue to form an _imperium in imperio_. Both they and the -rooks descend at one point, in a black or brown patch, but soon spread -out over the whole meadow, from which they often rise up in a cloud, -and, after flying about over it for a little, come down upon it again. -At last a vast flock of starlings--numbering, I should think, many -thousands--flies up, and, being joined by all those that were on the -field, the whole descend upon the woods, through which they disseminate -themselves. Almost immediately afterwards, the rooks, as though taking -the starlings for their guide, rise too, and fly all together to the -woods. Now comes a troop of some eighty rooks, and, shortly afterwards, -another much larger one--two or three hundred at the least--all flying -high, and going steadily onwards in one uniform direction. They are all -uttering a note which is difficult to describe, and does not at all -resemble the ordinary 'caw.' It has more the character of a chirrup, -loud in proportion to the size of the bird, but still a chirrup--or -chirruppy. There is great flexibility in the sound, which has a curious -rise at the end. It seems to express satisfaction and enjoyable social -feeling, and, if so, is very expressive. One feels, indeed, that every -note uttered by rooks is expressive, and if one does not always quite -know what it expresses that is one's own fault, or, at any rate, not -theirs. - -"Twenty more now pass, then twenty-seven, and, finally, another large -body of some two to three hundred--all flying in the same direction. It -is the last flight, and, shortly afterwards, the loud harsh trumpeting -of pheasants is heard in all the woods and coverts around, as they -prepare to fly up into their own roosting trees. This dove-tailing of -two accustomed things in the daily life of rooks and pheasants I have -often noticed, but it must be mere coincidence, for pheasants vary in -their hours of retirement, whilst the leisurely homeward journeying of -rooks, with pauses longer or shorter at one place or another, occupies, -in winter, most of the afternoon. - -"_November 27th._--By the river, this afternoon, I noticed two great -assemblages of rooks down on the meadow-land, whilst others, in large -numbers, were flying _en route_ homewards. Of these, two would often -act in the way I have before described--that is to say, whilst flying -the one just over the other with very little space between them, both -would sink suddenly and swiftly down, the upper following the under -one, and both keeping for some time the same relative position. But -besides this, two birds would often pursue each other downwards in a -different way, descending with wide sideway sweeps through the air, -from one side to another, after the manner of a parachute, the wings -being all the while outstretched and motionless. In either case the -pursuit was never persisted in for long, and obviously it was no more -than a sport or an evolution requiring the concurrence of two birds. - -"Again, two will sweep along near together, at slightly different -altitudes, with the wings outspread in the same way--that is to say, -not flapping. Then first one and afterwards the other gives a sharp -wriggling twist, seeming to lose its balance for a moment, rights -itself again, and continues to sweep on as before. Then another -wriggle, a further sweep, and so on." - -Since seeing the curious manner in which ravens roll over in the -air--as described by me--I have watched the aerial gambols, as one may -almost call them, of rooks more closely. There is a certain place, -not far from where I live, where these birds make an aerial pause in -their homeward flight; for, whilst many are to be seen settled in -some lofty trees of a fine open park, others sail round and round in -wide circles and high in the air, over a wide expanse of water in the -midst of it. After wheeling thus for some time, first one and then -another will descend on spread wings, very swiftly, and with all sorts -of whizzes, half-turns or tumbles, and parachute-like motions. When -watched closely through the glasses, however, it may be seen that, -very often, these rushing descents have their origin in an action, or, -rather, an attempted action, very much like that of the raven. The idea -of the latter bird is to roll over, so as to be on its back in the air, -and, by closing its wings, it is able to achieve this without, or with -hardly, any drop from the elevation at which it has been flying. The -rooks seem to try to do this too, but instead of closing the wings, -they keep them spread, as open, or almost so, as before. Consequently, -instead of just rolling over, their turn or roll to either side sends -them skimming sideways, down through the air, like a kite--a paper one, -I mean. Peewits close the wings and roll over in much the same way as -does the raven, but this is generally either preceded, or followed, by -a tremendous drop through the air, with wings more or less extended, so -that the whole has quite a different effect. - -"Of the two assemblies on the ground, one is in perpetual motion, -birds constantly rising--either singly, in twos or threes, or in -small parties--from where they were, flying a little way just above -the heads of their fellows, and re-settling amongst them again. Thus -no individual bird, as it seems to me, remains where it was for -long, though those in the air, at any given moment, form but a small -minority, compared with the main body on the ground. - -"But the birds composing the other great assemblage keep their places, -or, if some few rise to change them, these are not enough to give -character to the whole, or even to attract attention. It is curious to -see two such great bodies of birds close to each other, and on the same -uniform pasture-land, yet behaving so differently, the one so still, -the other in such constant activity. - -"About 4 P.M. a great number of rooks rise from some trees in a small -covert near by, and fly towards those on the ground. As they approach -the first great body--which is the lively one--the birds composing it -rise up, as with one accord, and fly, not to meet them, as one might -have expected, but in the same direction as they are flying. So nicely -timed, however, is the movement, that the rising body become, in a -moment, the vanguard of the now combined troop. - -"All these birds then fly together to the other assembly, and whilst -about half of their number sweep down to reinforce it, the other half -continue to fly on. The flying rooks, however, are not joined by any -of those on the ground. How curious it is that, in the first instance, -the one whole body of birds does the same thing instantaneously, and -as by a common impulse, whilst in the second, half acts in one way, -and half in another, each appearing to have no doubt or hesitation as -to what it ought to do! Again, how different is the conduct of the two -field-assemblages. One rises, as with one thought, to join the flying -birds. The other, as with one thought, remains standing. Unless, in -each case, some signal of command has been given, then what a strange -community of feeling in opposite directions is here shown. Where is the -individuality that one would expect, and what is the power that binds -all the units together? - -"_Are_ rooks led by an old and experienced bird?--which is, I believe, -the popular impression, as embodied in a famous line of Tennyson, for -which one feels inclined to fight. At first sight, the rising of a -whole body of rooks (or any other birds) simultaneously, either from -the ground or a tree, might seem to be most easily explained on the -theory of one bird, recognised as the chief of the band, having in some -manner--either by a cry or by its own flight--given a signal, which was -instantly obeyed by the rest. But how--in the case of rooks--can any -one note be heard by all amidst such a babel as there often is, and -how can every bird in a band of some hundreds (or even some scores) -have its eyes constantly fixed on some particular one amongst them, -that ought, indeed, on ordinary physical and mechanical principles, to -be invisible to the greater number? If, however, to meet this latter -difficulty, we suppose that only a certain number of birds, who are in -close proximity to the leader, see and obey the signal, and that these -are followed by those nearest to them, and so on till the whole are in -motion, then two other difficulties arise, neither of which seems easy -to get over. For, in the first place, the birds do not, in many cases, -appear to rise in this manner, but, as in the instances here given, -simultaneously, or, at least, with a nearer approach to it than any -process of spreading, such as here supposed, would seem to admit of; -and secondly, it is difficult to understand how, if this were the case, -any bird--or, at least, any few birds--could fly up without putting -all the others in motion. Yet, as I have mentioned, birds in twos or -threes, or in small parties, were constantly rising and flying from -one place to another in the assemblage of which they formed a part, -whilst the vast majority remained where they were, on the ground. This -fact offers an equal or a still greater difficulty, if, dismissing -the idea of there being a recognised leader, we suppose that any bird -may, for the moment, become one by taking the initiative of flight, -or otherwise. And even if we assume that any of these explanations is -the correct one, in the case of a whole body of rooks taking sudden -flight, or directing their flight to any particular place, or with any -special purpose, what are we to think when half, or a certain number of -the band does one thing, and the other half another, each, apparently, -with equal spontaneity? We are met here with the same difficulties--and -perhaps in a still higher degree--as in the case of the flocks of small -birds at the stacks in winter. - -"If rooks follow and obey a leader, one might expect them to do so -habitually, at least in their more important matters. The flight -out from the roosting-trees in the morning, and the flight into them -again at night are--when it is not the breeding-season--the two daily -'events' of a rook's life. Here, then, are two subjects for special -observation. - -"_November 30th._--At 3 P.M. I take up my position on the edge of a -little fir-plantation, a short distance from where I watched yesterday -and the last few days. My object is to watch the flights of rooks as -they pass, and try to settle if each band has a recognised leader or -not. Of course it is obvious that no one bird can lead the various -bands, for these come from over a large tract of country, whilst -even those that seem most to make one general army, fly, often at -considerable intervals of time, and quite out of sight of each other. - -"A good many are already flying in the accustomed direction, but -singly, or wide apart. Each bird seems to be entirely independent. - -"The first band now approaches. One rook is much in advance for some -distance. He then deviates, and is passed by the greater number of the -others, who continue on their way without regard to him. - -"Another great, irregular, straggling body in which I can discern no -sign whatever of leadership. Then comes another, more compact. A rook -that at first leads by a long interval is passed by first one and then -another, so that he becomes one of the general body. - -"A large band, flying very high. Two birds fly nearly parallel, at some -distance ahead. - -"Two large bands, also very high. In each, one bird is a good way -ahead. The apparent leader of the second band increases his distance, -curves a good deal out of the line originally pursued, nor do the -others alter their course in accordance. - -"Two other bands. In each the leader theory seems untenable. The birds -have a broadly extended front, and fly at different elevations. There -is nothing that suggests concerted movement, but, on the contrary, -great irregularity. - -"In another band the apparent leader swoops down to the ground, and, -whilst only half-a-dozen or so follow him, the main body proceeds on -its way. - -"Hitherto there has been a good deal of the familiar cawing noise, but, -now, a number of birds fly joyously up, hang floating in the air, make -twists and tumbles, perform antics and evolutions, and descend upon the -ground with wide parachute-like swoops from side to side, the wings -outspread and without a flap. I am first made aware of their approach -by the complete change of note. It is now the flexible, croodling, -upturned note--rising at the end, I mean--that I know not how to -describe, totally different from the 'caw,' nor do I hear a 'caw' from -any of these descending birds. It is the note of joy and sport, of -joyous sport in the air, of antics there as they sweep joyously down -through it, that I now hear. The birds that caw are flying steadily and -soberly by. The 'caw' is the steady jog-trot note of the day's daily -toil and business--'Jog on, jog on, the footpath way.' - -"Another great band, of such length and straggling formation that the -birds in the latter part of it could not possibly see the leader if -there were one--or indeed, I should think, the vanguard at all. The -first bird is passed by two others, then passes one of these again, and -remains the second as long as I can see them. - -"Another long flight that seems leaderless. With the 'caw' comes a -note like 'chug-a, chug-a, chug-a' (but the _u_ more as in Spanish), -and others that I cannot transcribe. This flight goes on almost -continuously--I mean without a distinct gap dividing it from another -band--for about ten minutes, when another great multitude appears, -flying at an immense height and all abreast, as it were--that is -to say, a hundred or so in a long line of only a few birds deep. -This, perhaps, would be the formation best adapted for observing and -following one bird that flew well in front, but I can see no such -one. All these birds are sailing calmly and serenely along, giving -only now and again an occasional stroke or two with the wings. Now -comes a further great assembly, in loose order, all flying in the same -direction. A characteristic of these large flights of rooks is that -their van will often pause in the air and then wheel back, circling -out to either side. The rearguard is thus checked in its advance, the -birds of either section streaming through each other, till the whole -body, after circling and hanging in the air for a little, like a black -eddying snowstorm (all at a great height), wend on again in the same -direction, towards their distant roosting-place. With the air full of -the voice of the birds, there is no caw--only the flexible, croodling, -chirruppy note that has a good deal of music in it, as well as of -expression. This note, I think, is what I have put down as 'chug-a, -chug-a, chug-a.' - -"There is now a continuous straggling stream, forming ever so many -little troops. The first bird of one troop tends to become the last -of the one preceding it, and the last one the leader of the troop -following. Then come numbers, flying in a very irregular and widely -disseminated formation, yet together in a certain sense. There is much -of rising and sinking and again floating upwards, of twists and twirls -and sudden, dashing swoops downwards, from side to side, like the car -of a falling balloon; two birds often pursuing each other in this way. - -"And now come two great bands, one flying all abreast, as before -described, the other forming a great, irregular, quasi-circular -rook-storm. Leadership in the latter case would be an impossibility; -in the former I see no sign of it. All these birds, though at a fair -height, are flapping steadily along in the usual prosaical manner; -through them, and far above--at a very great height indeed, the highest -I have yet seen, and far beyond anything I should have imagined--I -see another band gliding smoothly, majestically on, with scarce an -occasional stroke of the eagle-spread pinions. The one black band of -birds seen through the others, far, far above them, has a curious, an -inspiring effect." - -Rooks, when in continued progress, either fly with a constant, steady -flapping of the wings, in a somewhat laboured way, though often fairly -fast, or they sail along with wings outspread, and flapping only from -time to time--this last, however, only when they are at a considerable -height. A crowd of rooks, indeed, in the higher regions of air present -a very different appearance to what they do when they fly about the -fields, even though at a fair height above the trees; their powers -of flight in each case seem of a very different kind. They can also -soar to some extent, rising higher and higher on outspread wings as -they sweep round and round in irregular circles--like gulls, but far -less perfectly, and they have to flap the wings more often. Add to -this their downward-rushing swoops, their twists, turns, tumbles, -zig-zaggings, and all manner of erratic aerial evolutions, and it must -be conceded that the powers of flight which they possess are beyond -those with which we generally associate them in our mind. - -Seen thus, trooping homewards, in all their many moods and veins, - - "Whether they take Cervantes' serious air, - Or laugh and shake in Rabelais' easy-chair," - -their flight, combined with their multitude, is full of effects. To-day -their widely extended bands were often, like so many black snowstorms -filling a great part of the sky. But at no time did I see anything -resembling leadership. "The many wintered crow that leads the clanging -rookery home" is--a lovely line. On no other occasion could I make -out that rooks obeyed or followed any recognised leader, and I came -to a similar negative conclusion in regard to the question of their -employment of sentinels. It is asserted in various works--for instance, -in the latest edition of Chambers's "Encyclopedia"--that they do post -sentinels. I will give two instances of their not doing so--as I -concluded--and my experience was the same on other occasions, which I -did not think it worth while to note. - -"_December 22nd._--To-day, I saw a number of rooks blackening a heap -of straw by a stack, whilst some were on the stack itself. Many were -sitting in some elms near about, but they did not appear to me to be -acting the part of sentinels. When I tried to get up to the hedge in -order to watch the rooks at the stack, through it, they flew off, a -good deal later than their friends in the trees must have seen me, and -not till I was quite near. If these had really been sentinels, they -should have warned the rest, either the instant they saw me, or at any -rate, when I was obviously approaching, but this they did not do. They -were, therefore, either not sentinels or inefficient ones." The second -case, however, is more conclusive. - -"_January 8th._--To-day, on my way down to the roosting-place, I pass -a number of rooks feeding in a field, and not far from the road. They -are all more or less together, there are no outposts, though of course -there is, of necessity, an outer edge to the flock. But neither on the -hedge or in any of the trees near, are there any birds to be seen. On -the other side of the field, however, and a very considerable way off, -a few are sitting in some trees. It hardly seems possible that these -can act the part of sentinels at such a distance, and even if they -were much nearer, the feeding rooks would have either to be looking -at them, to see when they flew, or else, the alarm must be given by a -very loud warning note. Bearing this in mind, I alight from my cycle, -and walk along the road. The rooks, without any dependence on sentinels -far or near, note the fact, bear a wary eye, but continue feeding. I -then stop--always an alarming measure with birds. The feeding rooks -fly off to a safer distance, the ones in the trees remain there as -silent as ever, nor is there any special note uttered by any one bird -of the flock, nor anything else whatever to suggest that any particular -bird or birds is acting the part of sentinel." There is certainly no -sentinel in this case, and in matters directly affecting their safety -one might suppose that rooks, as well as other birds and beasts, would -act in a uniform manner. This, however, we can clearly see, that when -there happen to be trees, near where they are feeding, some of them -will usually, and quite naturally, be perched in them, and average -human observation and inference may have done the rest. - -Rooks, I am inclined to think, are not birds that give their conscience -into keeping. Each one of them is his own sentinel. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -Watching Rooks--continued - - -Continuing my journal, I will now give extracts which illustrate, -principally, the return home of the rooks at night and their flying -forth in the morning--those two aspects of their daily winter life -which are the most full, perhaps, both of interest and of poetry. - -"_December 9th._--This afternoon at about 3.30 I find vast numbers -of rooks gathered together on a wide sweep of land, close to their -roosting-place. - -"Even now--and they are being constantly reinforced--they must amount -to very many thousands, and cover several acres, in some parts -standing thickly together, in others being more spread out. There is -an extraordinary babble of sound, a chattering note and the flexible, -croodling one being conspicuous. Combats are frequent--any two birds -seem ready to enter into one at any moment--and they commence either, -apparently, by sudden mutual desire, or else by one bird fixing a -quarrel on another, which he does by walking aggressively up to him -and daring him, so to speak. In fighting they stand front to front, -and then spring up at each other--like pheasants, but grappling -and pecking in the air as do blackbirds and small birds generally. -Sometimes one bird will be worsted in the tussle, and you instantly -see it on its back, striking up with claws and beak at the other, who -now bestrides it. It is easier to see this result than to be sure -as to the process by which it is arrived at--whether, for instance, -the overmatched bird falls, willy-nilly, on its back, or purposely -throws itself into that position, so as to strike up like a hawk or -owl. I think that this last may sometimes be the case, from the very -accustomed way in which rooks fight under such circumstances; but, no -doubt, it would only be done as a last resource. The rooks, however, do -not seem vindictive, and their quarrels, though spirited, are usually -soon over. They may end either by the weaker or the less _acharné_ -bird retiring, in which case the pursuit is not very sustained or -vigorous, or else by both birds, after a short and not very rancorous -bout, pausing, appearing to wonder what they could have been thinking -about, and so walking away with mutual indifference, real or assumed. -Often one bird will decline the combat, and in this case, as far as I -can see, it is not molested by the challenger, however bullying and -aggressive this one's manner may have been. A rook coming up to another -with the curious sideway swing of the body and a general manner which -seems to indicate that he thinks himself the stronger of the two, looks -a true bully. - -"One rook has just found something, and, whilst standing with it in his -bill, another comes forward to dispute it with him, but the attack is -half-hearted, and seems more like a mere matter of form. Afterwards, -when the same bird has the morsel on the ground in good pick-axeing -position, a second rook advances upon him with a quick, sideway hop, -looking cunning, sardonic, diabolic, and much for which words seem -totally wanting. But this attack, though swift and vigorous, is not -more successful than the former one. The lucky rook gets off with -his booty, and has soon swallowed it. Amongst rooks, the finding of -anything by any one of them is a recognised cause of attack by any -other. This is taken as a matter of course by the bird attacked, and if -he holds (and swallows) his own, which, as he has a clear advantage, he -generally does, no resentment is manifested by him--there is not even -a slight coolness after the incident is over. If, however, the attack -should be successful, then it is very different. The annoyance is too -great for the robbed bird, and he becomes very warm indeed. He makes -persistent violent rushes after the robber, is most pertinacious, and -clearly shows that kind of exasperation which would be felt by a man -under similar circumstances. It seems not so much his own loss, as the -success and triumphant bearing of the other bird, that upsets him. He -has failed where he ought to have been successful, and of this he seems -conscious. - -"When one rook makes his spring into the air at another, this one will -sometimes duck down instead of also springing. The springer, then, like -'vaulting ambition,' 'o'erleaps himself and falls on the other side.' -I have just seen this. The rook that bobbed seemed to have scored a -point, and to know it, which the other one confessed shame-facedly--no, -indescribably, a rook _cannot_ look shame-faced. The advantage was not -followed up by the successful bird, but the combat ceased, I think, in -consequence. - -"I now notice a hare a little on the outside of the phalanx of rooks, -at the part of it nearest to myself. All at once he makes a little -run towards them as if charging them, and sits down, making one of -their first line, and almost, as it seems, touching two or three. -After sitting here for some while the hare makes another little run, -this time right in amongst the rooks, several of which he puts up as -though on purpose--each of the birds giving a little jump into the air -with raised wings, and coming down again. He then sits down as before, -but this time all amongst them. This he repeats several times, making -little erratic gallops through the black crowd, in curves to one side -and another, and appearing to enjoy the fun of causing rook after rook -to jump up from the ground. Half-a-dozen times he runs right at a rook -that he might easily have avoided, and sits down amongst them two or -three times, again. At last, in a final gallop, he pierces the squadron -and continues on, over the land. This certainly appeared to me to show -a sense of fun, if not of humour, on the hare's part, and as--with a -few noted exceptions--it is the rarest thing to see one species of -animal take any notice of another, I was proportionately interested. - -"It is now half-past four, and for about an hour the great assemblage -has been increased by a perpetual stream of rooks, that sail up and -descend into it with joyous wheels and sweeps. For some time, too, -flocks of the birds have been flying from the ground into trees near. -They fly by relays, and from the farthest part of the troop--that is -to say, from that part which is farthest distant from the woods where -they are to roost. First one band of birds and then another rises from -the outer extremity, flies over the rest, ascending gradually, and -wings its way to the trees. By these successive flights the assemblage -is a good deal shrunk, and does not cover nearly so much ground, when -the remainder--still an enormous number--rise like a black snowdrift -whirled by the wind into the air, and circle in a dark cloud, now -hardly visible in the darkening sky, above the roosting-trees, with a -wonderful babel of cries and noise of wings. - -"At 4.40 this deep musical sound of innumerable crying, cawing, -clamouring throats is still continuing, and once, I think, the birds -rise from the trees into which they have sunk, and circle round them -again. Now they are in the trees once more, but the lovely cawing -murmur--the hum, as though rooks were rooky bees--still goes on. - -"4.47.--It is sinking now. Much more subdued and slumberous, -deliciously soothing, a rook lullaby. - -"_December 11th._--A stern winter's day, the earth lightly -snow-covered, but bright and fine in the morning. At 3 P.M. I am where -the rooks roost, a plantation of fir-trees--larches--dark, gloomy and -sombre, with a path, piercing them like a shaft of light, over-arched -with their boughs, silvered now with light snow-wreaths. Just in -this gloomy patch they sleep, but with a light belt of smaller firs -opposite, or with adjoining woods of oak and beech they will have -nothing to do, leaving these latter to the wood-pigeons. - -[Illustration: _Rooks: A Winter Scene._] - -"At 4.30 I leave the woods and find the rooks gathered in the same -place as yesterday, but in far less numbers. Shortly, a large band -flies up and swoops down with all sorts of turns and twists, and turns -right over in the air--a striking sight, the air full of the rushing -sound of their wings--a bird-storm, a black descending whirlwind. At -4.35 the rooks all fly from the ground into a small clump of fir-trees -near. Great numbers of other ones are flying up and settling in a -plantation of small firs, fringing another part of the field, quite -filling it. The snow seems to drive them from the ground, their -conclave to-day must be held in the trees. - -"They are gathering, now, from all parts, filling the trees round about -the ploughed land--now all white--flying in flocks about them, then -descending into them again. - -"Still coming and coming out of the sunset, specks growing into birds. -The stern, snow-covered landscape, the red glow of the sunset, and the -black, labouring pinions against it make a fine winter scene. - -"4.37.--Back at the larches, and only just in time to stand concealed -within them, before the rooks are there. All seem coming, a black, -flying multitude. They have reached the larches and fly about over -them in wide, sedate circles, coming in relays, as last night. Joyous -voices--innumerable multitudes--a torrent of wings! All in a broad, -rapid, streaming flight to the larches. They sweep, dash, circle and -eddy over them, black flashes in the deepening gloom. They sweep into -them, and the snow, swept by their wings, falls in a drizzle from the -branches. Joyous, excited cries, 'chu, chu, chac, chac.' The whole -dark grove is a cry, a music. Still other bands, they burden the air. -Band after band--now with a pause between each. They fly swiftly -and steadily up, at a not much greater height than the trees, not -descending into them out of the sky. - -"A longer pause, followed by another hurrying band. And now the moon -is shining through the larches, and the black, ceaseless pinions go -hurrying across its face. Groans, moans, shrieks almost, _yells_ -amongst the larches, all mingled and blending--but sinking now. A -marvellous medley, a wonderful hoarse harmony! Here are shoutings -of triumph, chatterings of joy, deep trills of contentment, hoarse -yells of derision, deep guttural indignations, moanings, groanings, -tauntings, remonstrances, clicks, squeaks, sobs, cachinnations, and -the whole a most musical murmur. Loud, but a murmur, a wild, noisy, -clamorous murmur; but sinking now, softening--a lullaby. - - 'I never heard - So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.'" - -When the rooks sweep down, thus, into their roosting-trees they -frequently do so with a peculiar whirring or whizzing noise of the -wings, but although this sound is in perfect consonance with the -motion which it accompanies--insomuch that one has to use the same -words to describe each--yet it does not seem to be produced by it. -At least, it bears no relation to the height from which the birds -swoop, nor--as would seem to follow from this--with the impetus of -the descent. It may be a matter of impetus, but to me it has often -seemed more as though the sound gave the idea of impetus, or added to -it, and that the sweeps were, sometimes, just as impetuous, or even -more so, when made without it. As I observed, the birds flew to their -trees at a very moderate height--not very much, indeed, above the -trees themselves--and, whilst many made the whizzing sound, the great -majority swooped down without it. It seems, therefore, to be a special -sound produced by the rooks at pleasure, and always accompanying an -excited frame of mind. First one bird and then another gets excited, -and dashes suddenly down with the whirring or whizzing noise, so that, -as the sound is not vocal, and is only heard upon such occasions, it -has all the appearance of being caused by the quick, sudden motions -of the wings. But it is possible that some particular way of holding -the quill-feathers of the wing or even tail is required to produce it, -in combination with the general movements, and this would account for -its being sometimes heard and sometimes not heard, when these latter -are identical.[21] The curious burring note is likewise, but far less -frequently, an accompaniment of these wild excited sweepings, and this -is most often the case when they are from a considerable height. Here, -again, the note bears a clear relation to the bird's mental state, so -that it would appear that the degrees of pleasurable excitement cannot -be estimated by the motions alone. The "burr," in my opinion, when -well and loudly uttered--for here, again, there is much variety--marks -the maximum of a rook's content, at any rate in a certain direction. - -[21] With regard to the above, however, I am now no longer so sure. _Je -m'en doute._ When the rooks descend from a height, the sound made is -often most remarkable, being that of a mighty rushing wind filling the -air. - -"_December 15th._--At 7 A.M. I am at the point of the road -nearest to the rookery, and I hear the sweet jangle, 'the musical -confusion,' already beginning. Not much, however--subdued and -occasional--influenced, perhaps, by the heavy morning mist that hangs -over trees and earth. After a time I walk to an oak just outside the -plantation, and sit listening to the rising hubbub--now rising, now -falling. A sad, mist-hung morning, the earth lightly snow-decked; raw -and chill, but not so frostily, bitingly cold as yesterday and before. -The general intonation of the rook voice is pleasing and musical--how -much more so than the roar of an at-home as the door is flung open, -even though one has not to go through that door! There is very great -modulation and flexibility--more expression, more of a real voice -than other birds. One feels that beings producing such sounds must be -intelligent and have amiable qualities. One of the prettiest babbles in -nature! - -"One catches 'qnook, qnook,' 'chuggerrer,' 'choo-oo-oo.' At intervals -the single, sudden squawk, or continued trumpeting, of a pheasant, -breaks abruptly into the sea of sound, then mingles with it. Every now -and again, too, there is a sudden increase of sound, which again sinks. - -"At 7.50 the rooks are still in bed, but a pheasant--a fine -cavalier--comes running towards me over the snow. He makes a long -and very fast run for some fifty yards or so, then stops and draws -himself bolt upright, seeming to stand on tip-toe. More than upright -he is--bent back, _trying_ to look like a soldier, but _obliged_ to -be graceful and elegant. Standing thus, he seems on the very point of -trumpeting, yet does not, and then runs on again. He repeats this, -several times, each time thinking of trumpeting, but desisting and -going on. - -"At 7.58 the flight out commences. Two or three birds are a little in -front, none very prominently so, and others are catching them up and -seem just on the point of passing them when they are lost to me in the -mist. There is nothing suggesting a leader. If they were led it was not -by one of themselves, for with them and in their very fore-front two -little birds were flying, who passed with them out of sight. They were -tits, I think, and in another flight out, after one of the pauses--for -the rooks fly out by relays, like the starlings--I noticed one other, -all three, I believe, being _parus cæruleus_. There are quite a number -of tits in the plantation and woods adjoining, but why just three -should leave it and go flying with the rooks through the mist, over the -open country, if not for the mere joy and fun of the thing, I know not. -All at once a number of the out-flying birds turn in their flight, and -swoop back, with a great rush of wings, to the plantation. Afterwards, -at intervals, there are other such returns, little bands of the birds -seeming to say, 'Oh, let's go back to bed. It's much nicer,' and doing -so. This, too, is exactly what the starlings do. The birds, as they -fly, are all vociferous, and the air is laden with a pleasant burden -of 'chug-chow, chug-chow, chug-chow. Chugger-chugger-chow. How-chow, -how-chow.' The rooks talk a kind of Chinese. - -"At 8.20 the principal flight is over, but still there is a stream of -birds issuing out, and most of these are now going down on to the land. -All at once, these--that is to say, all the rooks on the ground--rise -and fly to the trees, the birds who have been sitting in them join them -in the air, they all fly about together over the trees, and then go off -in two or more bodies, and in different directions. There has been no -sign of a leader, or of leadership, in any of the flights out, or in -any of the birds' actions. - -"At 8.45, when no more rooks are to be seen, either flying or on the -ground, I walk through the larches, and put up a good many birds who -have remained sitting in them, instead of going out with the rest. -I, then, walk all round the plantation, and find numbers of rooks -sitting in the beech-trees that edge it on one side. Though the numbers -seem small, after watching the innumerable flights out, they may yet -amount to some hundreds. Thus, some small bodies of birds, and even -some individuals, have not been influenced by the action of the vast -majority, but have sat still whilst the rest flew forth--unless, -indeed, all of them have first flown out, and then back again; but this -I do not think is the case. Two great leading principles seem to govern -all the actions of rooks--independence and interdependence. All are -influenced by all, yet all can, on any and every occasion, withstand -that influence, and think and act for themselves. - -"Sometimes the sweepsback of the birds into the trees are very curious, -seeming to indicate some unknown force at work. There is a sort of -commotion--a turmoil of some sort--causing a cessation of the regular, -orderly flight, the voice varies, there is a rush of wings, and out of -this trouble, as it were, the backward swoop is born. Then the wavering -stream--or rather a certain wavering eddy in it--flies on, and again -the voice becomes the musical 'har-char, har-char' (a better rendering -than 'how-chow'), which characterises the flight out. - -"It is as though a sudden surge of thought said 'Back!' and swept some -back, but a deeper, stronger surge said 'On!' and on the greater number -streamed. - -"Again, the stream of flight will sometimes be interrupted by a sort of -sweeping or drifting together of a number of the birds, making an eddy -in it, as it were--an interruption and perturbation in the current, -difficult to describe, and over before one can fix the proper words to -it; but indicating some sort of emotion in the birds, a rush of feeling -of some kind, something tiresome to note, but which ought to be noted. -Once, too, I have seen a single rook flying straight back against the -general current of the stream, meeting and passing all the rest on his -way to the trees, seeming the very emblem of a fixed intent. - -"These curious, pausing, and hesitating movements, in which an idea -that seems at first vague becomes, all at once, definite, seem to me -to have their origin in what may be termed collective thinking--for -this gives a better idea of the appearance of the thing than does the -term thought-transference, though that may more correctly indicate the -process. The birds do not appear to be influenced by the actions--the -external signs of thought--of each other, but numbers of them seem -similarly influenced at or about the same moment of time. In fact, -they often act as though an actual wind had swept them in this or that -direction--when this cannot have been the case, I hasten to add. - -"_February 10th._--A hard black frost, bitterly, bitingly cold. At -5.30 A.M. I steal into the dark plantation, and silently take my -place at the foot of one of the tall, sighing trees. Softly as I -try to move, I disturb some of the sleeping birds, who make heavy -plunges amongst the trees, or beat about, for a little, through 'the -palpable obscure' above them. But, leaning against the trunk, I am now -rock-still, and soon they settle down again, though 'talking'--some -nervous inquiry--continues a little, breaking out first here and -then there, around where I sit. I soon notice, however, that these -outbursts have no relation to my whereabouts, but take place over the -whole plantation, and I come to the conclusion that they have nothing -to do with the late disturbance, which is now, evidently, forgotten. -The night, in fact, is passing, and the rooks are beginning to be -rooks. Such noises in the utter darkness, amidst the shroud-black -firs, sound ghostly, and may, perhaps, have given rise to the idea of -the night-raven. In the winter, it must be remembered, it is night, -practically, for some time after the peasantry of any country are up -and about; nor can I conceive of any sounds more calculated to give -rise to superstitious ideas than some of those I hear about me. In -the real night, too, a belated peasant might easily get a note or two -from some awakening rook, and, both by virtue of time and place, and -the actual quality of the sound--as I can testify--it would sound -very different to what he was accustomed to in the daytime. It is -probable that, in a country where ravens were known, and inspired -those superstitious feelings which they always have inspired, such -sounds, issuing out of the darkness, would be ascribed to them, rather -than to the homely rook; and here we should have the night-raven--a -bird 'frequently met with in fiction, but, apparently, nowhere else.' -Possibly, however, the raven itself may sometimes utter its boding -croak through the darkness, and ravens have been, and, in some parts, -still are, numerous. - -"Gradually the plantation becomes quite a wonderful study of sounds, -there being an extraordinary variety, and some of them most remarkable. -One, that seems deep down in the throat, suggests castanets being -played there, but castanets of a very liquid kind, water-castanets, -if such there could be, but, if not, it gives the idea. This curious -sound is only uttered occasionally by some particular rook, and it -recalls--perhaps is--the well-known burring note that I have heard -under such different circumstances. If so, it can only be as a -recollection that the bird utters it. I have not the space to reason -this, but, assuming it to be so, may we not see, here, one of the -alleys leading up to language? A certain sound is uttered during the -doing of a certain thing. It becomes associated in the mind with -that thing, with the doing of it, and with the state of mind under -the influence of which it is done. At first, perhaps, unconsciously, -then consciously, it is uttered when such action is recalled, and -the utterance recalls it, also, to the mind of whoever hears. Here, -then, is a certain well-understood sound conveying a certain idea or -ideas--as, first, 'burr,' a particular kind of joyous flight: then, -'burr,' something as joyous as such flight, and so, joy: and lastly, -'burr,' the actual joyous flying, the root, therefore, of the verb -'burr,' to fly joyously, and, so, to fly. Darwin supposes language to -owe its origin 'to the imitation and modification of various natural -sounds, the voices of other animals and man's own instinctive cries, -aided by signs and gestures.' To repeat a certain sound, that had -been at first the mere mechanical adjunct of a certain act or state, -when one recalled that act or state, would be, as it seems to me, an -extremely early--perhaps the earliest--step, passing imperceptibly from -feeling into thought, and leading on to imitation. Such speculations -may be permitted one, in a dark fir-plantation, surrounded by rooks and -waiting for the morning. - -"One thing, however, I record as a fact, which appears to me somewhat -curious. Though the plantation is continuous, without any break other -than the narrow path that runs through its centre, and though it is -simply crowded with rooks, every tree holding a great many, yet I -notice that an outbreak of sound in any particular part of it does -not spread over the whole, as one might have supposed that it would, -but dies gradually out, as it radiates from the point where it arose. -Thus, there are zones of sound, isolated from each other by intervening -areas of silence. Just at this moment, after I have sat, for some time, -silent, and all alarm has subsided, there is a great clamorous outburst -some little way off. It must have some special cause which I cannot -divine, but this commotion does not, any more than the lesser ones, -spread itself through the packed community, but is strictly isolated. -How strange this seems! A parliament (though I heard no nonsense -talked) of lively, eminently gregarious birds, all of which are noisy -at one time or another, and from the thick of them a storm of clamour -bursts: would not one think that the birds sitting cheek by jowl with -the stormers would storm too, and so 'pass it on'? Why should there be -a periphery, and what should limit the chorus except the bound of the -plantation itself? Do crowds shout in patches? That the clamour should -cease, after a time, is, of course, natural, but why, though it died -along the road by which it travelled, should it not keep travelling on, -through all the black, serried ranks? If rooks were influenced only -by the outward manifestations of each other's emotions, one might, -surely, expect this. But now, if they were influenced more by the -thought itself, rapidly transmitted from one to another of them, then, -whenever this factor ceased, for whatever reason, to act, the birds -beyond the limits of its action might be unaffected by the cries of -those who had felt its influence, for they would have been accustomed -to look for a sign from within, and not from without. They might then -hear, on some occasions, without being _impelled_, though on other -occasions they might _choose_, to join. It may be difficult to realise -such a psychical state, but that does not, of itself, make the state -impossible. Its possibility would depend upon the reality or not of -collective thinking, or thought-transference, and observation is (or -should be) our only means of deciding as to this. - -"As light struggles out of the darkness, the silence is broken more and -more frequently, at some point or other of the plantation, so that the -sound is disseminated over a larger and larger space, till, for some -little while before the flight, the whole rookery seems to be talking -at one and the same time. In reality, however, there is a constant -cessation and renewal on the part of each individual bird. - -"At 6.30 the sounds take a deeper and more emphatic tone. There is more -solemnity, more meaning, and the meaning grows plainer and plainer as -the asseveration becomes more and more emphatic, that 'it is, yes is, -is really, positively is, is, is, is, _is_ the morning.' - -"At 6.35 there is the light, joyous 'chug-a, chug-a, chug-a,' besides -which one catches--if one has a good ear--'hook, chook,--hook, -took--hook-a-hoo-loo--chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck, -chuck,--polyglot, polyglot.' - -"Then there is a question--a serious and solemnly propounded -question--'Quow-yow?' The answer--from another rook--is immediate and -undoubted--'Yow-quow.' - -"There are sounds which just miss being articulate and just evade one's -efforts to write them down. It is significant that I have to use the -word 'talking' to describe the rook's utterances. It is the one word; -another would sound forced and strained. - -"Throughout the babel, there is a tendency for it to sink and rise in -sudden accentuations and diminishments. Now there is a diminishment, -and a bird in the tree next to mine gives a sleepy stretch out of one -wing, which has all the appearance of a yawn. But I see no other bird -yawning, nor do I notice any toilette, any preening of the feathers. - -"Now, at close on 7, the flight out is preceded by a flight of the -birds inside the plantation, from one tree to another, and this passes, -gradually, into the full forth-streaming. Just above the trees, now, -they pass in endless flakes of a black and living snowstorm. Their -flight is swift, hurrying, joyous. They flap, but there are, often, -long sweeps on outspread wings, between the flaps. And ever, as -they fly, they greet the cold, stern morning with their joy-song of -'chow-how, a-chuck, a-chuck, a-chuck, a-chuck, a-chuck-a.' - -"Nearly a month later, a smaller, but still numerous, body of the birds -had chosen a new roosting-place--a clump of Scotch firs on a lonely -heath, which had stood vacant all the winter, a point interesting in -itself, but which--for the old reason--I am unable to discuss. - -"_March 4th._--I got to the plantation towards the end of the -afternoon, and resolved to wait there, in order to see wood-pigeons fly -into it in the evening. Not many came, but at six o'clock I saw what -I thought was a large band of them fly into an oak-tree which I had -noticed just outside the plantation, where they remained for a minute -or two. They then flew on to the plantation, sweeping over it once -or twice before settling, and I saw that they were rooks. As will be -seen from this, they had hitherto been silent. When they had settled -in the trees there was some talking, but strangely little, I thought, -for rooks, and very soon afterwards there was hardly a sound. They -remained thus, for some little time. All at once, with extraordinary -suddenness, with a sound of wings so compact and instantaneous that it -was almost like the report of a gun, the whole troop burst suddenly -out of the trees, which were on the outer edge of the plantation, flew -a little way over the heath (I caught them against the fading red of -the sky), wheeled round, returned, and shot into them again. There -was a little cawing as they got back, but this soon sank, and again -there was silence. Then, in a moment, there was the same sudden rush -of wings, and the whole black cloud shot, like one bird, into the -open sky, wheeled again, and shot back, as before. This occurred nine -times in succession, at intervals of not longer, I should think, than -three or four minutes. In the later rushes the birds circled several -times--flying out again, each time, over the moor--before resettling in -the trees. After the last time they settled in a different part of the -plantation. Immediately before two of the rushes out, I heard a loud -'caw,' in rather a high-pitched tone, from a single rook, which seemed -to be the signal for the exodus, whilst, almost immediately afterwards, -there was another single note of quite a different character--deeper -and more guttural--from either the same or another bird still in the -trees, which seemed to call the rest back again. A well understood -signal-note indeed, would be the easiest way of accounting for these -sudden and extraordinarily simultaneous flights and returns, but it was -only twice out of the nine times, that this explanation seemed tenable. -On other occasions, the caw, at starting, seemed only one of many, or -did not correspond so exactly, in point of time, with the sudden flight -out, as the theory seemed to require, whilst the deep 'quaw,' which -seemed to be made by one particular rook, who always stayed behind, and -which I had at first thought called the others back, would be heard -directly after they had flown, as well as after they had returned. -Several times, too, the black cloud and thunder-storm of wings seemed -to burst out of silence itself. I came to the conclusion that a -signal-note was not the explanation. All I can say is, that--from what -cause or actuated by what impulse, I know not--some fifty to a hundred -rooks shot, as though they shared one soul, nine times in succession, -from those dark pines, circled a little over the dusky moor, and then -shot back into them again. No one, except myself, was near. It was one -of those very lonely places where, at almost any time, one can count -upon seeing no one, and, altogether, it struck me as an extraordinary -phenomenon. - -"Once more, the old Greek idea of the φημη--a sudden thought, sweeping -through a crowd as a wind sweeps through a grove of trees--seemed to me -to be the only view which met the facts. But what, then, is the φημη, -and whence, or why, the impulse? - -"All this time, I should say, though quite near, I was perfectly -concealed, standing against a tall pine-tree, around the trunk of which -I had helped to make a wigwam--already partly formed--of some of its -own fallen and bending branches. This, with the gloom of the plantation -itself, and the falling night, was a perfect concealment, even at a -foot's pace, as will shortly appear. - -"It was just after the last return of the out-shooting birds that, -looking up, I saw what I at first supposed was they, but soon found -to be another, and a very much more numerous, band of rooks, who, as -they came up, were joined by the other ones, in the air. Now, for the -first time--for the cloud came up in silence, and, since the last -flight out, there had been silence in the plantation too--there was -a tremendous clamour of voices, filling the whole place, and then a -black, whirling snowstorm of rooks began to shoot, whirr and whizz -about, over, into, through, and amongst the fir-trees, in a most -extraordinary manner. The rapidity with which they shot about, their -hurtlings, their sideway-rushing sweeps and swoops, their quick, smooth -turns and gliding zig-zags, avoiding, by miracle, each other and the -trunks of trees, was most extraordinary, whilst the whishing noise of -their wings through the air was almost frightening. The plantation -seemed to be a huge disturbed bee-hive, with great black bees dashing -angrily about it. It was a snowstorm with the flakes gone mad; but -black, a black, living bird-storm, and it produced in me a feeling of -excitement, a peculiar, almost a new, sensation, analogous, perhaps, -to what the birds themselves were feeling. What struck me and made -it more interesting, was that it was a special exhibition, a 'set -thing,' something indulged in by the birds with a peculiar pleasure -in the indulgence, something appertaining to the home-coming--the -'_heimkehr_'--emanating from and requiring a particular, psychical -state. This is by far the finest display of the kind I have yet -seen, and I was in the very midst of it. Considering the number of -birds--there must, I think, have been several hundreds--the speed at -which they dashed about and the smallness of the space in which so many -were moving with such violence, and so erratically, it seems wonderful -that they never came into collision, either with one another or the -trunks or branches of the fir-trees. In the plantation, when I came -into it, two dead rooks were lying, and I had also picked up a dead one -in the larger roosting-place. The keeper said it had been 'turned out,' -which was vague, and then, more definitely, that rooks sometimes died -of old age. It seems not impossible, or even improbable, that in these -violent whizzings of a great number of rooks together, amongst closely -growing trees, and in the gloom of evening fading slowly into night, -accidents may, sometimes, occur. The rooks, I should say, in their -violent whizzing darts and dashes, shot down, sometimes, to about half -the height of the trees, and were, in general, right in amongst them. -This wonderful scene of bird excitement, lasted, I should think, about -ten minutes, in full action, but grew fainter as the trees became more -and more packed with birds, till, at length, all were settled. Every -tree held several. On two slender ones--not pines but birches--just in -front of me, and but a step or two off, there must have been more than -twenty. The noise and clamour, during the whole time, was tremendous." - -It is not always that rooks dash thus madly to rest. Here--on the very -next evening and at the same place--is another type of the home-coming. - -"_March 5th._--A little after 5.30, a hooded crow flies into the clump -of pines. Whether it stays there for the night, with the rooks, I -cannot tell, but it does not seem to me improbable. I have seen single -birds of the former species flying amidst large bands of the latter, -and they are constantly together in the fields, where they behave, in -regard to each other, very much as though they were of the same species. - -"At 6.10, which is later than the first batch of rooks came yesterday, -five birds fly over the plantation but do not go down into it. - -"At 6.15 a large, united flock of, perhaps, six or seven hundred fly up -from over the ploughed land skirting the moor. They utter the 'chug-a, -chug-a' note, characteristic of the homeward flight, but quietly; there -is very little noise. Just before reaching the plantation they make a -sort of circling eddy in the air--becoming, as it were, two streams -that drift through each other--then sail on together and circle some -three or four times exactly over it, before descending into its midst. -This they do without any of the excited sweeping about of yesterday, -and though, of course, the voice of so many birds is considerable, yet, -comparatively, it is very subdued, and in a very short time--about five -minutes--they all seem settled. Before long, however, some of them, -but quite an inconsiderable number, rise and fly about over the trees -again, but soon resettle, and there is, now, a deepening silence. No -one could imagine that that little lonely clump of trees held all that -great army of birds. All, to-night, has been wonderfully decorous. -There was something majestic in the way the rooks flew up--slow-seeming -yet swiftly-moving. Their flight round, over the trees, before sinking, -like night and with the night, upon them, was a fine sombre scene--the -thickening light ('light thickens and the crow ----'), the silent, -lonely-spreading moor, the gloomy trees, and, above them, slow-circling -in the dusky air, that inky cloud of life. It was gloomy, the -effect--saddening, yet with the joy of nature's sadness. The spirit of -Macbeth was in it--'Here on this blasted heath'-- - - 'Good things of day begin to droop and drowse, - Whilst night's black agents to their prey do rouse.' - -"But they sank peacefully down, and all of evil seemed to go, with -their sweet, joyous, innocent, and well-loved voices." - -Here is one last picture, and I would point out that, on all these -three occasions, when the rooks slept in changed quarters, at a later -time of the year, the way in which they approached or entered the -trees, and the height at which they flew, varied, in a greater or less -degree, from what it had been before. - -"_March 11th._--At 6.20 a small band of rooks comes flapping along in -the usual jog-trot way, and enters the plantation. Some five minutes -afterwards a very large number sail up, flying at a great height, and -gather like a storm-cloud above it. They hang over it, then drift, -circling, a little, descending gradually on outspread wings, till, when -at a moderate height above the tree-tops, they begin to shoot down into -them in the rapid, whizzing manner before described. But they do not -all do this at the same time. It is a slow and gradual--in its first -stages almost a solemn--entry, and the shooting down itself becomes, -gradually, less rapid. How grand is this to witness! It is a living -storm-cloud discharging its black winged rain--a simile, indeed, which -can hardly fail to suggest itself, so apparent is the resemblance. At -a distance, I think, the two might be really confounded. The gradual -sinking of the birds, by fine gradations and almost imperceptibly, -from their vast height, is more like an atmospheric than an organic -phenomenon. The effect is heightened by the loneliness and utter -silence, by the deepening shadows. Night sinks as they sink, but -the moon is now becoming luminous, and the swish and 'coo-ee, -hook-a-coo-ee' of peewits is about one on one's way back, over the -heath." - -I will conclude this fragment of my rook diary by giving a list of some -of the distinct notes or sounds which I have, at different times, heard -the birds utter. It is but a small page out of their vocabulary, but it -may, perhaps, serve to draw attention to the great powers of modulation -and inflexion which these birds possess. I must confess that the way in -which the voice of the rook is usually spoken of makes me wonder. To -me it has often seemed as though these birds were really in process of -evolving a language. In only a few cases, however, have I been able--or -have I thought myself able--to connect a note with any particular act -or state of mind. Here is the list: - - Caw (the ordinary "caw" more or less). - - Chĭ-choo, chĭ-choo, chĭ-choo. - - Cha. - - Chug-a, chug-a, chug-a. - - Chug-chaw. - - Chack-a, chack-a. - - Choo (very prolonged). - - Chuck (loud, clear, and distinct). - - Chee-ow (very lengthened). - - Hă-chă ("a" as in "hat"). - - Har-char. - - How-chow, or chow-how. - - Hoo, hoo. - - Hook-a-hoo. - - Hook-a-hoo-loo. - - Kwubba-wubba. - - Ow (prolonged, a peculiar musical piping note). - - Polyglot (or something remarkably like it). - - Quar-r-r-r. - - Quor-r-r-r-r-r (very prolonged, and deep, as in remonstrance). - - Quow-yow, or yow-quow. - - Shook, shook, shook (soft and quickly repeated. Have heard it uttered - by rooks when flying home belated, after the great majority had - settled in the roosting-trees). - - Tchar. - - Tchar-r-r (with a little roll in it). - - Tchu or tew. - - Tchoo-oo (very deep and guttural). - - The peculiar "burring" note (uttered, but by no means always, when - the birds swoop down on to trees, especially the roosting-trees. - It is not heard very frequently). - - A peculiar sound like a kind of bleat, with a very complaining tone - in it. - - A short, sharp, single note, much higher than the ordinary caw. - - A kind of grating scream, much higher than the usual tone. - - A hoarse "mew," or "miaul" almost, as though a rook were trying to - imitate a cat, or a cat a rook. - - The liquid castanet-note in the throat, suggesting the "burr," but - not quite it. - - Various other curious little sounds in the throat, some of them - clicks. - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -Watching Blackbirds, Nightingales, Sand-martins, etc. - - -Birds are never more charming to watch than when they are building -their nests, and, of all our British nest-builders, few, perhaps, -build more charmingly than the blackbird. It is the hen alone that -collects and shapes the materials, but the male bird accompanies her in -every excursion either to or from the nest. When she is busied in its -construction he sits in a tree or a bush near by, and, on her leaving -it for fresh leaves or moss, follows her in a series of flights from -tree to tree, and, finally, down on to the ground, where the two hop -about, closely in each other's company. It is seldom that the hen flies -at once to where she means to collect her materials, though time after -time it may be at the same place. Usually she flies past the tree--all -beautiful in spring and early morning--where the cock sits, and perches -in another at some little distance beyond it. There you may lose sight -of her, but as soon as you see her handsome gold-billed mate leave his -bower and fly to hers, you know that she has flown on, and is now -perched somewhere else. Thus you may see them glancing through the -greenwood, she usually leading, but sometimes each alternately passing -the other. Coming to the collecting ground--for there is usually -some spot more liked by the birds than any other--the hen flies down -and begins to hop about, making, at intervals, little dives forward -with her bill, till she has collected some moss, dry grass, or quite -a little bundle of dead brown leaves. The male bird follows her all -about, hopping where she hops, prying where she pries, and seeming -to make a point of doing all that she does except actually collect -material for the nest, and this, in my experience, he never does do. -Then, the one laden, the other empty-billed, they both fly back in just -the same way, and the cock will sit again, often in the same tree, -whilst the hen adds her store to the growing bulk of the nest. I have -watched a pair make thirty-one excursions to and from the nest between -five and eight o'clock in the morning. By half-past eight or nine the -building would cease, nor would it be commenced again during the rest -of the day.[22] - -[22] As far as I could ascertain this by coming a few times at -intervals. - -Anything lovelier than the picture presented by the two birds thus -busied together in the early, dewy morning, it would be difficult to -imagine. It would arouse the enthusiasm of all except very dull people, -and is even a prettier thing to see, I think, than when both male and -female work jointly. In the latter case the straightforward business -element predominates, but here, the attendance of the male bird upon -the female, and his evident pleasure in such attendance, his anxious -interest in what she is doing, and joy in seeing her do it, throws a -more romantic element into the picture. It is that which makes me -extend the word "busy" to both the birds, for the cock is as busy in -escorting and observing the hen as she is in collecting the materials -for and building the nest; whilst that she loves him and is cheered by -his society, his presence making "the labour she delights in" still -more a joy, is also apparent. These are sweet and lovely things to -see, and the joy of them is the greater that the emotions concerned -are so direct and simple, without those windings and ambiguities, -those side-issues and counter-currents which, with us, lead direct -to grey hairs, and novels not by Scott or Jane Austen. Here are no -troublesome entanglements, no tiresome perplexities, no conscientious -sacrificings of the best beloved to every other possible person and -consideration. All is sweet simplicity and giving up to--not giving -up. These blackbirds love each other and carry it through. They do not -think of twenty other blackbirds and fail or come in draggle-tail at -the end--as in the novels. Nor are they bothered with "questions." It -is refreshing--most refreshing--to see them--like a sparkle of Gilbert -after some very "serious" dulness. - -Roughly speaking, there are three stages in the building of a -blackbird's nest. The first or foundation stage consists of moss, -sticks, and leaves; the second is the mud stage; and the third, that of -dry grass and fibre, with which the interior is finally lined. The nest -of the blackbird differs, in this respect, from that of the thrush. -The latter bird, as is well known, lays its eggs in a smooth plastered -cup formed, not of mud, as one would think, but of rotten wood and -cow-dung. The blackbird, after having collected all the moss and -leaves that it deems necessary and made therewith the mass and bulk of -the nest, resorts to some little ditch or sluggish stream and trowels -up from its margin mud indeed, but not mud alone, for there is amidst -it--generally, if not always--a certain proportion of the fibrous roots -or rootlets of mud-loving aquatic plants. Of these, the bird can take a -firm hold with its bill, and as the mud adheres to the fibrous network, -it is enabled to carry a considerable quantity of it at a time, though -a greater or less amount often falls off during the passage. It is in -this circumstance, as I believe, that one can read the origin of the -"extraordinary habit," as Darwin calls it, of a bird's plastering the -inside of its nest with mud. It is the thrush to which he alludes, -but the description applies equally, and, in respect of the material -employed, still more accurately, to the blackbird. At a certain point -in its construction, the nest of the latter would be mistaken by -anyone without previous experience, for that of a thrush, the cup -being as deep and perfect in form and the workmanship not noticeably -inferior. It is, however, of a darker colour--black, or approaching -to black--though this may vary, according to locality. Over the whole -surface are seen the scorings of the bird's beak, which seems to have -been used as a trowel. But now, if the nest had been examined a day or -two before, its interior, and, especially, the bottom of it, would have -been found to be composed of a dank moist mass of vegetation, largely -consisting of small water-plants, both the green part and the roots, to -the many fibres of which latter a quantity of mud was adhering. Here, -then, we read the whole story. Fibrous material was needed on general -principles by the female blackbird, and she found it in the spreading -network of rootlets, belonging to water-loving plants that grew in -little rills and ditches, near about her bosky brakes. But to this, mud -clung, and, in consequence, there came to be a good deal of the latter -in the cup of the nest. Something must be done with it. She began to -daub and press it, and, as she became, gradually, more and more a -plasterer, mud seemed more and more the proper sort of material to use, -till, at last, she sought it for itself alone, utilising the fibres -which bound it together, and which had, at first, been what, alone, she -sought, as a means of conveying it. But when the mud, thus brought, -had been thoroughly smoothed and plastered, so that the nest seemed -perfect and "a thing complete," like the thrush's, there would still -be something more to be done, for she--our hen blackbird--had always -been accustomed to work in stages, and the final or grass-thatching -stage had not yet been entered upon. Therefore, she would cover up and -entirely conceal all her fine plaster-work, so that no one, seeing -the finished nest, would imagine that it existed in any part of it. -But will she always do this? I cannot think it, for she is a bird of -sprightly intelligence, and I believe that, like the thrush, she will -some day find out that the neatly-plastered cup of mud does quite well -enough to lay her eggs in, and that the further labour of thatching it -with grass can be very well dispensed with. Any saving of time or of -labour must be of advantage to a species in the struggle for existence, -and those birds who thatched their nests more thinly would be enabled -to lay their eggs sooner, and thus rear more offspring. In this way, as -well as on the "least action" principle, and the exercise of ordinary -intelligence, the last stage of lining the cup with grass may finally -cease. It has ceased with the thrush, but, with the thrush, there has -been a still further process of change, for it no longer plasters its -nest with mud, but with decaying wood and with cow-dung. Assuming the -ancestors of the bird to have once used mud, and lined the interior, -as does the blackbird, there does not seem to me to be any great -difficulty in explaining this change. The blackbirds that I watched -building their nest, always, when the proper period arrived, flew to -a certain part of a little muddy dyke (it is in a land of dykes that -I reside) some little way from the plantation in which the nest was -situated, and there, lying flat behind tufts and tussocks of reeds -and grass, I watched them take their mud as I have described--the -female, that is to say, but a husband much interested in seeing a baby -carried would deserve half the credit of carrying it. Now, much nearer, -probably, than this specially-resorted-to dyke was some decayed tree -or tree-trunk, whilst over the fields which it intersected and which -adjoined the plantation, cows or oxen sometimes grazed. Here, again, a -change in the working material might prove of advantage, and when once -a bird had become a plasterer, intelligence, and also haste, might lead -it to use whatever came first to hand. Bees will carry oatmeal instead -of pollen if the former be put in their way, and birds may be credited -with equal adaptability. - -After watching blackbirds building, and examining the nest in its -various stages of construction, I think it much more likely that -the thrush has passed through, and then discarded, a final stage -of thatching the nest, than that it has stopped short at the stage -of plastering, and not yet got to the one of thatching or lining. -Numberless birds, including other members of this family, line their -nests with grass or other soft materials, whereas plastering is a -comparatively rare habit. It is legitimate to assume that that which -is common has preceded that which is rare. I would here point out -that whilst, in works of ornithology, reference is always made to the -strange habit which the thrush has of daubing its nest, nothing, as a -rule, is said in regard to the similar habit of the blackbird, or, if -anything is, we are told merely that mud is used to bind the materials -together. The facts, however, are as I state, and, did the blackbird -not line its nest with grass after it had so carefully plastered it -with mud brought from the waterside, it would be as noted in this -respect as is the thrush, its near relative. - -I have never heard the male blackbird sing whilst thus attending the -female as she built her nest, not even when he waited for her in a -tree, during the actual time of its fashioning, though here was a -fine poetical opportunity for him. Song, it seemed, had ended when -once his bride had been won, and his rivals vanquished by it. It was -the same, to a considerable extent, with a pair of nightingales that -I watched under similar circumstances. I did, indeed, sometimes hear -the song when the bird singing was invisible, and, therefore, I cannot -say that it was not this particular one, which, for other reasons I am -inclined to think that it was. But during far the greater part of the -time, and always when I could see him, he was as silent as his mate. -It was in the early morning and not the night-time, but nightingales -sing at all hours, both of the day and night The early morning is, -indeed, a favourite time with them, and it is then, in the beginning -of spring, when nests have yet to be built and before the birds are -properly married, that one can best observe how powerful a vehicle -of hatred and rivalry their melodious strains are. I have closely -watched two rival males for nearly an hour. Let anyone refer to my -account of the rival wheatears, substitute a plantation with bush -and tangle, and the turf-bordered roadside adjoining, for the open, -sandy warrens, and song--but much more frequently indulged in--for the -little frenzied dancings,[23] and the two pictures will be identical, -or nearly so. There was the same keeping close to, yet not appearing -to follow, each other, the attending to each other's motions without -seeming specially to watch them, the drawing near and, then, getting -apart, only to approach again, the little bursts of fury--but here, -mostly, harmonious--preceding each engagement, and surmounting, each -time, that discretionary part of valour, which, in either case, both -the birds seemed largely to possess. There were three engagements, one -bird, each time, making, as though no longer able to control itself, a -sudden little frenzied dash at the other. In no case, however, was the -conflict very severe, and the attacked bird soon flew away, with which -result the attacker seemed well satisfied. It looked more like a little -furious play than a real fight, and so, no doubt, it would, were Moth -or Cobweb to have a tussle with Peaseblossom or Mustardseed. Oberon and -Titania, indeed, "squared" so, that-- - - "All their elves, for fear, - Crept into acorn-cups, and hid them there." - -But, here, the audience were themselves fairies, so that it was all -in proportion. Besides, the war was but of words, and, in these, -we see how the prettiness of being fairies prevails, even over the -relationship in which the two stood to each other. So it was with these -warriors; they were rivals, and stuffed full of dislike, nay hatred, -but, also, they were birds--and nightingales. - -[23] The wheatears, however, sang as well as danced. - -Jealousy, however, did not seem to blind them to the merit of each -other's performance. Though, often, one, upon hearing the sweet, -hostile strains, would burst forth instantly itself--and here there -was no certain mark of appreciation--yet sometimes, perhaps quite as -often, it would put its head on one side and listen with exactly the -appearance of a musical connoisseur weighing, testing, and appraising -each note as it issued from the rival bill. A curious, half-surprised -expression would steal, or seem to steal (for fancy may play her part -in such matters) over the listening bird, and the idea appeared to be, -"How exquisite would be those strains, were they not sung by----, and -yet, I must admit that they _are_ exquisite." Sometimes, however, there -would be no special response on the part of the one bird, either by -voice or attitude, whilst the other was singing. During these musical -combats I often saw a third and silent bird, hopping with demure, -modest look--by virtue of which it seemed rather to creep than to -hop--just within, or just on the outside of, this or that briery bower. -This I took to be the female, and, thinking so, it was easy to detect -a little side-glance thrown, now and again, towards one or another of -the rival suitors, in which seemed expressed the thought of a pretty, -little bird (but a lady-bird)--Bunthorne-- - - "Round the corner I can see, - Each is kneeling on _his_ knee." - -Yet this bird may have been but another male, to whom the next unseen -notes that I heard were, perhaps, due. Always I bless those birds whose -sexes are plainly distinguishable from each other. - -What was very noticeable in these nightingales--and the remark applies -to others that I have closely listened to--was that, even when not -singing against each other, they made little noises in their throats, -and these, when distinctly heard, resolved themselves into a deep, -guttural sound, which, though far from unpleasing, could hardly -be called anything but a croak. This sound, as I have noticed, is -very frequently uttered. It often commences the song, or is even -intermingled with, though it can scarcely be said to belong to, it. It -does not, in this case, diminish the beauty of the melody; yet, did -it stand alone, the nightingale would be merely a somewhat musical -croaker. Probably this is what it once has been, the low, croaking note -representing the original utterance of the bird, on which the song, by -successive variations, and choice of them on the part of the female, -has been founded. Just as in the dull plumage of female pheasants and -other birds, the males of which are splendidly adorned, or in both -the sexes of some species belonging to the same families, we see the -early state of their common, plain progenitors, so, in song-birds, -the uninspired, workaday voice of call-note or twitter--the spoken -language, as one may call it--probably represents the humble roots from -which the various trees of song, with all their diversified branchings, -and fluttering, trembling leaves, have shot up, beautifully, into -the sky. How distinct in their glories are the mature males of the -golden, silver, the impeyan, or our own common pheasant; how drabbily -alike are the females of all of them, and they themselves in their -first early plumage! So, whilst the song of the blackbird, missel, -song-thrush, fieldfare, or redwing are distinct, or suggest each -other only by their general quality, all have a high, harsh, scolding -note, which is very much the same, except in degree, though differing -in the frequency with which it is employed. Loudest and harshest of -all is the fieldfare, and this bird has hardly developed a song. The -missel, whose lay is very inferior to that of the song-thrush, is also -a frequent and loud scolder, so that many a man, whilst alone and in -the wild woods, might fancy himself within the bosom of his family. -In the common thrush, however, who is such a fine singer, this note -of fear is not nearly so often heard,[24] and its shrewish character, -though still there, has been softened. In the blackbird it is still -more rare, yet occasionally, if I mistake not, it is uttered. Again, -the well-known note of the blackbird, when disturbed (though this -varies considerably), is common, also, though in a less degree, to -the thrush,[25] so that it is possible to mistake the one bird for the -other. The same remarks apply to many finches and other small birds, -who, whilst they sing very differently, chirp and twitter in much -the same way. In all these cases, as I believe, there is a certain -correspondence between the tone or pitch of the language and that of -the song. From the low croak, as I have called it, of the nightingale, -it would be difficult to imagine the high, clear notes of the thrush -having been developed, whilst it would account for the low key in which -its own are generally pitched. What I mean is--for I am not versed in -musical terminology--that, in the nightingale's song, there are not -those high, clear, ringing notes which we hear in that of the thrush, -blackcap, skylark, and many other birds, just as in these we may listen -in vain for those richer and more liquid tones which charm us so in the -nightingale. Beautiful as these tones are, they do not, any more than -those of other birds, include every excellence, and that particular one -which they lack, being common to so many of our songsters, has come -to be something which one loves and listens for, whenever bird sings -upon bough. Partly because of this, perhaps, and partly because of the -very pre-eminence of the nightingale as a singer, I have sometimes -missed these franker, woodland-wilder strains whilst listening to its -song, in a way in which I have never missed its own more dulcet notes -from the song of lark or thrush. To say that Pindar is not _also_ -Sappho is no blame to Pindar, but the short continuance and frequent -pauses in the song of the nightingale is, I think, a real fault, and -from the blame of it this _prima donna_ frequently escapes, when other -sweet, but not so all-belauded, singers are taken thereupon to task. -The poor blackbird, for instance, whose ditty is most "lovely-sweet," -has been rated in these terms; yet, as a rule, in my experience, it -sings continuously, for a longer time than does the nightingale, whose -sometimes almost constant cessations, just when one's whole soul -cries out, like Jacques, "More, more, I prythee, more," have even an -irritating effect. Indeed, if this were always so it would be a serious -drawback, even to a song so full of excellence. But it is not always -so. Sometimes, on still, warm nights when the stars seem to breathe and -tremble and the air is like a lazy kiss (and if nights are not like -this in England, yet the song itself makes them seem so), the rich, -full notes are poured forth in a continuous stream of melody that lasts -long, and, whilst it lasts, seems to create the world afresh. Some time -afterwards, indeed, one notices that the effect has not been quite so -powerful, and that this crying want has still to be filled--but the -dear bird has done its best. - - "Sie jubelt so traurig, sie schluchzet so froh, - Vergessene Träume erwachen," - -says Heine, whilst others say that the song is apt to keep them -awake at night, and, having first paid their orthodox tribute to its -supremacy over every other, will confess that they have sometimes -been obliged to open the window and throw something out to put a stop -to it. Yet the thought of how appreciative the world really is, and -how severely a heretic in such a matter may be dealt with, shall not -deter me from expressing a slight doubt as to the reality of this -supremacy--or, at least, of its extent and absoluteness. Letters each -year to the papers, from people who have been so fortunate as to hear -the nightingale long before the nightingale is accustomed to reach our -shores, have given rise to the suspicion that a thrush is, in most -cases, the real performer; and if this be so, it shows that, with many, -the comparative merits of the two depend upon its being known, for -certain, which is which. For myself, I go with the general opinion -in this respect, yet it is difficult to summon up in imagination the -effect that the clear, joyous notes of the thrush might have upon one, -did they ring out in the silence and stillness of the night. And if -this is true in regard to the thrush, does it not apply still more -to the skylark?--a bird whose lovely and long-continued outpouring, -uttered, as it is, in the day and all around--common, and therefore, -of necessity, undervalued--may yet, as it appears to me, in spite of -such a disadvantage, well challenge comparison with the song of the -nightingale itself. If we look to effect, at any rate, the former bird -seems to have inspired poets as highly, or almost as highly, as the -latter. Then we have an opinion which, perhaps, may have been that of -Shakespeare himself, who was a rare lover of music, that - - The nightingale, if she should sing by day - When every goose is cackling, would be thought - No better a musician than the wren. - -Now the nightingale does sing by day, and, as a matter of fact, she -_is_ then thought at least no better than the lark or thrush--in fact, -she is, like these, often not noticed at all, as I have had some -opportunities of observing. This, at least, shows that some of the -effect produced upon some of us by this bird's song, is due to that -added and exquisite poetry which night and silence gives to it. We have -no other night-singing bird who is sufficiently common, and whose song -is at the same time sufficiently distinguished for it to attract much -attention, and therefore the nightingale has this great advantage -practically all to itself. I cannot help thinking that it owes to this -that _easy_ and _unquestioned_ superiority which has been accorded to -it in popular estimation over all our other song-birds, especially such -glorious ones as the skylark, thrush, blackcap, blackbird, etc.[26] - -[24] Proximity to the nest, with young, is the most frequent cause. - -[25] Especially when driven from the eggs. - -[26] But do the musical powers of some birds differ in different -countries? Never have I heard the two last sing here as I have in -Germany. Germans, as we know, are very musical. Have the same general -causes which ---- etc., etc.? - -It will be said that I cannot appreciate the song of the nightingale, -though I am trying only properly to appreciate that of other members -of the choir. Yet if I were to say that Shakespeare was full of -imperfections, that _Julius Cæsar_ was a dull play, _King Lear_ a--I -forget what, something uncomplimentary--play, and _Richard III._ such a -one as allowed "the discerning admirer" (a _nom de plume_) to see the -author's quill-driven expression whilst writing it; that, moreover, the -seven ages of man was by no means a fine passage, and that Hamlet's -soliloquy had been much over-rated, it would not be said, on this -account, that I was unable to appreciate Shakespeare. I judge so, -because others who make these and similar statements (whether they or -the Baconians are the more pestilent, I find it difficult to decide) -pass, apparently, for the appreciative persons, which, I suppose, -they think themselves to be. Yet _how_ they can think so puzzles me, -for people who write in this way must be, really, as much bored by -Shakespeare as Shakespeare would have been by them, had an introduction -been possible--and _surely_ they must have found this out. I wish the -poor, gullible public would. How I should rejoice to be accused--yes, -and even convicted--of having no ear for the song of the nightingale, -if only it could be discovered, also, that "critics" who, with a -natural incapacity for seeing beauty _in_ beauty, yet step modestly -forward to teach us, and dance as fantastically on the body of a dead -poet as did ever a Lilliputian on that of the sleeping Gulliver, are -neither profound nor discerning nor even literary, but merely dull dogs -posing, of which sort, indeed, most "great oneyers" keep their pack. -Yet I wish they could leave the imperfections of Shakespeare (which -they discern in his master-strokes) as utterly beyond them, and busy -themselves only with the perfections of such Baviuses and Mœviuses -as it is their wont to crown. I commend them to old Bunyan with his -"'Then,' said Mr Blind-man, 'I see clearly'"--and so pass on. - -The sweet song of the nightingale has caused the more stress to be -laid upon the sobriety of its colouring, the natural tendency being -to exaggerate such a contrast. But now, when one watches for the bird -in the shade of leafy thickets, the way in which it generally reveals -itself is by a sudden flash of red or chestnut brown, a bright spot of -colour which is conspicuously visible, sometimes even in the centre of -a thorn-bush, and, one may almost say, brilliantly so, as its wearer -flits amongst the trees and undergrowth. This brightness belongs to -the tail generally, but there must, I think, be either upon or just -above it--on the upper tail coverts, perhaps--a specially bright and -more ruddy-hued patch which produces the effect of which I speak; and -as nightingales habitually haunt wooded and umbrageous spots, it has -sometimes occurred to me that this has been developed as a guiding -star for one to follow another by, just as the white tail of the rabbit -is supposed to have been. I have often watched two pursuing each -other through the dim leafiness, each uttering a variant of the deep, -croaking note of which I have spoken, and which answers to the call, -chirp, or twitter amongst other birds. At such times the ruddy star or -streak has always, as I say, been most conspicuous. Independently of -this, the bird's general colouring is a pleasing olive brown which, -according to position and circumstances, has a more or less glossy -appearance, the tail having received the finest polish. By virtue -of all this, I feel sure that, to anyone who had watched and waited -for her, the nightingale would come rather as a conspicuous than a -dull-looking bird, at least amongst our smaller British birds. Tits -and chaffinches, as it seems to me, flash less as they flit through -the trees. Therefore, when I read the eternal remarks about its dull -colouring, which--and this is the bane of natural history--one writer -hands down from the mouth of another through the generations, I say -to myself that each and all of them have, either, never called upon -the bird and stayed an hour or two, or else that they have got out -of the habit--which may be also a trouble--of seeing anything other -than as "it is written." So far from the nightingale being specially -like a plain-bound book in which lovely songs are contained, to me -it seems to offer an example of a bird distinguished both by its -musical powers and--to a much lesser extent, certainly, but still -not insignificantly--by its colour also. I am thinking of its tail, -and particularly of that ruddy star or patch which, I think, is -upon it, and which, little as it may seem in a stuffed specimen or -one quite still or hardly seen, becomes a conspicuous feature under -such circumstances as I have mentioned. That this patch, or the whole -tail, means something I feel sure, but as to whether it is a badge -or an ornament--whether natural or sexual selection[27] has been at -work--I can say little. In the latter case the same force would have -been brought to bear in two different directions, and this, I think, -has been often the case with our song-birds, though it seems to have -been agreed to talk as if the opposite were. Surely the bullfinch, -chaffinch, robin, linnet, greenfinch, and others--the males of all of -which show off to some extent before the females--have been selected -(if at all) as much by the eye as by the ear of the latter; whilst the -lyre-bird of Australia offers an example of a highly adorned species -that is also conspicuously musical. The nightingale is glossy, and -sometimes--in effect, at least, and in some part of it--bright. It may -be getting brighter, but, if so, it will probably have to rival the -kingfisher before it ceases to be an encouraging symbol to those who -hide a worth which they feel beneath a want which everybody can see. - -[27] Sexual, as I now believe. A recent lucky glimpse of nightingale -courtship has assured me that I have not unconsciously exaggerated. -Indeed, the ruddy glow of the broadly fanned tail, caught in the last -rays of the descending sun, could hardly be exaggerated. But the colour -was on all the rectrices. They alone, I think, are the patch, the star. - -No good illustration, that I know of, exists of the nightingale; none, -at least, which at all resembles the bird as I have seen it, either -sitting, hopping, flying, singing, or silent. In natural history -books, after we have been solemnly told that the male alone sings, that -his song constitutes his courtship, and that, therefore, both the "she" -and the "melancholy" of poets are incorrect, we are generally presented -with a gaunt, scraggy-looking creature, having a woe-begone gaze -which is fixed upon the moon, towards which its neck and whole body -seem drawn out, as by some attractive force. This is the nightingale -of convention, but when I have seen it, it has always looked the -pleasingly plump, cheerful, little, brisk, active body that it really -is, and when it sang it was without any "pose," in a hunched-up, -careless-looking attitude, which had almost a feathered podginess about -it. The legs were bent, the feathers of the ventral surface touching, -or almost touching, the twig of perch, the head inclining forward at an -easy angle--a cosy, homely, happy, contented appearance. I have watched -one singing thus for some time. Not once did he rear himself up, so as -to become long, thin, and tubey--tubby he was rather, and had not the -faintest resemblance to a horrible, man-made, first-prize-for-deformity -canary bird. Just in the same way, too, he will often sing on the -ground, looking as homely and rotund as can be. True it is, as the -natural history books tell us, that no one familiar with the bird and -its habits would think of calling it or its song melancholy; therefore -(as these never add), remembering Milton's famous line, let us be -thankful that he as well as some other poets were not familiar with it. -There has long been a nightingale of poetry and literature, grown out -of its own song but having little to do with the real bird, which no -one except strict scientists--and a literary critic or two--would wish -to do away with. - -With regard to the nest-building habits of the nightingale, I have only -the space to say that, as in the case of the blackbird, the female -alone collects and arranges the materials, being attended upon whilst -she does so--though, perhaps, not quite so closely--by the male. One -should be cautious, however, in concluding that such is always the case -either with this or other birds, for I have watched, for some time, one -of a pair of long-tailed tits bringing feathers to the nest, whilst the -other kept near about, with nothing in its bill. Yet ordinarily both -sexes work together in a most exemplary way. Nothing can look prettier -than these little, soft, pinky, feathery things, as they creep mousily -into their soft, little purse of a nest; nothing can look prettier than -they do as they sit within it, pulling, pushing, ramming, patting, and -arranging; finally, nothing can look prettier than they look as they -again creep out of it and fly away. Their perpetual feat of turning -round in the nest without dislocating the tail, is also one of those -few earthly things in the seeing of which one cannot weary. - -I have often tried to watch these little birds collecting, so as to -see them actually find and fly away with the materials for the nest. -This, however, I found more difficult than I had expected. Every time -I saw them fly out of their nest, but in spite of stealthy following, -I generally lost them soon after they had entered a plantation close -to where, in a fir-hedge, it was. All I could be sure of was that they -flew about in different directions, sometimes into tall fir-trees, -sometimes into low tangles and bushes, sometimes, too, across the road -again and into different parts of the fir-hedge. "They keep, for the -most part, together, and whenever they are near enough I hear their -soft, subdued little 'chit chit.' As lichen, which is what they are now -principally collecting, is everywhere about on the trunks of trees, -etc., it would seem as though even a minute would be a long time for -them to take in getting a piece and returning with it, if they took it -at random; and the inference appears to be that they exercise choice -and selection, and return each time from the nest with a definite idea -of the kind of bit they want next." - -I will here quote, from my notes, an observation I made on the way -these little birds roost at night, which may, perhaps, be of interest. -"On my way back I noticed some object which I took to be a dead bird, -in a tall, straggling brier-bush that formed a kind of bower, inside -which one could stand up. Thinking that this bird might have been -transfixed by a shrike, I came right under it, and, pulling down the -branches with my stick, to my astonishment the object separated and -became four little, fluttering, 'chittering,' long-tailed tits that had -been sitting wedged close together. I stood perfectly still, and after -they had 'chit, chitted' a little, and made a few little hops about the -bush, two of them came back from different directions to just the same -place, snoozled up to each other and were settled again for the night. -Very soon, a third hopped on to the two backs and pressed himself down -between them, taking no denial, and, indeed, not receiving any. The -fourth remained a little longer apart, perhaps for ten minutes, during -all which time I stood without a motion, leaning on my stick, and had, -at last, the satisfaction to see him come perching down towards the -bough, then perch on the three backs just as the third had done on the -two, and squeeze himself in amongst them so that two were on one side -of him and one on the other. All four now sat closely pressed together, -three tails projecting on one side of the twig, and the fourth on -the other. I sat down in the bush and made this entry, whilst the -birdies--surely the prettiest little ones, almost, in the world--went -to sleep. - -"Next night, at about six, I took up my position in the same place, and -waited. After I had sat silently for a few minutes, I saw a pair of the -tits creeping softly about through the bushes adjacent, uttering the -little chitter in a very subdued tone. One was soon in the actual bush, -but crept out of it again and went away with the other. In another -four or five minutes, however, they both return, this time coming more -quickly and directly to the bush, when soon getting, from opposite -sides, to very much the same part of it as before, they sidle to each -other along the particular twig and then squeeze and press together so -tightly that their outline on the inner side is quite lost, like that -of a double cherry. Thus pressed and wedged, each little bird preens -itself, the two little heads moving about and seeming to belong to one -quite round body, having one tail--for their two tails are pressed, -for their whole length, together. When their heads turn inwards the -little birds appear to be caressing each other, and they must, I think, -sometimes catch hold of each other's feathers, but it is all part, or -intended to be part, of the process of preening themselves. This close -pressing seems to be a pleasure in itself, independently of the result -of warmth, for sometimes they will come unstuck, as it were, and move -a little away from each other along the twig, in order to press and -squeeze again. For a little, then, their tails may be separate, but -soon they rejoin, and, the heads being now quiet--for they are going to -sleep--and tucked closely in amongst the feathers of the breast, their -outlines, never very salient, are entirely lost, and the two birds have -become one perfectly globular one, without a head and with a long tail. -Thus two of these long-tailed tits have returned again to roost in the -same place, but the other pair do not come to the bush." - -It is interesting to watch sand-martins building their nests, or, -rather, excavating the tunnels in which they will afterwards be built. -To see one enter one of these whilst it is yet but a few inches long, -and then to see the dust powdering out at the aperture, as from the -mouth of an ensconced cannon, is pretty. The sand is scratched out -backwards with the feet, but the bird also uses its bill as a pickaxe, -often making a series of rapid little blows with it, almost like a -woodpecker, the wings, which quite cover the body, quivering at the -same time. Both sexes work at the hole, and both often fly together to -it, one remaining clinging at the edge whilst the other scratches out -the sand from inside. I have seen one sitting just in the embrasure, -quietly regarding the outer world and, thus, impeding the entrance -of his partner, who at last squeezed by him with great difficulty. -Sometimes three or four will descend upon the same hole and cling -there without quarrelling; but once I saw a bird in a hole attacked by -another, who flew suddenly down upon it with a little twittering scream. - -Though each pair of birds excavate their own tunnel, yet the whole -community, or, at any rate, a large proportion of it, will sometimes -work together, sweeping on to the pit's face in a body, clinging there -and burrowing, with a constant twittering, then darting off silently -in a cloud and sailing and circling round in the pit's amphitheatre, -making, when the sky is blue and the sun bright, a warm and delicious -picture such as the Greeks must have loved to gaze on. - -As each bird, however, only works at his own and his partner's hole, it -is evident that this kind of social working is not the same as that of -ants or bees and other such insect communities, though it has something -of that appearance. Sometimes, for a short time, all the birds will -keep fluttering round in small circles that only extend a little beyond -the face of the cliff, not rising to a greater height than their own -tunnels in it, which they almost touch each time, as they come round. -They look like eddies in a stream beneath the bank, but are not so -silent, for all are twittering excitedly. This is an interesting thing -to see, a kind of aerial manœuvres the special cause of which, if there -be one, is not obvious. - -But we will suppose that the birds are now all working, either inside -their tunnels or clinging to the face of the cliff. All at once, either -at or about the same instant of time, they all fly off, darting away, -and disseminate themselves in the sky, not one being left either in -or about the pit. In a few minutes they return, but, as is the case -with the small birds at the stacks, not in nearly so instantaneous -or simultaneous a manner; and this may be repeated for a greater or -lesser number of times. All the remarks that I have made in regard -to this phenomenon in the case of other birds apply equally here, -perhaps, indeed, to a greater extent; for, as remarked, at the moment -of each sudden exodus a certain number--sometimes about half--of these -sand-martins will be more or less hidden within the holes they are -excavating, yet out they all dart with the rest. Such sudden flights -and disappearances for a few minutes, after which all come back, strike -me as being extremely curious. - -Sand-martins appear to be pugnacious. Indeed, they sometimes fight -fiercely, and I have seen two, after closing with a sharp, shrill -"charr" and struggling in the air for a little, roll down the -steep declivity of sand in which the perpendicular face of the pit -often ends. It, therefore, seems the more curious that they allow -their holes to be taken possession of by sparrows (and, also, by -tree-sparrows)--without offering any resistance. I have seen one of the -latter birds sitting quietly and calmly in the mouth of a hole, whilst -a pair of martins, who had, probably, excavated it, hovered excitedly -just over and about him, but without doing more. On many other more or -less similar occasions there has been excitement on the part of the -martins, but never an attack. Yet a tree-sparrow, or even a sparrow, -is not such a very much larger and stronger bird than a sand-martin, -and, considering the numbers of the latter, as well as their greater -activity and powers of flight, it seems to me an odd thing that they -should submit to such a usurpation so tamely. If they are not capable -of combining together in order to expel a stranger from the colony, -this speaks little for their intelligence, as they have, at least, -been generally two to one. This is a good working majority, and why, -under such circumstances, an impudent sparrow should be allowed to -sit quietly in the home whereinto he has intruded, I cannot quite -understand. But so it is, or so, at least, it has been, in my own -experience. - -But I must not wrong the sparrow. Let me recall that word "impudent," -and bury still more deeply another one, to wit, "unscrupulous," that -I was about to make use of. A sparrow, when he thus acts, is simply -annexing territory, and should have all the credit of forbearance -and self-sacrifice that belongs to such an act. His motives in doing -so are, no doubt, as creditable as are those which restrain him from -acting similarly in the case of more powerful birds, and if a doubt of -this should ever cross his mind, he need only read a newspaper or two -and listen to some speeches in "the House." He will know the integrity -of his own heart--then. - -It seems wonderful that a bird of the swallow tribe--so aerial, and -without any special structural adaptation for burrowing--should be -capable of driving horizontal shafts into the face of a bank or pit, -to the length, sometimes, of seven or even, it is said, nine feet. -Though the excavations be in sand, yet this is often of a very firm -consistency, and, moreover, in many pits, the face of which had been -largely tunnelled by these birds, sand was a good deal mingled with a -fairly stiff clay. Though I have not been able to watch the process of -excavation from the commencement, so thoroughly as I should have liked -to have done, yet I have seen it to a certain extent, and I will now -quote from the notes which I took down on one such occasion: - -"_May 25th._--At the pit about 7.15 A.M. A great number of birds -are working, and there is not now the same regularity in their -movements--all coming to the holes and darting away together at -intervals--as was the case, for a time, at least, when I first watched -them. Though so late, several birds are but just commencing to make -their holes, and to watch these is most interesting. Two plans seem -to be employed. In the first, the bird constantly flutters its wings, -whilst, with its feet, it at the same time clings to and scratches -the face of the cliff. Thus it partly hovers in the air, and partly -keeps itself in position with its feet, but more with the tail which -is fanned out and pressed in against the cliff, like a woodpecker's -against the trunk of the tree it is on. The second way is more curious. -The wings, here, are partly extended, but, instead of being fluttered, -they are pressed close against the sandy wall. Moving about over this, -they seem to feel for every little inequality into which they can wedge -themselves, and this the bird does, also, with his breast and the most -available part of his body, the tail being fanned and pressed to the -cliff, whilst the feet all the while are scratching vigorously. In this -way a bird will sometimes crawl, or rather wedge itself, about, over -the pit's face (which, though it may be perpendicular, or almost so, is -yet full of roughnesses and inequalities), appearing to seek either the -most yielding surface to scratch, or the best place to get fixed into -whilst scratching; and, in doing this, it leaves a track on the sand -or gravel which is quite perceptible through the glasses, and which I -believe is made by the strongly bent-in tail as well as by the feet. -It thus clings with wings, tail, and body, whilst scratching, far more -than clinging, with its claws." - -"It may be asked what part in all this does the beak play? In those -birds which I have been just now watching at some twenty paces through -glasses that brought them just under my eyes, and in bright sunlight, -it seemed to play none at all. It might have been expected that, in -thus commencing, the martins would cling with the feet whilst working -with the bill. These have certainly not done so, nor have they ever -been head downwards, either now or before. I have not yet seen a -sand-martin in this position, or even approaching to it. The tail, -which is made to play so great a part, would here lose much of its -efficacy, but I do not at all think that they never do hang like -this. Within certain wide limits, birds, in my experience, act, not -uniformly, but with great variety. Probably, with longer watching, I -should have seen this attitude, and, also, the bill used as well as -the feet. Whether it is used or not in the first commencement of an -excavation, it certainly is--in the way I have described--during the -later stages." - -[Illustration: _In a Sand-Pit._] - -"I notice again this morning a particular hole, only about an inch -deep, and at the bottom of which there is a large stone, naturally -imbedded in the sand. No birds are now working at this, but, on the -last occasion, one was attacked several times in succession, whilst -doing so, by another. This seems as though the one bird of a pair -had thought the place unsuitable on account of the stone, and not -allowed the other to work there. Thus delicately are matrimonial -teachings conveyed amongst birds. Not one unkind word did I hear upon -either side." - -"Whilst watching these sand-martins, a pretty little quadrupedal -picture was also presented to me. A rabbit, the mother of three, came -with them all from her burrow, which was near the top of the pit where -it joined the fields on one side, and couched there, delicately, in -the morning sunshine. The young ones flung themselves, all three, on -their backs, and, wedging themselves under her, two of them took their -breakfast in this position. The third one, however, having tried in -vain to get properly under her chest, made a detour, and then took her -in the flank in ordinary formation, and with successful results. To -see this with the warm, bright sand as a background, and the swallows -flying round! Lying dozing in the morning one may have pretty dreams, -but they are not often prettier than this. Blue sky, too, though it is -England, and in the depth of spring!" - -I have spoken of blackbirds bringing materials thirty-one times to the -nest in the course of three hours, but this is very slow work, and -would be, even if both birds were to bring them instead of only one. -Comparatively, I mean, and the bird that I am taking as a standard -of comparison is the great crested grebe. In fifty minutes a pair of -these that I watched had brought between them one hundred cargoes of -weed, some so large that the head of the bird carrying them was almost -hidden, and some trailing on the water for a considerable way behind. -Each bird dives and comes up with its green, shining burden, with -which it at once swims to the great heap of similar material which -both have collected, and which projects a few inches above the water, -at but a short distance from the bank. The male is, if possible, more -earnest and indefatigable in the great work than even the female, and, -sometimes, he will work for a little alone, whilst she is resting. Yet, -with all this, it is apparent, at once, that she is the more effective -of the two, in her actual workmanship. She dives more quickly, and -comes up each time with a larger load, so large, sometimes, that her -head is pulled right back as she drags it along the surface of the -water. She places it, too,--if this is not fancy--a little more deftly -and quickly, showing in everything a higher degree of professional -skill, though her colleague, besides being second only to herself in -this, seems, as I say, to glow with a more ardent enthusiasm. - -Huge as the mass of weeds is, which constitutes the nest of these -birds, it is collected by them in an astonishingly short space of time; -how short, I am not quite sure about, but this I can positively say, -that whereas on a certain morning I could see no trace of it above the -surface of the water, on the morning after this it was to all intents -and purposes finished, though the male bird, alone, once added very -slightly to it, not occupying more than a few minutes in so doing. As -to this, however, it can be said, in a certain sense, that the nest -never is finished, or, at any rate, not till after the female has begun -to lay her eggs. Morning after morning the male brings weeds to the -heap that his partner is sitting on, but as I had to leave early in -this stage of the bird's domestic history, I cannot tell for how long -he continues to do this. Probably, as in the case of the shag, and -also, I believe, the moor-hen, the nest is added to during the whole -time that the birds make use of it. A nest, however, may properly be -considered finished from the time that it is _en état_ to receive the -eggs and the sitting bird, and according to this, these two grebes must -have built theirs between about 8.30 A.M. on one day and 6 A.M. on the -next. Now, in my experience, these birds only work during the early -morning, from dawn or thereabouts, up to about 8 or 9. Possibly they -may begin again in the evening, or work at night, but I never saw them -building, or even (before it was finished) near the nest, at any later -time of the day. That the nest I speak of was not begun till _after_ -6.30 A.M. on the one day, is practically certain, for up to that time -the birds were building another one, so that unless, as I say, they -worked on the evening of that day, or in the night-time, they must have -begun and finished it in one morning, between dawn (as we may suppose) -and 8 o'clock--and this is what I believe. If so, it seems a remarkable -feat, but the swiftness with which they dive and swim up with their -cargoes, and the bulk of weeds which these represent makes me think it -possible, though I must confess that all the work which I actually saw -on the morning in question made little perceptible difference in the -size of the heap that was already there on my arrival. - -Like an iceberg, the great mass of the nest is beneath the surface of -the water. It seems to be woven amongst the stems of growing weeds or -other aquatic plants, but I have noticed in it (indeed, I have seen -the birds placing and carrying them) water-logged sticks of some size, -one end of which is fixed amongst the mass, whilst the other sinks -down into the mud, and the tangle that may spring from it. Such sticks -must act as so many anchors, and may, perhaps, be the chief means by -which the nest is kept stationary. To judge by the two birds which I -particularly watched, the great crested grebe has the habit of building -several nests, and, besides this, the male makes a small platform of -weeds just off the edge of the bank, and near to the nest. Sometimes he -seems in doubt whether to take his weeds to the nest or the platform, -and in this hesitation, and in the building of more than one nest, we -may, perhaps, see the origin of the latter structure. With regard to -this, and some other points which seemed to me of interest, I may refer -to a paper of mine which has lately appeared in the _Zoologist_.[28] In -this I give a minute account of the nest-building and some other habits -of these birds, as illustrated by a pair which I watched very closely; -and I will here record my conviction that there is more to be learnt by -such watching of any one species, or even any one individual bird, than -in the killing or robbing of thousands. - -[28] May 1901. - -When I say this, it is not only of the interest that there is in -a creature's ways and habits that I am thinking, but also of the -light that these may, at any moment, throw upon its descent and -affinities--upon all those questions and subjects which are suggested -by the word "evolution" and the names of Darwin and Wallace. To have -a true classificatory system seems to be, now, the grand ideal of the -naturalist, and this, I suppose, must be called a high one, though it -is wonderful how, in some modern works, the soul of it has been taken -out of the body, so that all has become dull and pedantic again, though -a flight of stairs higher up than some fifty years ago. Thus can a -matter seem rich or poor as one or another treats of it. But habits -and instincts are as strongly inherited as structure, so that, as it -appears to me, the study of life is, even from the orthodox scientific -point of view, as important as the study of death. Yet it is death that -most zoologists (as they call themselves) really revel in, and, though -they may not say so, one cannot help feeling that they are a great deal -happier and more comfortable dissecting a body in their study than -studying a life out-of-doors. - -Even admitting that both ways of acquiring knowledge are equally -efficacious and legitimate, yet this is very clear, that the -destruction of any species ends both, in regard to it. We can no -more dissect the great auk or the dodo (or blow their eggs) now -than we can observe their habits. Thus it is not only beauty, but -knowledge also--how great and how varied who can say?--that is being -every day drained out of the world, and against this there is, as it -seems to me, an insufficient protest on the part of scientific men -as a body. They care too little about it. When they think of birds -or beasts, it is under glass cases in museums that their mind's -eye sees them, and if there is only a specimen--nay, a bone or a -feather--in one of these, it is to them as though a nation had been -saved. More, if only a specimen, or a bone or feather, can be got for -a museum in which they are interested, for the sake of it such nation -_may_ perish, and of this spirit we have only lately had a salient -example. In their writings, these serenities are accustomed to speak -calmly of the approaching extinction of this or that more or less -lovely or interesting creature--say, for instance, the lyre-bird of -Australia--if, "happily," such and such a museum has been supplied, or -if Professor somebody has ascertained this or that in regard to it; -or professors and the public generally are exhorted to obtain such -supplies or such information "before the end comes." - -"Before the end comes!" Every effort should be exhausted, every nerve -strained, to avert such end, which, in nine cases out of ten, could -be averted if the requisite measures were taken. This way of writing, -however, is not calculated to further such efforts, or to hasten the -taking of such measures. Indifference, at least with regard to the -greater evil, is but too clearly indicated, and to this indifference -the life of species after species is sacrificed. - -No one, of course, supposes that the opinions or emotions of a -scientific body (and in this I mean to include more than the term -strictly covers) would exercise any influence on money-seeking men -or brainless and heartless women; but they might on that great army -of collectors who, thinking all the while that they are in some way -doing good and helping science, keep sweeping countless thousands of -birds, beasts, eggs, and insects out of existence. Alas for these -amiable basilisks, these busy little man-shaped rinderpests, who kill -so well-meaningly and hate the very breath of life without ever once -knowing it! if they had devoted their whole lives to picking pockets, -or even to being politicians, they would have done, at the end of them, -less harm--far, far less harm--in the world than they are now every day -doing. Every day, through them, some specific life that is, or was, -of more value than all their individual ones put together, is getting -scarcer, or ceasing to be. For, surely, a beautiful butterfly, say, -that, for all time, charms--and raises by charming--some number of -those who see it, does more good on this earth than any single man or -woman, who, "departing," leaves no "footprints on the sands of time." -Homer, for instance, has left his "Iliad" and "Odyssey," and these -have been, and still are, mighty in their effects. But let them once -perish, and Homer will be caught up and overtaken by almost any bird or -butterfly--even a brown one. Or, if Homer will not, assuredly many an -English poet-laureate will be, or has been already (Pye, for instance), -though his volumes in the British Museum are safe as consols. If -there be any truth in this reflection, it should tend to make us a -little less conceited than we are. Yet what is a little in such a -matter?--"Oh, reform it altogether." - -For myself, I must confess that I once belonged to this great, poor -army of killers, though, happily, a bad shot, a most _fa_tigable -collector, and a poor, half-hearted bungler, generally. But now that -I have watched birds closely, the killing of them seems to me as -something monstrous and horrible; and, for every one that I have shot, -or even only shot at and missed, I hate myself with an increasing -hatred. I am convinced that this most excellent result might be arrived -at by numbers and numbers of others, if they would only begin to do -the same; for the pleasure that belongs to observation and inference -is, really, far greater than that which attends any kind of skill or -dexterity, even when death and pain add their zest to the latter. Let -anyone who has an eye and a brain (but especially the latter), lay -down the gun and take up the glasses for a week, a day, even for an -hour, if he is lucky, and he will never wish to change back again. He -will soon come to regard the killing of birds as not only brutal, but -dreadfully silly, and his gun and cartridges, once so dear, will be to -him, hereafter, as the toys of childhood are to the grown man. - -Nor will the good effect stop here. Birds are but a part of the life -on this our earth, and the hatred of destruction, once kindled by -them, will, like the ripples made by a stone flung into the water, -extend outwards through the whole animal and vegetable kingdom till it -include, at last, man himself--yes, even the Chinese. Unfortunately, -long before anything of this kind is likely to happen, all birds, -except poultry, and, perhaps, a lingering sparrow or two, will have -been destroyed. This seems a cheerless prospect, but, as usual (to -write like an optimist), it has its brighter side. Women will then -be no longer able to wear hats, to adorn which the most beautiful of -earth's creatures have been ruthlessly slaughtered, and, therefore, -faith in them will begin once more to revive. Faith in woman, we know, -is a very important thing. A nation that has once lost it must either -get it again, or go rapidly downhill. How much better, therefore, to -get it again! - -I had meant, in this last chapter, besides touching a little more -fully on some points to which I have here and there referred, to say -something about the heron, nightjar, cuckoo, barn-owl, wagtail, and a -few other birds; but I have managed so clumsily that I now find myself -at the furthest possible limit of space, without having left myself -room either for the one or the other. With regard to the nightjar, -I have kept an observational diary on the nesting habits of a pair -of these birds, which was published in the _Zoologist_ for, I think, -September 1899. From this I had intended to quote, as in the case of -the great plover, but it is too late to begin now. All these birds, -therefore, must wait a little, but I will not forget them should I ever -write another book of this kind. - - - - -INDEX - - - Animals, figures of, in heraldry may come down from savage times, 102; - teach meaning of our high terminology, 110; - word "love" properly used in connection with, 110; - gregarious, thought-transference more likely in, 222; - careful observation of, advisable, 223; - slaughter of, 224 - - Authority, no attention to be paid to, 248 - - - Barn-owl, must wait a little, 336 - - Birds, great range of vision of most, etc., 24, 25; - aerial fighting of, sometimes deceptive, 35; - nesting habits of, must follow general habits, 48; - will vary habits suddenly, 48. - Instinct of feigning injury possessed by some, 59; - suggested origin of, 63, 64. - Pugnacity of, mingled with timidity, 74, 75, 76; - nervous or frenzied movements as aids to courage in, and leading - to sexual display of plumage by, 76, 77, 78, 79; - association of three, 82, 83, 85, 90; - sexual feelings of, not always quite dormant in winter, 86, 87, - 89; - sportings of, may be selected, 89; - fighting of, tendency to become formal, 109; - frequent difficulty in distinguishing male and female of, 112; - slaughter of, each year, and consequent retardation of knowledge - as to, 126; - power of ejecting excrement to distance possessed by some, and - suggested significance of this, 131, 132; - can "bring all heaven before our eyes," 143; - female not always coy in courtship, 146; - wings of, when opened in diving show feet are little used, 148; - power of flight in aquatic, how lost or retained, 151, 152; - webbed foot of aquatic, how obtained, 160, 161; - possible relation between opening bill and colour of gular region, - 170; - sea, disparity in time of laying of, 183; - watching of at straw-stack, 199 _et seq._ - Attempt to catch at, 200, 201; - feeding at, 204; - sudden simultaneous flights of small, from, and discussion of, - 201, 210, 211, 212, 213, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223; - fighting of small, at, 208. - Self-reliance of, 208, 225; - most timid may be least liable to change, 226; - wariness combined with boldness in, 226; - various, behaving like tree-creepers, 236; - origin of some strange actions of foreign, possibly to be traced - in our own, 256; - song of, founded on call, etc., notes in analogy with plumage, - 310, 311; - correspondence between call, etc., notes and song of, 312; - matrimonial teachings of, conveyed delicately, 328; - more knowledge of, gained by watching one than by killing or - robbing thousands, 332; - killing of, silly as well as brutal, 336; - total destruction of, approaching, 336; - hatred of destruction of, might extend to man, 336 - - Blackbird, chariness of fighting sometimes shown by male, 76; - pugnacity of hen, 76; - at straw-stack, 199-204; - hen fighting with starling, 204; - a charming nest-builder, 301; - nest-building of, described, 301, 302, 303, 304. - Nest plastered with mud, 304; - suggested origin of this habit, 304, 305; - and future development of, 305, 306. - Habit of plastering of, seldom alluded to, 307; - nest, how differing from that of thrush, 304; - male does not sing during nest-building, 307; - song of, unjustly rated, 312 - - Blackcap, song of, how differing from nightingale's, 312 - - Blackcock, readiness to avoid a conflict shown by male, 75 - - Brambling, at straw-stack, 199, 202; - beauty of, 202, 203 - - Bullfinch, a bud-eater, 249; - feeding on elms with blue-tit, 249; - acrobatism of, 249, 250; - awkwardness of, _à la_ Harpagon, 250; - manner of securing buds, 250; - attacks blue-tit, 250; - an example of sexual selection acting in two directions, 318 - - Bunting, at straw-stack, 199 - - - Caress, a possible origin of the, 192 - - Carnage, difficulty in conjuring up scenes of, nowadays, 135 - - Chaffinch, combats between the hens whilst collecting materials for - the nest, 105. - At straw-stacks in winter, 199, 201; - numbers of, predominate, 208. - Pugnacity of, and manner of fighting, 208, 209, 210; - acting like fly-catcher, 247; - an example of sexual selection acting in two directions, 318 - - Chinese, a recipe to dislike killing of, 336 - - Collectors, immense harm done by, 334 - - Coot, diving of, 158, 159; - in flocks in winter, 160. - Manner of feeding of, 159; - a better diver than the moor-hen, 160; - lobes of toes, how possibly acquired, 160, 161 - - Cormorants (_see also_ Shag), hop in courtship and for convenience, - 49; - their power of ejecting excrements to distance, 131; - nest of, 131; - excelled by shag in diving, 153; - popular idea of, 163; - evil-looking appearance of, 163; - Longfellow's lines on, 164; - Milton in connection with, 164, 165; - similarity to shag in habits, etc., 165, 166 - - Creature, when observed varying, dubbed new species or variety, 229 - - Cuckoo, must wait a little, 336 - - Curlew, peculiarities of, 139; - resemblance to ibis, 139; - an opposite bird, 140; - inconspicuous when on ground, 140; - conspicuous, by contrast, in flight, 140; - flight, ordinary and nuptial, of, 141; - note of, 141, 142; - its connection with the prophet Jeremiah, 141 - - - Dabchick, sporting of three together, with suggested explanation of, - 87, 88, 89; - probable way of fighting, 88; - can fly seriously, 149; - his manners of diving, etc., 154, 155, 156; - and claims to a tail, 156 - - Darwin, sexual selection as conceived by, 25; - his comment on Bate's account of humming-bird destroyed by spider, - 52; - his theory that birds can admire, 255; - origin of language, his view as to the, 289 - - - Eider-duck, courting note of male, 142; - suggestions, etc., raised by, 142, 143; - difficult to locate, 143. - The poetry of the family, 143; - female pleasing, 144; - beauty of male, 144. - Courting actions of male, 144, 145; - and of female, 145. - Female active agent in being wooed, 144; - demonstrations of female between two males, 145; - males mobbing females politely, 145; - males, combats between, 145; - dive as a relaxation, 145; - choice and dismissal of suitors by female, 146; - advances of female declined by male, 146; - female not coy, 146; - nesting habits of, 146, 147; - male sitting inland, 147; - charm of watching, etc., 147, 148; - appearance of, under water, 148, 149 - - - Goldfinch, solitary at straw-stack, 203; - beauty of, rivalling bramblings, 203; - manner of feeding of, 203 - - Great Auk, flight, how lost by, 151 - - Great Crested Grebe, manner of fighting of, 150; - various ways of diving of, 161; - grace of, 161, 162; - nest-building of, 329, 330, 331, 332; - habit of building platform of male, 331, 332 - - Great Plover, haunts of, 4; - manner of sitting, 4. - Fanciful resemblance to Don Quixote, 4, 5, 18; - and to the Baron of Bradwardine, 4, 5, 20. - Odd actions of, 5, 6; - chase of moths, etc., by, 6, 7, 8. - Autumn dances of, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15; - suggested motive for, 15. - Wailing notes or "clamour" of, 10; - ordinary flying note of, 10; - nuptial or courting antics of, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20; - an old-fashioned bird, 16 - - Great Green Woodpecker, spiral ascent of trunk, 243; - assisted by tail, 243; - can descend trunk backwards, 244 - - Greenfinch, at straw-stack in winter, 199, 201; - feeding within three feet, 201, 202; - manner of feeding, 202; - manner of fighting, 210. - Feeding on seeds of exotic fir, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235; - manner of loosening the seeds, 231, 232, 233, 235, 236; - curious noise made with beak in so doing, 231, 232, 233; - and with wings on the fir-needles, 234. - An example of sexual selection acting in two directions, 318 - - Guillemots, diving of, 152; - arrangement of, on ledge, 182, 183; - disparity in time of laying, 183; - affectionate conduct of paired birds, 183, 184; - attention paid to young, 184; - feeding of young, 184, 185, 189. - Incubate with face turned to cliff, 185; - suggested explanation of this, 185. - Lethargy of chicks, 186. - Fish carried to young in beak, 186; - and are often headless, 186, 188; - held lengthways, 187. - Coquetry with fish, 187, 188; - quarrelling of married birds with fish, 188, 189; - birds with fish attacked, etc., 189, 190. - Combats, frequency and character of, 190; - suggested explanation of, 190. - Preening and helping to clean each other's feet, 191, 192; - fighting, usual cause of, 192; - manner of, 192, 193; - a fight on the brink, 193; - will fight whilst incubating, 193, 194; - no respect paid to incubating birds, 194; - management of egg during incubation, 194; - possible trace of lost nest-building instinct, 195; - attitudes assumed, 195; - resemblance to human beings, 195, 196; - stones procured and swallowed, 196; - life on a guillemot ledge, notes of, 196, 197, 198 - - Guillemot, Black, way of diving, 148; - appearance under water, 148; - appearance and character, 149; - the dabchick of ocean, 148; - a fair flier, 149; - manner of fighting, 149, 150; - and of bathing, 171 - - Gulls, Black-backed, best watched on island where they breed, 96; - arrangement of, etc., on the gullery, 97; - nuptial habits, antics, etc., 97, 98, 111, 112; - nest-building of, 103, 104, 105; - fighting of females when collecting materials for the nest, 104, - 105; - fighting of males, 105, 106, 107; - a gull melodrama, 105, 106; - fighting of two causing excitement amongst others, 107; - fighting not specialised, 108; - importunity of female, 112; - larger size of male, 113; - persecution of, by Arctic skua, 113, 114, 115; - habit of forcing each other or other gulls to disgorge fish - incipient, 118, 119; - come near to attacking one, on one's approaching their nest, 121; - mode of attack ineffective, 122 - - Gulls, Herring, fighting of, 108, 109; - power of retaining a mental image, 110; - curious behaviour of a pair, 110, 111; - habit of forcing each other or other gulls to disgorge fish - incipient, 118, 119; - feed young by disgorging fish, 119, 120; - disgorge fish for each other, 119, 120 - - - Habits, variations of, more interesting than of structure, 228; - may be marked _in transitu_, 229; - plasticity of, 48 - - Hare, disturbing rooks, 227 - - Hate, oneself, a good way to, 335 - - Hedge-sparrow, at straw-stacks in winter, 201, 202 - - Heine, allusion of to the nightingale, 313 - - Heron, must wait a little, 337 - - Herring, going a progress twice, 116. - Head absent in those disgorged by great skua for its young, 116, - 117; - possible explanations of this, 117, 118. - Profusion of, brought by great skua for its young, 118 - - Homer, may be caught up by a butterfly, 335 - - Hooded Crow, flying with peewits, 27, 28; - frolicking or skirmishing with raven, 137; - curious antics of, 137, 138; - flying with rooks, 296; - consorting with rooks in the fields, 296; - may sometimes roost with rooks, 296; - when with rooks acts as though of the same species, 296 - - Hudson, Mr, views of, referred to, 79, 80, 81 - - - Kestrel, importunity of female, 112 - - Kittiwakes, habit of forcing each other or other gulls to disgorge - fish incipient, 118; - will turn to bay and drive off Arctic skua, 128; - roosting in extraordinary numbers, 197, 198 - - - Language, idea as to origin of, suggested by rooks, 288, 289 - - Larks (_see_ Skylark) - - Life, study of, as important as that of death, 332 - - Linnet, an example of sexual selection acting in two directions, 318 - - Lyre-bird, an example of a highly adorned species which is also - musical, 334 - - - Merganser, manner of diving of, 153, 154 - - Meves, M., on cause of bleating in the snipe, 53 - - Moor-hen, becoming a partridge or plover, 48; - an orchestra of peculiar brazen instruments, 57. - Manner of diving of, 156, 157, 158; - habit of, may be becoming established, 158; - and may differ in different localities, 158. - Browses grass, 227; - wariness of, 226; - power of drawing an inference, 227; - independent spirit and originality, 227, 228 - - - Naturalist in La Plata, referred to, 79, 80, 81 - - Nightingale, male not singing much during nest-building, 307; - song of, a vehicle of hatred and rivalry, 308. - Conduct of rival males, 308, 309; - similar to wheatears, 308. - Conduct of female during combats of rival males, 309, 310; - croaking notes of, 310. - Song probably founded on these, 310; - which would account for its low key, 312; - how differing from that of thrush, blackcap, skylark, etc., 312; - does not include every excellence, 312; - frequent pauses in, 312; - when at its best, 313; - effect of, on Heine, 313; - and on others, 313; - sometimes mistaken for that of thrush, 313, 314; - by day not more noticed than that of lark or thrush, 314; - some of effect of due to night and silence, 314, 315. - Sobriety of colouring exaggerated, 316; - brightness of tail, 316; - ruddy patch on, 316, 317; - glossy appearance of, 317, 318; - example of a bird doubly distinguished, 317; - may be getting brighter, 318; - pictures of, in natural history books, 318; - real appearance of, 319; - sings without pose, 319; - and sometimes on ground, 319; - Milton fortunately not familiar with, 319; - female alone builds nest, 319; - is attended by male, 319 - - Nightjar, sound with the wings made by, 52; - movements of, to protect young, 60, 61; - seem result of nervous shock or mental disturbance, 61; - twitching of muscles of throat of, 179; - must wait a little, 337 - - Night-raven, possible origin of idea of, 288 - - Nut-hatch, feeding on seeds of exotic fir, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235; - manner of loosening the seeds of, 233, 235 - - - Organisms, plasticity of, 48 - - Ostrich, courting or nuptial antics of male, 169; - incubation shared by the sexes, 169 - - - Partridge, movements of, to protect young, 60, 61. - At straw-stack, 199, 205; - coming down to, on a winter morning, 205. - Soft sounds made by, 205 - - Peacocks, shot in India, 206 - - Peewit, cry of, 25; - somersaults thrown by, 26; - sound made with wings, 27; - bridal dances of, 26, 27; - flying with hooded crow, 27, 28. - Attacking hen pheasant, 27; - and moor-hen, 28. - Call-note on ground, 28, 29, 30; - sporting of two, 30, 31; - upward sweep in flight, 31, 32; - understudying of one another, 32; - aerial combats possible, 33, 42; - aerial evolutions, remarks on, 33, 34; - feigning broken wing not observed, 66; - three flying together, remarks on, etc., 83, 84, 85, 86; - roll over of compared with that of raven, 263 - - Penguins, flight, how lost by, 151; - manner of diving of, 152 - - People, mental approach of some, 223; - not explained by such terms as insight, intuition, perception, - affinity, etc., 223 - - Φημη, Greek idea of the, 219; - brought to mind by watching birds, 220, 221, 294 - - Pheasants, timidity shown by males in fighting, 75; - at straw-stack in winter, 199, 205; - beauty of male, 206. - Curious low notes and piping sounds of, 207; - not quite so soft as those of partridges, 207. - Timidity of, tempered by judgment and individual temperament, 207; - conduct of, when small birds fly off, 207, 208; - males agree together, feeding, 208; - roosting of dove-tailing with last flight home of rooks, 261, 262; - trying to look like a soldier, 283, 284; - dull plumage of hen representing that of progenitor of the family, - 310, 311 - - Pigeons, twitching of muscles of throat of, 180 - - Puffin, diving of, 152; - disparity in time of laying, 183; - carrying fish crosswise in beak, 187 - - - Rabbit, with young in sandpit, 328, 329 - - Ravens, molested by gulls, 129; - at first not impressed by, 129; - peculiar croak of, 130; - appearance, etc., of nest of, 130; - behaviour of young in nest, 130, 131; - attempts to see feed young unsuccessful, 132; - add no effect to precipice, 134; - plumage of, 134; - look black at a little distance, 134; - ordinary flight not majestic, 134; - shape of wings of, 134, 135; - effect of number of, over battlefield, 135. - Curious doubtful if these are nuptial, 138; - antics in the air of, 136, 137. - Skirmishing with gulls, 137; - skirmishing or frolicking with hooded crow, 137; - devoted guardians of young, 138; - cunning plan adopted by, 138, 139 - - Raven Mother, the real one, 133; - appearance and behaviour of, 133, 134 - - Razorbills, manner, etc., of diving of, 151, 152; - fish, how carried in beak by, 187 - - Redshanks, handsomer flying than when on ground, 23, 24; - courting actions of male, 24. - Aerial and aquatic combats of, 36, 37; - at first mistaken as to nature of these, 37 - - Richardson's Skua, objected to as a title, 61 - - Ring Plover, nuptial flight of, 21, 22; - courting actions of male on ground, 22, 23 - - Robin, becoming wagtail or stilt-walker, 48; - how it may develop in the future, 229; - occasional aquatic habits of, out of character, 229, 230; - has two figures, 230; - a part of most landscapes, 230, 231; - looks different in different places, 231; - an example of sexual selection acting in two directions 318 - - Rooks, importunity of female, 112; - simultaneous flights, etc., of, 210, 292, 293, 294; - winter rookery or roosting-place of, 258, 259, 278, 280; - crowd of better than crowd of men, 259; - aerial evolutions, sports, gambols, manœuvres, etc., of, 259, 260, - 262, 263, 264, 265, 268, 269, 270, 271, 280, 295; - peculiar burring note of, 260, 282, 283; - powers of flight possessed by, 260, 271; - flight full of effects, 271; - how associated with starlings, 261; - chirruppy or croodling note of, 261, 268, 269; - last flight of, dove-tailing with roosting of pheasants, 261, 262; - roll over of, compared with that of ravens, 263; - two great assemblages of, manœuvrings and different conduct of, - 262, 264, 265; - difficulty of supposing that they are led, 213, 265, 266; - if led, should be so habitually, 266, 267; - evidence against theory of leadership, 267, 268, 269, 270, 284, - 285; - the caw the business note of, 268; - two bands flying at different elevations, 270; - flight of, at great elevation different to usual flight, 270, 271; - conclusion against theory of leadership, 271, 273; - supposed to employ sentinels, 271; - evidence as to and conclusion against their doing so, 272, 273; - vast assemblage of, 274, 277, 278; - fighting of, 274, 275, 276, 277; - disturbed by hare, 277; - lullaby of, 278, 281; - return of, to winter rookery in evening, 274, 277, 278, 280, 281, - 292, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299; - various cries of, 281, 283, 284, 286, 288, 291, 292, 299, 300. - Whishing noise made by, 281, 282, 295; - doubt as to how produced, 282. - "Burring" note of, 282, 283; - morning flight of, from winter rookery, 283, 284, 285, 292; - voice of, pleasing and expressive, 283; - talk kind of Chinese, 284; - tits flying with, 284; - some staying back after general flight out, 285; - actions of, governed by two leading principles, 285; - unknown force suggested by movements of, 285, 286; - some movements of, may be due to thought-transference or - collective thinking, 287; - may be origin of the night-raven, 287, 288; - origin of language suggested by, 288, 289; - zones of sound and silence amongst, 289, 290; - notes of, best described as talking, 291; - method of yawning of, 291, 292; - φημη the idea of the, applied to, 294; - psychical state of during the _heimkehr_, 295; - wonderful scene of excitement amongst, 294, 295, 296. - Found dead in plantation, 295, 296; - possible reason and theory of keeper in regard to this, 296. - Non-collision of, wonderful, 295; - consort with hooded crows in fields, 296; - resembling storm-cloud and rain, 298; - seem as though evolving a language, 299; - powers of modulation and inflexion in voice of, 299; - voice of, unjustly spoken of, 299; - vocabulary of notes of, 299, 300 - - Rules, to be guided by in watching birds, 248, 249 - - - Sand-martins, manner of excavating tunnels, 323, 326, 327, 328; - both sexes excavate, 323, 324. - Sometimes work socially, 324; - but not as do insects, 324. - Make simultaneous flights from cliff, 324, 325; - sometimes fight fiercely, 325; - are victimised by sparrows and tree-sparrows, 325; - length of their tunnels, 326 - - Scientific men, indifference of, to extermination, 333 - - Sexual selection, as conceived by Darwin, 25; - antics, etc., not in the nature of display, no evidence against, - 79; - as having modified some birds both in voice and plumage, 318 - - Shags (_see also_ Cormorant), power of ejecting excrement to distance - possessed by, 131; - how useful to the bird, 131, 132; - nest of, 131. - Manner of diving of, 153; - dive uniformly, 156; - amiable character of, 163, 165; - courtship, love-making of, etc., 166, 167, 168, 169, 170; - courting antics like those of the ostrich, but with significant - difference, 169, 170; - habit of opening and shutting bill at each other, 170, 176, 177; - bathing of, 170; - gargoyle idylls of, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, - 180, 181; - tendency of, to ornament nest, 174, 175, 176; - change on the nest of, 175, 176, 177; - feeding the young, 177, 178, 179; - twitching muscles of the throat, 179, 180; - character, etc., of the young, 180; - guarding the nest and affairs of honour, 181, 182; - manner of fighting, 181 - - Skua, Arctic, diverting attention from eggs or young, 61; - persecutes gulls, 113, 114, 127; - is safe from retributive justice, 114; - said only to eat fish robbed from gulls, 114; - probability that it would feed by piracy exclusively, 115; - not seen stooping on fish in water, 115; - disgorge fish for each other, 120, 121; - attacks those approaching its nest, 121; - swoop made in silence, 121; - mode of attack, 122, 123; - blow with feet ineffective, 123; - both birds often attack, but more usually only one, 125. - Combines fraud with force, 125; - theory as to this, 125. - Polymorphism of, 126, 127; - sexual selection suggested as an explanation, 126, 127. - Seems bolder and more aggressive than the great skua, 127; - driven off by kittiwake, 127, 128; - feared more by gulls than the great skua, 128; - extreme boldness of, 139; - chased by curlews, 139 - - Skua, Great, nuptial habits, antics, etc., 98, 99, 101, 102; - powers of flight, 99; - flight seen to best advantage at sea, 99, 100; - nest, 103; - said only to eat fish robbed from gulls, and secured in mid-air, - 114; - would probably feed by piracy exclusively, 115; - not seen stooping on fish in water, 115; - young fed entirely on disgorged herrings, 115; - nesting habits difficult to observe, 115, 116; - probably eats heads of herrings disgorged for young, 117, 118; - has no reason to vary diet during breeding-season, as asserted, - 118; - suggested origin of its specialised method of feeding, 118, 119; - attacks those approaching its nest, 121; - makes swoop in silence, but utters cry whilst circling between - each, 121; - blow with feet ineffective, 122; - attacks almost indefinitely, 122; - mode of attack, 123, 124. - Attack made by both sexes, 124; - an exception noted, 124, 125; - theory in regard to this, 125. - Feared less by gulls than Arctic skua, 128; - mobbed by gulls, 128 - - Skylarks, aerial combats of, 35, 36; - impressive hops of male in courtship, 49; - song of, how differing from the nightingale's, 312; - effect of if heard at night, 314 - - Snipe, a familiar example of instrumental music during flight, 52; - modification of tail-feathers by sexual selection, 53; - wings apparent but not real cause of bleating, 53, 54, 55; - different ways of descending to earth, 53, 55, 56; - different modes of flight, 54; - see-saw or "chack-wood" note, 54, 56; - swishing of wings, 56; - extraordinary notes of, 57. - Tail feathers less modified in female, and producing a different - bleat, 57; - but difference not great, 57, 58. - Individual differences in bleat, 57, 58; - flying in circles, 58; - bleat best in morning and evening, 58; - flight difficult to follow, 58; - private allotment in fields of air, 58; - bleating of males against each other, 59; - bleating of male and female to each other, 59; - bleating of one answered vocally by the other on ground, 59. - Extraordinary movements when alarmed during incubation, 60, 61; - theory with regard to these, 63, 64 - - Sparrows, seize burrows of sand-martins, 325; - creditable motives of, in so doing, 325, 326 - - Sparrows, Tree, at straw-stack in winter, 199; - seize burrows of sand-martins, 325 - - Species, knowledge lost by destruction of any, 333 - - Specific life, any, of more value than most individual ones, 334 - - Spiders, if they had their Phidiases, 52 - - Spur-winged Lapwing, curious performances of, 81, 82; - suggested origin of, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, - 93, 94, 95 - - Starlings, acting as fly-catchers, 8, 48; - and as wood-peckers, 48. - Manner of feeding, 9; - at straw-stack in winter, 199, 204, 205; - fighting with hen blackbird, 204; - fighting with each other, 204, 205. - Their simultaneous flights, 210, 214, 215; - difficulty of explaining these and suggestions as to, 214, 215. - How associated with rooks, 261 - - Stock-doves, their aerial combats, 38, 39; - arising sometimes out of the ground-tourney, 41, 42. - Their ground-tourneys, 39, 40, 41; - bowing of fighting birds to each other, 39, 40, 41; - fighting of male and female, 42, 43; - courting bow of male to female, 43, 44, 45; - bowing of female to male, 43, 44; - bow silent or accompanying note subdued, 45; - court on trees or on ground, 45; - their nuptial flights in early morning, 46, 47; - make nest in rabbit-burrows, 47 - - Structure, slight changes of, not easy to see, 229 - - - Thought-transference, as possible explanation of some movements of - birds and other animals, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 286, 287, 289, - 290, 292, 293, 294; - a retarding influence, 222; - in man, may be reversion to more primitive method of - intercommunion, 223; - may be, in some ways, superior to speech 223 - - Thrush, Song of, how differing from the nightingale's, 312; - mistaken for the nightingale's, 313, 314; - effect of if heard at night, 314 - - Tit, Blue, at straw-stack in winter, 199, 202; - acts like tree-creeper, 236, 237, 238, 239. - Ascends trunk perpendicularly, 237; - suggested explanation of this, 242, 243. - Descends trunk head downwards assisted by wings, 237, 238, 245; - suggested explanation, 245. - His hardiness, 247, 248; - eats buds rather than insects in them, 248, 249; - attacked by bullfinch, 250; - feeds on catkins of alder or insects in them, 251, 253; - his tiring-room and banqueting-hall, 253; - drive each other from catkins of alder, 253; - flying with rooks, 284 - - Tit, Coal, attacks fir-cones, 231; - manner of holding them, 251. - Ascends tree-trunks as does blue-tit, 252 - - Tits, Long-tailed, nest-building, 320, 321; - "chit, chit" note, 320, 321; - roosting together, 321, 322, 323; - returning to roost in same place, 322, 323; - their prettiness, 320, 321 - - Tit, Great, feeding on seeds of exotic fir, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235; - manner of loosening the seeds, 232, 235. - Probably eats seeds of indigenous firs, 252 - - Tree, old, winter foliage of, 201 - - Tree-creeper, becoming a fly-catcher, 48. - Flies downwards from tree-trunk, 240; - but not invariably, 241; - suggested origin of the habit, 241. - Spiral ascent not so general as asserted, 241, 242; - often ascends perpendicularly, 242; - suggested origin of spiral ascent, 242, 243. - Said never to descend trunk, 241, 244; - but can descend backwards, 244; - interesting to watch, 246; - skill in using beak, etc., 246; - sometimes acts like fly-catcher, 247; - his æsthetic beauty, 247; - his hardiness, 247 - - Trogons, shot in Mexico, 206 - - Turtle-dove, courting of male on ground or in trees, 50; - the nuptial flight, 50, 51 - - - Wagtail, must wait a little, 337 - - Warrener, how affected by beauty, 47 - - Wheatear, combats and displays of rival males, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, - 72, 73, 74; - his hopping out of character, 68; - conduct of hen whilst fought for by rival males, 68, 69, 71, 72, - 74, 78; - chariness of fighting shown by males, 71, 74. - Antics of males not resembling a set display, 77, 78; - attempt to explain these and other antics of various birds, 74 - _et seq._ (to end of chapter). - Power of retaining a mental image, 110; - conduct of rival males similar to that of nightingales 308 - - Wild Duck, intelligent feigning of injury to distract attention from - young, 60, 62, 63; - suggested origin of the habit, 63, 64 - - Willow-warbler, preference for birch-trees, 253; - pretty behaviour with the catkins of, 253, 254, 255; - reason for this possibly æsthetic, 255, 256 - - Wood-pigeons, courting of female by male on tree, 45; - raucous note after pairing, 46; - may hereafter lay in rabbit-burrows, 48; - courting of female by male on ground, 48, 49; - the clapping of wings in flight, 51; - beauty of nuptial flight, 51, 52; - swishing or beating of wings in flight, 52. - Their simultaneous flights, 210; - suggested explanation as to, 215, 216 - - Wren, acting like a tree-creeper, 48, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240. - Ascends tree-trunks perpendicularly, 237; - descent of doubtful, 238; - sometimes assisted by wings, 240. - Suggestions as to habit and mode of tree-creeping, 242, 243 - - Wren, Golden-crested, amongst pine-trees, 252; - suggesting humming-bird, 252; - examines pine-needles, 252, 253; - his note, 253 - - - Yellow-hammer, at straw-stack in winter, 199, 201 - - - Zoologists, have been _thanatologists_, 224; - prefer death to life, 332, 333 - - THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED - - ST BERNARD'S ROW, EDINBURGH - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber's note: - -Dialectic and archaic spellings have been maintained. Obvious -misspellings and other printing errors have been fixed as detailed -below. - - Page vii (LoI): Great Skuas: ... 100 - Originally: Great Skuas: ... 101 - - Page vii (LoI): On a Guillemot Ledge - Originally: On a Guillemot-ledge - - Page vii (LoI): In a Sand-Pit ... 328 - Originally: In a Sand-Pit ... 329 - - Page 12: même jeu - Originally: meme jeu - - Facing page 12 (caption): Dancing of Great Plovers in Autumn - Originally: Autumn "Dancings" of the Great Plover - - Page 18: of Cervantes' creation - Originally: of Cervante's creation - - Page 25: il faut rendre à cela - Originally: il faut rendre a cela - - Page 29 (caption): Master and Pupil: Hooded-Crow flying with Peewits - Originally: Master and Pupil - - Page 46: sans cérémonie - Originally: sans ceremonie - - Page 50: à deux - Originally: a deux - - Page 51: is fairly over. In full flight, - Originally: is fairly over. "In full flight, - - Page 54: creaky, see-sawey note - Originally: creaky, sea-sawey note - - Page 88: or, at any rate, a something - Originally: or, at anyrate, a something - - Page 89: à trois - Originally: a trois - - Page 99: vis-à-vis - Originally: vis-a-vis - - Facing page 100 (caption): Great Skuas: Nuptial Flight and Pose - Originally: Great Skuas: a nuptial pose - - Page 105: and acts in the same way on the next occasion - Originally: and acts in the some way on the next occasion - - Page 110: en évidence - Originally: en evidence - - Page 122: when thus aerially delivered - Originally: when thus aerialy delivered - - Page 127: gulls, but occasionally the great skua also, this last, - Originally: gulls, but ocasionally the great skua also, this last, - - Page 140: may be called conspicuous, at any rate - Originally: may be called conspicuous, at anyrate - - Page 147: Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galere? - Originally: Que diable allait il faire dans cette galere? - - Page 150 (caption): Habet! Great-Crested Grebe Attacked by Another - Under Water. - Originally: Crested Grebe - - Page 161: became in some degree truly aquatic, - Originally: became in some degree truly acquatic, - - Page 172: vis-à-vis - Originally: vis-a-vis - - Page 176: gargoyle-like - Originally: gargoil-like - - Page 211: sauve-qui-peut - Originally: sauve qui peut - - Page 227: sauve-qui-peut - Originally: sauve qui peut - - Page 254 (caption): Fairy Artillery: Willow-Warbler Pecking Catkins - in Flight. - Originally: Fairy Artillery - - Page 283 (footnote 21): Je m'en doute - Originally: Je me'en doute - - Page 313: Vergessene Träume erwachen - Originally: Vergessene Traüme erwachen - - Page 331: en état - Originally: en etat - -In the index, page numbers were missing on the following entries and -were supplied by the transcriber: - - Under Robin, - an example of sexual selection acting in two directions 318 - - Under Thought-transference, - may be, in some ways, superior to speech 223 - - Under Wheatear, - conduct of rival males similar to that of nightingales 308 - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRD WATCHING*** - - -******* This file should be named 50175-0.txt or 50175-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/0/1/7/50175 - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you are not -located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this ebook.</p> -<p>Title: Bird Watching</p> -<p>Author: Edmund Selous</p> -<p>Release Date: October 10, 2015 [eBook #50175]</p> -<p>Language: English</p> -<p>Character set encoding: UTF-8</p> -<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRD WATCHING***</p> -<p> </p> -<h4>E-text prepared by Emmanuel Ackerman<br /> - and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> - (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> - from page images generously made available by<br /> - Internet Archive/American Libraries<br /> - (<a href="https://archive.org/details/americana">https://archive.org/details/americana</a>)</h4> -<p> </p> -<hr class="full" /> - -<div class="chap"> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page_i_a.jpg" width="100" height="100" alt="Logo" /> -</div> -<p class="center">THE<br /> -HADDON HALL<br />LIBRARY</p> -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page_i_b.jpg" width="100" height="149" alt="Logo" /> -</div> -<p class="center">EDITED<br /> -BY THE<br /> -MARQUESS OF GRANBY<br /> -AND MR.<br /> -GEORGE A. B. DEWAR<br /> -</p> - -<p class="center p2"> -<i>All rights reserved</i> -</p> -<hr class="chap" /> - -<a name="Frontispiece" id="Frontispiece"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page_ii.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Male Oyster-Catchers Piping to the Female." /> -<div class="caption"><i>Male Oyster-Catchers Piping to the Female.</i></div> -</div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<h1>BIRD WATCHING</h1> -<p class="center"> -BY<br /> -EDMUND SELOUS</p> -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page_iii.jpg" width="150" height="196" alt="House logo" /> -</div> -<p class="center">LONDON<br /> -J. M. DENT & CO., ALDINE HOUSE<br /> -29 & 30 BEDFORD STREET, W.C.<br /> -1901 -</p> -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v"></a></span></p> - - - -<h2><a name="TABLE_OF_CONTENTS" id="TABLE_OF_CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS</h2> - - -<table id="ToC" summary="Table of Contents"> -<tr><td /><td>CHAP.</td><td>PAGE</td></tr> -<tr><td /> - <td><a href="#TABLE_OF_CONTENTS">TABLE OF CONTENTS</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_v">v</a></td> -</tr> -<tr><td /> - <td><a href="#LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_vii">vii</a></td> -</tr> -<tr><td /> - <td><a href="#PREFACE">PREFACE</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_ix">ix</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">I.</a></td> - <td><a href="#CHAPTER_I">WATCHING GREAT PLOVERS, ETC.</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_3">3</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">II.</a></td> - <td><a href="#CHAPTER_II">WATCHING RINGED PLOVERS, REDSHANKS, PEEWITS, ETC.</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">III.</a></td> - <td><a href="#CHAPTER_III">WATCHING STOCK-DOVES, WOOD-PIGEONS, SNIPE, ETC.</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">IV.</a></td> - <td><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">WATCHING WHEATEARS, DABCHICKS, OYSTER-CATCHERS, ETC.</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_67">67</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">V.</a></td> - <td><a href="#CHAPTER_V">WATCHING GULLS AND SKUAS</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_96">96</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">VI.</a></td> - <td><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">WATCHING RAVENS, CURLEWS, EIDER-DUCKS, ETC.</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_129">129</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">VII.</a></td> - <td><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">WATCHING SHAGS AND GUILLEMOTS</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_163">163</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">VIII.</a></td> - <td><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">WATCHING BIRDS AT A STRAW-STACK</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_199">199</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">IX.</a></td> - <td><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">WATCHING BIRDS IN THE GREENWOODS</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_225">225</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">X.</a></td> - <td><a href="#CHAPTER_X">WATCHING ROOKS</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_257">257</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">XI.</a></td> - <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">WATCHING ROOKS—<i>CONTINUED</i></a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_274">274</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">XII.</a></td> - <td><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">WATCHING BLACKBIRDS, NIGHTINGALES, SAND-MARTINS, ETC.</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_301">301</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td /><td><a href="#INDEX">INDEX</a></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_338">338</a></td> -</tr> -</table> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii"></a></span></p> - -<h2><a name="LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS" id="LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS"></a>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> - -<table id="LoI" summary="List of Illustrations"> -<tr> - <td><i>Male Oyster-catchers piping to the Female</i><br /> - <span class="photogravure">Photogravure</span></td> - <td class="tdr"><a href="#Frontispiece"><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i>Dancing of Great Plovers in Autumn</i><br /> - <span class="photogravure">Photogravure</span></td> - <td class="tdr"><i>facing page</i> <a href="#Illus_12">12</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i>Great Plovers: A Nuptial Pose</i></td> - <td class="tdr"><i>Page</i> <a href="#Illus_19">19</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i>Master and Pupil: Hooded-Crow flying with Peewits</i></td> - <td class="tdr">" <a href="#Illus_29">29</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i>Stock-Doves: A Duel with Ceremonies</i></td> - <td class="tdr">" <a href="#Illus_40">40</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i>Turtle Doves: The Nuptial Flight</i><br /> - <span class="photogravure">Photogravure</span></td> - <td class="tdr"><i>facing page</i> <a href="#Illus_50">50</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i>Great Skuas: Nuptial Flight and Pose</i><br /> - <span class="photogravure">Photogravure</span></td> - <td class="tdr">"  " <a href="#Illus_100"><span class="correction" title="In the original book: 101">100</span></a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i>Ravens: The Game of Reversi</i></td> - <td class="tdr"><i>Page</i> <a href="#Illus_135">135</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i>Habet! Great-Crested Grebe Attacked by Another Under Water</i></td> - <td class="tdr">" <a href="#Illus_150">150</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i>Love on a Rock: Shags During the Breeding Season</i><br /> - <span class="photogravure">Photogravure</span></td> - <td class="tdr"><i>facing page</i> <a href="#Illus_168">168</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: On a Guillemot-ledge">On a Guillemot Ledge</span></i></td> - <td class="tdr">"  " <a href="#Illus_192">192</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i>Fairy Artillery: Willow-Warbler Pecking Catkins in Flight</i></td> - <td class="tdr"><i>Page</i> <a href="#Illus_254">254</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i>Rooks: A Winter Scene</i></td> - <td class="tdr">" <a href="#Illus_279">279</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td><i>In a Sand-Pit</i><br /> - <span class="photogravure">Photogravure</span></td> - <td class="tdr"><i>facing page</i> <a href="#Illus_328"><span class="correction" title="In the original book: 329">328</span></a></td> -</tr> -</table> -<p class="center"> -<i>All the above from Drawings by</i> <span class="smcap">J. Smit</span>.<br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix"></a>[Pg ix]</span></p> - - - - -<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE</h2> - - -<p>I should like to explain that this work, being, -with one or two insignificant exceptions, a record of -my own observations only, it has not been my intention -to make general statements in regard to the -habits of any particular bird. In practice, however, -it is often difficult to write as if one were not doing -this, without its having a very clumsy effect. One -cannot, for instance, always say, "I have seen birds -fly." One has to say, upon occasions, "Birds fly." -Moreover, it is obvious that in much of the more -important business of bird-life, one would be fully -justified in arguing from the particular to the general: -perhaps (though this is not my opinion) one would -always be. But, whether this is the case or not, I -wish it to be understood that, throughout, a remark -that any bird acts in such or such a way means, merely, -that I have, on one or more occasions, seen it do so. -Also, all that I have seen which is included in this -volume was noted down by me either just after it -had taken place or whilst it actually was taking place; -the quotations (except when literary or otherwise explicitly -stated) being always from my own notes so -made. For this reason I call my work "Bird Watching," -and I hope that the title will explain, and even -justify, a good deal which in itself is certainly a want<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x"></a>[Pg x]</span> -and a failing. One cannot, unfortunately, watch all -birds, and of those that one can it is difficult not to -say at once too little and too much: too little, because -one may have only had the luck to see well a -single point in the round of activities of any species—one -feather in its plumage, so to speak—and too -much, because even to speak of this adequately is to -fill many pages and deny space to some other bird. -All I can do is to speak of some few birds as I have -watched them in some few things. Those who read -this preface will, I hope, expect nothing more, and -I hope that not much more is implied in the title -which I have chosen. Perhaps I might have been -more explicit, but English is not German. "Of-some-few-birds-the-occasional-in-some-things-watching" -does not seem to go well as a compound, and "Observations -on," etc., sounds as formidable as "Beobachtungen -über." It matters not how one may -limit it, the word "Observations" has a terrific -sound. Let a man say merely that he watched -a robin (for instance) doing something, and no one -will shrink from him; but if he talks about his -"Observations on the Robin-Redbreast" then, let -these have been ever so restricted, and even though -he may forbear to call the bird by its Latin name, -he must expect to pay the penalty. The very -limitations will have something severe—smacking of -precise scientific distinction—about them, and the -implied preference for English in such a case will -appear affected and to be a clumsy attempt, merely,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi"></a>[Pg xi]</span> -to make himself popular. Therefore, I will not call -my book "Observations on," etc. I have <i>watched</i> -birds only, I have not <i>observed</i> them. It is true that, -in the text itself, I do not shrink from the latter word, -either as substantive or verb, or even from the Latin -name of a bird, here and there, when I happen to -know it (for is there not such a thing as childish -pride?). But that is different. I do not begin at -once in that way, and by the time I get to it anyone -will have found me out, and know that I am really -quite harmless. Besides, I have now set matters in -their right light. But I was not going to handicap -myself upon my very cover and trust to its contents, -merely, for getting over it. That would have been -over-confidence.</p> - -<p>Again, in the following pages there are some -points which I just touch upon and leave with an -undertaking to go more fully into, in a subsequent -chapter. This I have always meant to do, but want -of space has, in some instances, prevented me from -carrying out my intention. For this, I will apologise -only, leaving it to my readers to excuse me should -they think fit. Perhaps they will do so very readily.</p> - -<p>Also,—but I cannot afford to point out any more -of my shortcomings. That, too, I must leave to "the -reader," who, I hope, will in this matter but little -deserve that epithet of "discerning" which is often -so generously—not to say boldly—bestowed upon -him.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page_xii.png" width="600" height="259" alt="Pheasants" /> -</div> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3"></a>[Pg 3]</span></p> -<h2><a name="BIRD_WATCHING" id="BIRD_WATCHING"></a>BIRD WATCHING</h2> - - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page003.png" width="600" height="351" alt="Countryside with birds" /> -</div> - - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h2> - -<p class="sub-title">Watching Great Plovers, etc.</p> - - -<p>If life is, as some hold it to be, a vast melancholy -ocean over which ships more or less sorrow-laden -continually pass and ply, yet there lie here and there -upon it isles of consolation on to which we may step -out and for a time forget the winds and waves. One -of these we may call Bird-isle—the island of watching -and being entertained by the habits and humours of -birds—and upon this one, for with the others I have -here nothing to do, I will straightway land, inviting -such as may care to, to follow me. I will speak of -birds only, or almost only, as I have seen them, and -I must hope that this plan, which is the only one I -have found myself able to follow, will be accepted as -an apology for the absence of much which, not having -seen but only read of, I therefore say nothing about.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4"></a>[Pg 4]</span> -Also, if I sometimes here record what has long been -known and noted as though I were making a discovery, -I trust that this, too, will be forgiven me, for, -in fact, whenever I have watched a bird and seen it -do anything at all—anything, that is, at all salient—that -is just how I have felt. Perhaps, indeed, the -best way to make discoveries of this sort is to have -the idea that one is doing so. One looks with the -soul in the eyes then, and so may sometimes pick -up some trifle or other that has not been noted -before.</p> - -<p>However this may be, one of the most delightful -birds (for one must begin somewhere) to find, or to -think one is finding things out about, is the great or -Norfolk plover, or, as it is locally and more rightly -called—for it is a curlew and not a plover<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a>—the -stone-curlew. These birds haunt open, sandy wastes -to which but the scantiest of vegetation clings, and -here, during the day, they assemble in some chosen -spot, often in considerable numbers—fifty or more I -have sometimes seen together. If it is early in the -day, and especially if the weather be warm and sunny, -most of them will be sitting, either crouched down -on their long yellow shanks, or more upright with -these extended in front of them, looking in this -latter attitude as if they were standing on their -stumps, their legs having been "smitten off" and -lying before them on the ground. Towards evening, -however—which is the best time to watch these birds—they -stand attending to their plumage, or walk with -picked steps in a leisurely fashion, which, with their -lean gaunt figure, sad and rusty coloured, and a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5"></a>[Pg 5]</span> -certain sedateness, almost punctiliousness, of manner, -fancifully suggests to one the figure of Don Quixote -de la Mancha, the Knight of the rueful countenance, -with a touch or two, perhaps, thrown in of -the old Baron of Bradwardine of Tullyveolan. One -can lie on the ground and watch them from far off -through the glasses, or, should a belt of bracken -fringe the barren area, one has then an excellent -opportunity of creeping up to within a short or, at -least, a reasonable distance. To do this one must -make a wide circuit and enter the bracken a long -way off. Then having walked, or rather waded for -some way towards them, at a certain point—experience -will teach the safety-line—one must sink on -one's hands and knees, and the rest is all creeping -and wriggling, till at length, lying flat, one's face just -pierces the edge of the cover and the harmless glasses -are levelled at the quarry one does not wish to kill. -The birds are standing in a long, straggling line, -ganglion-like in form, swelling out into knots where -they are grouped more thickly with thinner spaces -between. As they preen themselves—twisting the -neck to one or the other side so as to pass the -primary quill feathers of the wings through the beak—one -may be seen to stoop and lay one side of the -head on the ground, the great yellow eye of the other -side staring up into the sky in an uncanny sort of -way. The meaning of this action I do not know. -It is not to scratch the head, for the head is held -quite still; and, moreover, as, like most birds, they can -do this very neatly and effectively with the foot, other -methods would seem to be superfluous. Again, and -this is a more characteristic action, one having stood<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6"></a>[Pg 6]</span> -for some time upright and perfectly still, makes a -sudden and very swingy bob forward with the head, -the tail at the same time swinging up, just in the -way that a wooden bird performs these actions upon -one's pulling a string. This again seems to have no -special reference to anything, unless it be deportment.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> I understand Professor Newton to say this.</p></div> - -<p>All at once a bird makes a swift run forward, not -one of those short little dainty runs—one and then -another and another, with little start-stops between—that -one knows so well, but a long, steady run down -upon something, and at the same moment the glasses—if -one is lucky and the distance not too great—reveal -the object which has occasioned this, a delicate -white thing floating in the air which one takes to be -a thistle-down. This is secured and eaten, and we -may imagine that the bird's peckings at it after it is -in his possession are to disengage the seed from the -down. But all at once—before you have had time to -set down the glasses and make the note that the great -plover (<i>Œdicnemus Crepitans</i>) will snap at a wandering -thistle-down, and having separated the delicate little -seed-sails from the seed, eat the latter, etc., etc.—a -small brown moth comes into view flying low over a -belt of dry bushy grass that helps, with the bracken, -to edge the sandy warren, for these wastes are given -over to rabbits and large landowners, and are marked -"warrens" on the map. Instantly the same bird (who -seems to catch sight of the moth just as you do) starts -in pursuit with the same rapid run and head stretched -eagerly out. He gets up to the moth and essays to -catch it, pecking at it in a very peculiar way, not -excitedly or wildly, but with little precise pecks, the -head closely and guardedly following the moth's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7"></a>[Pg 7]</span> -motions, the whole strongly suggestive of professional -skill. The moth eludes him, however, and the bird -stops rigidly, having apparently lost sight of it. -Shortly afterwards, after it has flown some way, he -sees it again and makes another swift run in pursuit, -catching it up again and making his quick little pecks, -but unsuccessfully, as before. Then there is the same -pause, followed by the same run, then a close, near -chase, and finally the moth is caught and eaten. -Other moths, or other insects, now appear upon the -scene, or if they do not appear—for even with the -best of glasses such pin-points are mostly invisible—it -is evident from the actions of the birds that they -are there. Chase after chase is witnessed, all made -in the same manner, with sometimes a straight-up -jump into the air at the end and a snap that one -seems almost to hear—a last effort, but which, judging -by the bird's demeanour afterwards, fails, as last efforts -usually do.</p> - -<p>A social feeling seems to pervade these hunting-scenes, -a sort of "Have <i>you</i> got one? <i>I</i> have. That -bird over there's caught two" idea. This may be -imaginary, still the whole scene with its various little -incidents suggests it to one. The stone-curlew, -therefore, besides his more ordinary food of worms, -slugs, and the like—I have seen him in company -with peewits, searching for worms, much as do -thrushes on the lawn—is likewise a runner down -and "snapper up of" such "unconsidered trifles" -as moths and other insects on the wing. I had seen -him chasing them, indeed, long before I knew what -he was doing, for I had connected those sudden, -racing runs—seen before from a long distance—with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8"></a>[Pg 8]</span> -something or other on the ground, imagining a fresh -object for each run. Often had I wondered, first at -the eyesight of the bird, which seemed to pierce the -mystery of a worm or beetle at fifty or sixty yards -distance, and then at its apparent want of interest -each time it got to the place where it seemed to have -located it. Really it had but just lost sight of what -it was pursuing, but aerial game had not occurred -to me, and the tell-tale spring into the air, which -would have explained all, had been absent on these -occasions. I have called such leaps "last efforts," -but I am not quite sure if they are always the last. -More than once I have thought I have seen a stone-curlew -rise into the air from running after an insect, -and continue the pursuit on the wing. This is a -point which I would not press, yet birds often act -out of their usual habits and assume those proper -to other species. I remember once towards the close -of a fine afternoon, when the air was peopled by a -number of minute insects, and the stone-curlews -had been more than usually active in their chasings, -a large flock of starlings came down upon the warrens -and began to behave much as they were doing, -running excitedly about in the same manner and -evidently with the same object. But what interested -me especially was that they frequently rose into the -air, pursuing and, as I feel sure, often catching the -game there, turning and twisting about like fly-catchers, -though with less graceful movements. Often, -too, whilst flying—fairly high—from one part of the -warrens to another, they would deflect their course -in order to catch an insect or two <i>en passant</i>. I -observed this latter action first, and doubted the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9"></a>[Pg 9]</span> -motive, though it was strongly suggested. After -seeing the quite unmistakable fly-catcher actions I -felt more assured as to the other. Yet one may -watch starlings for weeks without seeing them pursue -an insect in the air. Their usual manner of feeding -is widely different—viz. by repeatedly probing and -searching the ground with their sharp spear-like -bills, as does a snipe (with which bird they will sometimes -feed side by side) with his longer and more -delicate one. This is well seen whilst watching them -on a lawn. They do not study to find worms lying -in the holes and then seize them suddenly as do -thrushes and blackbirds. With them it is "blind -hookey"; each time the beak is thrust down into -the grass it may find something or it may not. The -mandibles are all the time working against each other, -evidently searching and biting at the roots of the -grass, and at intervals, but generally somewhat long -ones, they will be withdrawn, holding within their -grasp a large, greyish grub.</p> - -<p>Returning to the stone-curlews. During the day, -as I have said, these birds are idle and lethargic—sitting -about, dozing, often, or sleeping—but as the -air cools and the shadows fall, they rouse into a glad -activity, and coming down and spreading themselves -over the wide space of the warrens, they begin to -run excitedly about, raising and waving their wings, -leaping into the air, and often making little flights, -or rather flittings, over the ground as a part of the -disport. As a part of it I say advisedly, for they -do not stop and then fly, and on alighting recommence, -but the flight arises out of the wild waving -and running, and this is resumed, without a pause, as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10"></a>[Pg 10]</span> -the bird again touches the ground. All about now -over the warrens their plaintive, wailing notes are -heard, notes that seem a part of the deepening gloom -and sad sky; for nature's own sadness seems to speak -in the voice of these birds. They swell and subside -and swell again as they are caught up and repeated -in different places from one bird to another, and often -swell into a full chorus of several together. Deeper -now fall the shadows, "light thickens," till one catches, -at last, only "dreary gleams about the moorland," -as now here, now there, the wings are flung up—showing -the lighter coloured inner surface—till -gradually, first one and then another, or by twos or -threes or fours, the birds fly off into the night, -wailing as they go. But this note on the wing is -not the same as that uttered whilst running over -the ground. The ground-note is much more drawn -out, and a sort of long, wailing twitter—called the -"clamour"—often precedes and leads up to the final -wail. In the air it comes just as a wail without -this preliminary. But it must not be supposed that -all the birds perform these antics simultaneously. If -they did the effect would be more striking, but it is -generally only a few at a time over a wide space, -or, at most, some two or three together—as by -sympathy—that act so. The eye does not catch -more than a few gleams—some three or four or five—of -the flung-up wings at one time over the whole -space. It is a gleam here and a gleam there in -the deepening gloom. "Dreary gleams about the -moorland"—for warren, here, purples into moor and -moor saddens into warren—is, indeed, a line that -exactly describes the effect.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11"></a>[Pg 11]</span></p> - -<p>These birds, then, stand or sit about during the -day in their chosen places of assemblage, and, if not -occupied in catching insects or preening themselves, -they are dull and listless. But as the evening falls -and the air cools, they cast off their lassitude, think -of the joys of the night, there is dance and song -for a little, and then forth they fly. Sad and -wailing as are their notes to our ears, they are no -doubt anything but so to the birds themselves, and -as the accompaniment of what seems best described -by the word "dance" may, perhaps, fairly be called -"song." The chants of some savages whilst dancing, -might sound almost as sadly to us, pitched, as they -would be, in a minor key, and with little which we -would call an air. Again, if one goes by the bird's -probable feelings, which may not be so dissimilar to -the savage's—or indeed to our own—on similar -occasions "song" and "dance" seems to be a legitimate -use of words.</p> - -<p>But whatever anyone may feel inclined to call -this performance—"dance" or "antics" or "display"—it -varies very much in quality, being sometimes -so poor that it is difficult to use words about it -without seeming to exaggerate, and at other times -so fine and animated, that were the birds as large -as ostriches, or even as the great bustard, much would -be said and written on the subject. Moreover, so -many variations and novelties and little personal -incidents are to be noticed on the different occasions, -that any general description must want something. -I will therefore give a particular one of what I witnessed -one afternoon when the dancing was especially -good. It was about 5.30 when I got to the edge<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12"></a>[Pg 12]</span> -of the bracken, which to some extent rings round -the birds' place of assembly.</p> - -<p>"A drizzling rain soon began, and this increased -gradually, but not beyond a smart drizzle. The -birds, as though stimulated by the drops, now began -to come down from where they had been standing -on the edge of the amphitheatre, and to spread all -over it till there were numbers of them, and dancing -of a more pronounced, or, at least, of a more violent -kind than I had yet seen, commenced. Otherwise -it was quite the same, but the extra degree of excitement -made it much more interesting. It was, -in fact, remarkable and extraordinary. Running -forward with wings extended and slightly raised, -a bird would suddenly fling them high up, and then, -as it were, <i>pitch</i> about over the ground, waving and -tossing them, stopping short, turning, pitching forward -again, leaping into the air, descending and continuing, -till, with another leap, it would make a short eccentric -flight low over the ground, coming down in a sharp -curve and then, at once, <i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: meme jeu">même jeu</span></i>. I talk of their -'pitching' about, because their movements seemed -at times hardly under control, and, each violent run -or plunge ending, in fact, with a sudden pitch forward -of the body, the wings straggling about (often pointed -forward over the head) in an uncouth dislocated sort -of way, the effect was as if the birds were being blown -about over the ground in a violent wind. They -seemed, in fact, to be crazy, and their sudden and -abrupt return, after a few mad moments, to propriety -and decorum, had a curious, a bizarre effect. -Though having just seen them behave so, one seemed -almost to doubt that they had. One bird that had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13"></a>[Pg 13]</span> -come to within a moderate distance of me, made three -little runs—advancing, retiring, and again advancing—all -the time with wings upraised and waving, then -took a short flight over the ground, describing the -segment of a circle, and, on alighting, continued as -before. Half-a-dozen others were gathered together -under a solitary crab-apple tree—a rose in the desert—less -than 100 yards off, and both with the naked -eye and the glasses I observed them all thoroughly -well. One of them would often run at or pursue -another with these antics. I saw one that was standing -quietly, caught and, as it were, covered up in -a little storm of wings before it could run away -and begin waving its own.</p> - -<a name="Illus_12" id="Illus_12"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page012.jpg" width="600" height="371" alt="Dancing of Great Plovers in Autumn." /> -<div class="caption"><i><span class="correction" title='In the original book: Autumn "Dancings" of the Great Plover.'>Dancing of Great Plovers in Autumn.</span></i></div> -</div> - -<p>"This and the general behaviour of the group makes -it evident that the birds are stimulated in their dance-antics -by each other's presence. For these little chases -were in sport, clearly, not anger. Very different is -the action and demeanour of two birds about to -fight. This is by far the finest display of the sort -that I have yet seen, and must be due, I think, to -the rain, which the birds obviously enjoyed. They -had been quite dull and listless before, but as soon -as it fell they spread themselves over the plateau, -and the dancing began. It was not only when the -birds threw up their wings and, as one may say, -let themselves go, that they seemed excited. The -constant quick running and stopping whilst the -wings were folded appeared to me to be a part—the -less excited part—of the general emotion -out of which the sudden frenzies arose. There was -also the usual vocal accompaniment. The wailing -note went up, and was caught and repeated from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14"></a>[Pg 14]</span> -one part to another at greater or lesser intervals, -the whole ending in flight as before."</p> - -<p>When I first saw these dances I thought that they -arose out of the excitement of the chase—that chase -of moths or other insects flying low over the ground -which I have noticed—that they were hunting-dances, -in fact. I thought the motions of the wings were -to beat down the escaping quarry, and I confounded -the little springs and leaps into the air, arising out -of the dance and being a part of it, with those other -ones made with a snap and an object not to be -mistaken; but I soon discovered my error. Insect-hunting -is only indulged in occasionally, when a -wandering moth or so happens to fly by. The general -hunt which I have described was incident, I think, -to an unusually large number of insects in the air -over the warrens, by which not only a band of starlings—as -before mentioned—was attracted, but, afterwards, -swallows and martins. On such occasions, dancing -might conceivably grow out of the excitement of the -chase, so as to appear a part of it, but though the two -forms of excitement may sometimes intermingle, the -tendency would probably be for the one to diminish -and interfere with the other. At any rate, almost -every dance which I have witnessed has been a dance -pure and simple.</p> - -<p>What, then, is the meaning of this dancing, of -these strange little sudden gusts of excitement -arising each day at about the same time and lasting -till the birds fly away? We have here a social -display as distinct from a nuptial or sexual one, -for it is in the autumn that these assemblages of the -great plovers take place, after the breeding is all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15"></a>[Pg 15]</span> -over; the deportment of the courting or paired -birds towards each other—their nuptial antics—is -of a different character. With birds, as with men, -all outward action must be the outcome of some -mental state. What kind of mental excitement is -it which causes the stone-curlews to behave every -evening in this mad, frantic way? I believe that -it is one of expectancy and making ready, that -these odd antics—the mad running and leaping and -waving of the wings—give expression to the anticipation -of going and desire to be gone which begins -to possess the birds as evening falls. They are the -prelude to, and they end in, flight. The two, in -fact, merge into each other, for short flights grow -out of the tumblings over the ground, and it is -impossible to say when one of these may not be -continued into the full flight of departure. They -are a part of the dance, and, as such, the birds may -almost be said to dance off. Surely in actions which -lead directly up to any event there must be an idea, -an anticipation of it, nor can the idea of departure -exist in a bird's mind (hardly, perhaps, in a man's) -except in connection with what it is departing for—food, -namely, in this case, a banquet. So when I -say that these birds "think of the joys of the night" -need this be merely a figure? May it not be true -that they do so and dance forth each night, to -their joy?</p> - -<p>I have said that the social or autumn antics of -the stone-curlews—their dances, as I have called -them, using the usual phraseology—are distinct from -the nuptial or courting ones which they indulge in -in the spring. These latter are of a different char<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16"></a>[Pg 16]</span>acter -altogether, but much more interesting to see -than they are easy to describe. The birds are now -paired, or in process of becoming so, and it is -fashionable for two of them to walk side by side, -and very close together, with little gingerly steps, as -though "keeping company." They seem very much -<i>en rapport</i> with each other—<i>sehr einig</i> as the -Germans would say—also to have a mutual sense -of their own and each other's importance, of the -seemly and becoming nature of what they are doing, -and (this above all) of the great value of deportment. -Something there is about them—now even more than -at other times—very odd, quaint, old-world, old-fashioned. -The last best describes it; they are -old-fashioned birds. Were the world occupied in -watching them, and were they occasionally to over-hear -themselves being talked about, they would -catch that word as often as did little Paul Dombey.</p> - -<p>Whilst watching a couple walking side by side -in this way that I have described, one of them may -be seen to bend stiffly forward till the beak just -touches the ground, the tail and after part of the -body being elevated in the air. The other stands -by, and appears both interested in and edified by -the performance, and when it is over both walk on -as before. Or a bird may be seen to act thus whilst -walking alone, upon which another will come running -from some distance towards it, as though answering -to a summons or to some quite irresistible form of -appeal. Upon coming close up to the rigid bird this -other one stops, and turning suddenly, but also setly -and rigidly, round, makes a curious little run away -from it with lowered head and precise formal steps,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17"></a>[Pg 17]</span> -full of a peculiar gravity and importance. Having -thus played his part he again stops, and, standing -idly about, seems lapsed into indifference. Meanwhile, -the rigid one having remained in its set attitude -for some little time longer at length comes out of it, -and advancing with the same little picked, careful, -gingerly steps that I have noticed, before long -assumes it again, and then, relaxing, crouches low -on the ground as though incubating. Having remained -thus for a minute or two it rises and stands -at ease. "A third bird now appears upon the scene -(for this, I must say, was a little witnessed drama), -advancing towards the two. As he approaches, one -of them—the one which has run up in response to -the appeal, and which I take to be the male—becomes -uneasy as recognising a rival. He first -either runs or walks (the pace, though it may be -quick, is solemn) to the female, and makes her some -kind of bow or obeisance of a very formal nature. -Then, straightening and turning, he instantly becomes -a different bird, so changed is his appearance. He -is now drawn up to his full height, with the head -thrown a little back, the tail is fanned out into the -shape of a scallop-shell (looking very pretty), the -broad, rounded end of which just touches the ground -at the centre, and thus 'set,' as it were, for action, -he advances upon the intruding bird with quick little -stilty steps, prepared, evidently, to do battle. The -would-be rival, however, retreats before this display, -and the accepted suitor, having followed him thus for -some little way—not rushing upon him or forcing a -combat, but more as gravely and seriously prepared for -one—turns and with his former formal pace goes back<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18"></a>[Pg 18]</span> -to his hen." Or shall we not, rather, say to his Dulcinea -del Toboso? for never does this strange, gaunt, solemn, -punctilious-looking bird, with the tall figure and the -strain of madness in the great glaring eyes, more remind -one—fancifully—of <span class="correction" title="In the original book: Cervante's">Cervantes'</span> creation than now. -Surely in that formal approach and deep reverence -to his mistress, before entering upon this, perhaps, his -first "emprise," we have the very figure and high -courteous action of the knight, and seem almost to -hear those words of his spoken on a similar occasion: -"Acorredme, señora mia, en esta primera afrenta que -a este vuestro avasallado pecho se le ofrece; no me -desfallezca en este primera trance vuestro favor y -amparo." ("Sustain me, lady mine, in this first -insult offered to your captive knight. Fail me not -with your favour and countenance in this my first -emprise.")</p> - -<a name="Illus_19" id="Illus_19"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page019.png" width="600" height="308" alt="Great Plovers: A Nuptial Pose." /> -<div class="caption"><i>Great Plovers: A Nuptial Pose.</i></div> -</div> - -<p>In the above case it was, presumably, the female -bird who assumed the curious rigid attitude, with the -tail raised and head stooped forward to the ground. -The attitude, however, assumed by the male, which I -have described as a bow or obeisance—and, indeed, -it has this appearance—was much of the same nature, -if it was not precisely the same, and as far as I have -been able to observe, none of the many and very -singular attitudes and posturings in which these birds -indulge are peculiar to either sex. At any rate, that -one which would seem <i>par excellence</i> to appertain to -courtship or matrimony, and which is often (as it -was in the instance I am about to give) immediately -followed by the actual pairing of the birds, is common -to both the male and the female. The following will -show this:—"A bird which has for some time been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19"></a>[Pg 19]</span> -sitting now rises and shakes itself a little, presenting, -as it does so, a very 'mimsy' and 'borogovy' appearance -(for which adjectives, with descriptive plate, -see 'Through the Looking-Glass'). It then begins -uttering that long, thin, 'shrilling' sound, which goes -so far and pierces the ear so pleasantly. This is -answered by a similar cry, quite near, and I now see, -for the first time, another bird advancing quickly to -the calling one, who also advances to meet it. They -approach each other, and standing side by side, with, -perhaps, a foot between them, but looking different -ways, each in the direction in which it has been -advancing, both of them assume, at the same time, -a particular and very curious posture, worth waiting -days to see. First they draw themselves tall-ly up on -their long, yellow, stilt-like legs, then curving the neck -with a slow and formal motion, they bend the head -downwards—yet still holding it at a height—and stop -thus, set and rigid, the beak pointing to the ground.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20"></a>[Pg 20]</span> -Having stood like this for some seconds, they assume -the normal attitude. This wonderful pose, conceived -and made in a vein of stiff formality, but to which the -great, glaring, yellow eye gives a look of wildness, -almost of insanity, has in it, both during its development -and when its acme has been reached, something -quite <i>per se</i>, and in vain to describe. But again one -is reminded of what is past and old-fashioned, of -chivalry and knight-errantry, of scutcheons and -heraldic devices, of Don Quixote and the Baron of -Bradwardine."</p> - -<p>It is not only when two birds are by themselves -that these or other attitudes are assumed. They will -often break out, so to speak, amongst three or four -birds running or chasing each other about. All at -once one will stop, stiffen into one of them—that -especially where the head is lowered till the beak -touches, or nearly touches, the ground—and remain -so for a formal period. But all such runnings and -chasings are, at this time, but a part of the business -of pairing, and one divines at once that such attitudes -are of a sexual character. The above are a few of the -gestures or antics of the great plover or stone-curlew -during the spring. I have seen others, but either -they were less salient, or, owing to the great distance, -I was not able to taste them properly, for which -reason, and on account of space, I will not further -dwell upon them. What I would again draw attention -to, as being, perhaps, of interest, is that here we -have a bird with distinct nuptial (sexual) and social -(non-sexual) forms of display or antics, and that the -former as well as the latter are equally indulged in by -both sexes.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21"></a>[Pg 21]</span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page021.png" width="600" height="458" alt="Ringed Plovers, Redshanks, Peewits, etc." /> -</div> - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h2> - -<p class="sub-title">Watching -Ringed Plovers, -Redshanks, -Peewits, etc.</p> - - -<p>The pretty little ring-plover (<i>Ægialitis kiaticola</i>) -belongs properly to the sea-shore, but he haunts and -breeds inland also, and is especially the companion of -the stone-curlew over the stony, sandy wastes that -they both love so well. These little birds have both -a nuptial flight and a courting action on the ground. -In the former a pair will keep crossing and recrossing -as they scud about, or they will sweep towards -and then away from each other in the softest and -prettiest manner imaginable, or each will sweep first -up to a height and then swiftly down again and skim -quite low along the ground, thus delighting the eye -with the contrast. Their flight is all in graceful -sweeps, for even when they beat the air with their -slender, pointed pinions, it is rather as though they -kissed than beat it, and they seem all the while to be -sweeping on without effort, so soft is their motion.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22"></a>[Pg 22]</span> -Another salient feature is the varied direction of their -flight, for though this is in wide, spacious circles -around their chosen home, yet within this free limit -they set their sails to all points of the compass, veering -from one to another with so joyous a motion, each -change seems an ecstasy—as indeed it is to behold. -Their mode of alighting on the ground after flight is -very pretty, for they do so as if they meant to continue -flying. Sometimes the wings are still raised, -still make their little spear-points in the air as they -softly stop; or the bird will hold them drooped and -but half-spread, and skim like this, just above the -ground. At once he is on it, but there has been no -jerk, no pause. He has been smooth in abruptness: -settling suddenly, there has been no sudden motion. -These things are as magic,—they are, and yet they -cannot be. It is a contradiction, yet it has taken -place.</p> - -<p>In formal courtship on the ground "the male approaches -the female with head and neck drawn up -above the usual height, so that he presents for her -consideration a broader and fuller frontage of throat -and breast than upon ordinary occasions. He does -not raise or otherwise disport with his wings, but -through the glasses one can see that his little legs—which -now that he is more upright are less invisible—are -being moved in a rapid vibratory manner, whilst -he himself seems to be trembling, quivering with excitement. -The motion of the legs does not belong -to the gait, for the bird stands still whilst making it, -and then advances a few steps at a time, with little -pauses between each advance, during which the legs -are quivered." The legs of the ringed plover are of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23"></a>[Pg 23]</span> -a fine orange colour, and the male's drawing himself -up so as to display them more fully, and then -moving them quickly in this way before the female, -suggests that they are appreciated by her. But it -is not only the legs that are thus well exhibited. -By drawing up the head, the throat, in which soft -pure white and velvet black are boldly and richly -contrasted, as well as the little smudged pug face -and the bright orange-yellow bill, are all shown off -to advantage.</p> - -<p>The wings, however, in the instance which I observed -and noted at the time, were kept closed. I -can hardly think this is always the case. If it is, it -may be because, though pretty enough—indeed lovely -to an appreciative human eye—they yet do not in -their colouring present anything like so bold and -salient an appearance as the parts mentioned, with -the display of which they might, perhaps, interfere, -though I confess I do not think they would.</p> - -<p>With the redshank this is different, for "the redshank, -when standing with wings folded, is a very -plain-looking bird, the whole of the upper surface -being of a drabby brown colour, and the under parts -not being seen to advantage. But as he rises in flight -all is changed, for the inner surface of his wings—with, -in a less degree, the whole under part of his -body—are of a delicate, soft, silky white, looking -silvery, almost, as the light falls upon it and causes -it to gleam. This, with an upper quill-margin of -bolder white on the wings, which, when they are -closed, is concealed, now catches the eye, and the -bird passes from insignificance into something almost -distinguished, like a homely face flashing into beauty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24"></a>[Pg 24]</span> -by virtue of a smile and fine eyes." Now the male -redshank, when courting the female, makes the most -of his wings, whilst at the same time moving his legs—which -are coloured, as his name implies—in the -same manner as does the ringed plover. He did so at -any rate in the following instance. "The male bird, -walking up to the female, raises his wings gracefully -above his back. They are considerably elevated, and -for a little he holds them thus aloft merely, but soon, -drooping them to about half their former elevation, -he flutters them tremulously and gracefully as though -to please her. She, however, turned from him, walks -on, appearing to be busy in feeding. The male takes, -or affects to take, little notice of this repulse. He -pecks about, as feeding too, but in a moment or so -walks up to the hen again, and now, raising his wings -to the fluttering height only, flutters them tremulously -as before. She walks on a few steps and stops. He -again approaches and, standing beside her (both -being turned the same way), with his head and neck -as it were curved over her, again trembles his wings, -at the same time making a little rapid motion with -his red legs on the ground, as though he were walking -fast, yet not advancing." Now here (and this, if I -remember, was the case with the ringed plovers also) -the female did not appear to take much notice of -the male bird's behaviour. She was turned away -and, for some time, feeding. But it must not be -forgotten that the eyes of most birds are not set -frontally in the head as are ours, but on each side -of it, so that their range of clear vision must be -very much wider, probably including all parts except -directly behind them. They also turn the head<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25"></a>[Pg 25]</span> -about with the greatest ease, and the slightest turn -must be very effective. They would, therefore, often -see quite plainly whilst appearing to us not to be -noticing, and that the female should get the general -effect of the male's display is all that is required by -the theory of sexual selection—as conceived by -Darwin. Darwin has expressly said that he does -not imagine that the female birds consciously pick -out the most adorned or best-displaying males, but -only that such males have a more exciting effect -upon them, which leads, practically, to their being -selected. But though he has said this, it seems -hardly ever to be remembered by the opponents of -his view who, in combating it, almost always raise -a picture of birds critically observing patterns and -colours, as we might stuffs in a shop. However, -having regard to the bower-birds, and especially -that species which makes an actual flower garden, -even this does not seem so absolutely impossible. -The fact is, we are too conceited. With regard to -the female bird sometimes, as here, keeping turned -from the male while thus courted by him, this is, I -think, capable of explanation in a way not hostile -but favourable to the theory of sexual selection. At -any rate, in both these instances, "<i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: il faut rendre a cela">il faut rendre à -cela</span></i>" either was, or seemed to be, the final conclusion -of the female.</p> - -<p>As the nuptial season approaches, the peewits -begin to "stand," singly or in pairs, about the low, -marshy land, or to fly "coo-ee-ing" over it. "Coo-oo-oo, -hook-a-coo-ee, coo-ee," is their cry, far more, -to my ear, resembling this than the sound "pee-weet" -or "pee-wee-eet," as imitated in their name. At<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26"></a>[Pg 26]</span> -intervals one or another of them will make its peculiar -throw or somersault in the air. This, in its completest -form, is a wonderful thing to behold, though -so familiar that no attention is paid to it. The bird -in full flight—in a rushing torrent of sound and -motion—may be seen to partially close the wings, -and fall plumb as though it had been shot. In a -moment or two, but often not before there has been -a considerable drop, the wings are again partially -extended, and the bird turns right head over heels. -Then, sweeping buoyantly upwards, sometimes almost -from the ground, it continues its flight as before. -Such a tumble as this is a fine specimen. They are -not all so abrupt and dramatic, but there is one point -common to them all, which is the impossibility of -saying exactly how the actual somersault is thrown. -Do these tumblings add to the charm of the peewit's -flight? To the charm, perhaps; certainly to the -wonder and interest, but hardly (unless we are never -to criticise nature) to the grace. The contrast is -too great, there is something of violence, almost of -buffoonery, about it. It is as though the clown came -tumbling right into the middle of the transformation -scene.</p> - -<p>As the birds sweep about, they begin to enter into -their bridal dances, pursuing each other with devious -flight, pausing, hanging stationary with flapping wings -one just above the other, then sweeping widely away -in opposite directions. Shortly afterwards they are -again flying side by side, or the sun, "in a wintry -smile," catches both the white breasts as they make -a little coquettish dart at each other. Then again -they separate, and again the joyous "coo-oo-oo, hook-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27"></a>[Pg 27]</span>a-coo-ee, -coo-ee" flits with them over marsh and moor. -Sometimes a bird will come flying alone, somewhat -low over the ground, in a hurrying manner, very fast, -and making a sound with the wings, as they beat -the air, which is almost like the puffing of an engine—indeed, -one may easily, sometimes, imagine a train -in the distance. As one watches him thus scudding -along, tilting himself as ever, now on one side, now -on another, all at once he will give a sharp turn as -if about to make one of his wide, sweeping circles, -but almost instantly he again reverses, and sweeps -on in the same direction as before. This trick adds -very much to the appearance, if not to the reality, -of speed, for the smooth, swift sweep, close following -the little abrupt twist back, contrasts with it and -seems the more fast-gliding in comparison. Or one -will fly in quick, small circles, several times repeated, -a little above the spot where he intends to alight, -descending, at last, in the very centre of his air-drawn -girdle with wonderful buoyancy.</p> - -<p>A hooded crow now flies over the marsh, and is -pursued by first one and then another of the peewits. -There is little combination, nor does there seem much -of anger. It is more like a sport or a practical joke. -It is curious that the crow's flight has taken the character -of the peewit's, for they sweep upwards and -downwards together, seeming like master and pupil. -I have never seen a crow fly so, uninfluenced, and -this, again, gives an amicable appearance. I have -seen a peewit make continual sweeps down at a -hen pheasant as she stood in a wheat-field, striking -at her each time with its wings, in the air, obviously -not in play but in earnest. The pheasant dodged, or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28"></a>[Pg 28]</span> -tried to dodge, each time, and this lasted some while. -Here it seems very different; and now again a compact -little flock of peewits is flying backwards and -forwards over the river with a hooded crow—not the -same bird but another—right amongst them. This -continues for some little time, till the peewits go -down on the margin, and the crow then flies into a -tree hard by. After a little interval the peewits fly -off again, and almost directly the crow is with them, -and again they fly backwards and forwards over the -water, for some time, as before. And again I note—and -this time it is still more marked and unmistakable—that -the crow is flying amongst the peewits exactly -as they fly. At least he is speaking French with -them "after ye school of Stratford—at-y-Bow," for -who flies <i>exactly</i> like a peewit <i>but</i> a peewit? But -he sweeps with them—now upwards, now downwards—in -smooth, gliding sweeps, a curious, rusty-looking, -black and grey patch in the midst of their gleaming -greens and whites. Yet he is a handsome bird too, -is the hooded crow, but not when he flies with -peewits. Now the peewits again go down, and the -crow straightway flies into another tree. Shortly -afterwards, a moor-hen, feeding on the grass, is -hustled by one of the peewits into the water. Here, -again, hostility was evident, whereas with the crow -I could see no trace of it. He seemed to be enjoying -himself, whilst the peewits, on their part, showed no -objection to his company.</p> - -<a name="Illus_29" id="Illus_29"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page029.jpg" width="600" height="488" alt="Master and Pupil: Hooded-Crow flying with Peewits." /> -<div class="caption"><i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: Master and Pupil.">Master and Pupil: Hooded-Crow flying with Peewits.</span></i></div> -</div> - -<p>"Late in the afternoon there is a pause and hush. -The birds have ceased flying till dusk, and are either -standing still or walking over the ground. One I -can see motionless amidst the brown, tufted grass.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29"></a>[Pg 29]</span> -No, not quite motionless. Ever and anon there -comes the strained, grating call-note of another -peewit, and then this one rears up the body and -jerks the head a little back, then jerks it flexibly -forward again. At first he does this in silence, but -soon answering the cry. You see the thin little black -bill divide as he bobs, and the sound comes out of -it as though drawn by a wire—so roopy and raspy -is it. Now he can contain himself no longer, but -begins to walk about through the grass, making a -devious course, and uttering the call at intervals. -Very different is this note from the joyous, musical -'coo-oo-oo, hook-a-coo-ee, coo-ee.' Still, it is in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30"></a>[Pg 30]</span> -harmony with nature, with the stillness, the sadness, -the loneliness. This standing or pacing about whilst -calling roopily, and, as it were, in a stealthy manner -to each other, should be a very prosaic affair, one -would think, for a pair of peewits after such glorious -flying, but, no doubt, there is some excitement in it. -Perhaps it is thought a little fast, as some slow things -with us are, and hence the peculiar charm.</p> - -<p>"Now these two birds are standing lazily on two -of the black molehills which are all about the marshy -land—some of them of a size beyond one's comprehension—and -making the wire-drawn cry at intervals -to each other. Lazily they stand, lazily they utter -it, and seem as though they had taken up their -roosting-place for the night. But when the night -falls they will be hurrying shadows in it, and their -cries will come out of the darkness, mingling with -the bleatings of the snipe."</p> - -<p>There is a sameness and yet a constant difference -in the aerial sports and evolutions of peewits. It -is like a continual variation of the same air or a -recurrent thread of melody winding itself through -a labyrinth of ever-changing notes. Parts of the -melody are where two skim low over the ground in -rapid pursuit of each other. One settles, the other -skims on, then makes a great upward sweep, turns, -sweeps down and back again, again rises, turns and -sweeps again, and so on, rising and falling over the -same wide space with the regular motions and long -rushing swing of a pendulum. Each time it comes -rushing down upon the bird that has settled, and -each time, at the right moment, this one makes a -little ascension towards it, sometimes floating above<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31"></a>[Pg 31]</span> -it as it passes, sometimes beneath, alighting again -immediately afterwards. This may continue for -some little time, the one bird passing backwards and -forwards over or under the other as long as he is -received in the same way. Gradually, however, these -little sorties against him from being at first hardly -more than balloon-jumps—springs with aid of wings—become -more and more prolonged, and extended -outwards into his own radius of flight. The bird -making them no longer alights in the same or nearly -the same place as where he went up, but farther -and farther away from it, the figure is lost, or becomes -indistinct, "as water is in water," till at last the two -are flying and chasing each other again.</p> - -<p>This upward sweep from near the ground—sometimes -from nearly touching it—with its attendant -sweep back again, is one of the greatest beauties of -the peewit's flight—a flight that is full of beauties. -He does it often, but not always in quite the same way; -it is a varying perfection, for each time it is perfect, -and sometimes it seems to vie with almost any aerial -master-stroke. The bird's wings, as it shoots aloft, -are spread half open, and remain thus without being -moved at all. The body is turned sideways—sometimes -more, sometimes less—and the light glancing -on the pure soft white of the under part, makes it -look like the crest of foam on an invisible and -swiftly-moving wave. As the uprush attains its -zenith, there is a lovely, soft, effortless curling over -of the body, and the foam sinks again with the wave. -Such motions are not flight, they are passive abandonings -and givings-up-to, driftings on unseen currents, -bird-swirls and feathered eddies in the thin<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32"></a>[Pg 32]</span> -ocean of the air. It is, I think, the cessation of -all effort on the bird's part which makes the great -loveliness here. The impetus has been gained in -flight before—acres of moorland away sometimes—it -"cometh from afar." The upward fall, the delicious, -crested curl and soft, sinking swoon to the earth are -all rest—rhythmical, swift-moving rest.</p> - -<p>Another curious and extremely pretty performance—a -familiar bar of that thread of melody, that "main -theme" of the "movement"—is when two birds, one -just a little behind the other, and at slightly different -elevations, both make the same movements, in quick -succession, the bird behind mimicking the one in front -of him in a kind of aerial follow-my-leadership. Does -the one pause and hang on extended wings that -rapidly beat the air, the other does so too. Does -it sail on a little, and then make a sideway dive, it -is imitated in the same way, and thus, often for quite -a little while, the two will understudy each other—for -each, I think, may alternately become the leader. -Again—if this is not merely a development of the -above—two of them will hover on outstretched wings -directly over and almost touching each other. Sometimes, -indeed, they do touch, for the bird that is stretched -above is continually trying to strike down on the other -one with his wings, and often succeeds by making a -sudden little drop on to him—a drop which is only -of an inch or so—quite covering him up for a moment. -Then, disjoining, they will flap along for some while, -still close together, flashing out alternately dark and -silver, as if showing their glints to each other, till in -two "dying falls" they sweep apart, and skim the -ground and double-loop the heavens.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33"></a>[Pg 33]</span></p> - -<p>When peewits seem thus to battle together with -their wings, in the air, it may well be that they are -really fighting, in which case we may perhaps assume -that they are two males, and not male and female. -But as what I shall have to say with regard to the -stock-dove on this point may be applied to the peewit, -and as I have better evidence in the case of the -former bird, I will not dwell on it longer here.</p> - -<p>But the question arises whether in many other -cases, when the sporting birds would seem to be male -and female, this is really the case. One is apt to -think so at first, but when one sees, often, a third bird -associate itself with a pair who are thus behaving, and -join for a little in their antics, or when one of a pair -desisting and alighting on the ground, the other continues -to sport in precisely the same way with another -bird, or when, again, the supposed lovers become two -of a small flock or band, and all sport thus together, -crossing and intermingling till they again separate: -one must suppose that these evolutions, though they -may be mostly of a nuptial character, are not sexual -in the strictest sense of the term, but that the social -element enters more or less largely into them. But -amongst savages there are, I believe (if not, let us -imagine that there are), dances, the theme of which is -marriage, where sometimes men, sometimes women, -sometimes men and women, dance together, all having -in their mind the primitive ideas suggested by that -great institution, men thinking of women, women of -men, under every kind of grouping. One may suppose -it to be thus with the peewits, as they sport with one -another in the air during the nuptial season, in which -case the social and sexual elements would be a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34"></a>[Pg 34]</span> -changing and varying factor. One may say, indeed, -that there can be no sexual sport or play into which -the social element does not also, and necessarily, -enter. This is, no doubt, true, strictly speaking, but -the latter may be so merged in the former that practically -it does not exist.</p> - -<p>Some of the peewits' nuptial and non-aerial bizarreries -are of this nature, but as they are peculiar, and -seem to stand in some relation to another great class -of avian activities, I shall reserve them for a future -chapter.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page034.png" width="350" height="289" alt="Mouse" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35"></a>[Pg 35]</span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page035.png" width="591" height="600" alt="Stock-doves, Wood-pigeons, Snipe, etc." /> -</div> - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2> - -<p class="sub-title">Watching -Stock-doves, -Wood-pigeons, -Snipe, etc.</p> - - -<p>I have alluded to the aerial combats of the stock-dove -during the nuptial season as elucidating similar -movements on the part of the peewit, though I was -not able so fully to satisfy myself as to the meaning -of these in the latter bird. The fighting of birds on -the wing has sometimes—to my eye, at least—a very -soft and delicate appearance, which does not so much -resemble fighting as sport and dalliance between the -sexes. Larks, for instance, have what seem, at the -worst, to be delicate little mock-combats in the air, -carried on in a way which suggests this. Sometimes, -rising together, they keep approaching and retiring -from each other with the light, swinging motion of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36"></a>[Pg 36]</span> -shuttlecock just before it turns over to descend, and -this resemblance is increased by their flying perpendicularly, -or almost so, with their heads up and tails -down. Indeed, they seem more to be thrown through -the air than to fly. Then, in one fall, they sink -together into the grass. Or they will keep mounting -above and above each other to some height, and then -descend in something the same way, but more sweepingly -(for let no one hope to see exactly how they do -it), seeming to make with their bodies the soft links of -a feathered chain—or as though their own "linked -sweetness" of song had been translated into matter -and motion. In each case they make all the time, -as convenient, little kissipecks, rather than pecks, at -each other.</p> - -<p>Again, in the case of the redshank, though I have -little doubt now that the following, which was both -aquatic and aerial, was a genuine combat between two -males, yet often at the time, and especially in its preface -and conclusion, it seemed as though the birds were of -opposite sexes, and, if fighting at all, only amorously.</p> - -<p>"Two birds are pursuing each other on the bank -of the river. The water is low, and a little point -of mud and shingle projects into the stream. Up and -down this, from the herbage to the water's edge and -back again, the birds run, one close behind the other, -and each uttering a funny little piping cry—'tu-tu-oo, -tu-oo, tu-oo, tu-oo.' It is one, as far as I can see, -that always pursues the other, who, after a time, flies -to the opposite bank. The pursuer follows, and the -chase is now carried on by a series of little flights -from bank to bank, sometimes straight across, sometimes -slanting a little up or down the stream, whilst<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37"></a>[Pg 37]</span> -sometimes there is a little flight backwards and forwards -along the bank in the intervals of crossing. -This continues for something like an hour, but at -last the pursuing bird, as both fly out from the bank, -makes a little dart, and, overtaking the other one, -both flutter down into the stream. They rise from -it straight up into the air like two blackbirds fighting, -then fall back into it again, and now there is -a violent struggle in the water. Whilst it lasts the -birds are swimming, just as two ducks would be -under similar circumstances, and every now and -then, in the pauses of exhaustion, both rest, floating -on the water. The combat would be as purely -aquatic as with coots or moor-hens, if it were not -that the two birds often struggle out of the water -and rise together into the air, where they continue -the struggle, each one rising alternately above the -other and trying to push it down—it would seem -with the legs. These were the tactics adopted in -the water too, but yet, with a good deal of motion -and exertion, there seems but little of fury. The -birds are not <i>acharné</i>, or, at least, they do not -seem to be. It is a soft sort of combat, and now -it has ended in the combatants making their -mutual toilette quite close to one another. One -stands on the shore and preens itself, the other sits -just off it on the water and bathes in it like a duck."</p> - -<p>Even here, owing principally to the friendly toilette-scene, -I was not quite clear as to the nature of the -bird's actions. How completely I at first mistook -it in the case of the stock-dove with the way in -which it was afterwards made plain to me, the -following will show:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38"></a>[Pg 38]</span></p> - -<p>"Most interesting aerial nuptial evolutions of the -male and female stock-dove.—They navigate the air -together, following each other in the closest manner, -one being, almost all the while, just above the other, -their wings seeming to pulsate in time as soldiers -(if sweet birds will forgive such a simile) keep step. -Now they rise, now sink, making a wide, irregular -circle. Both seem to wish, yet not to wish, to -touch, almost, yet not quite, doing so, till, when -very close, the upper one drops lightly towards the -one beneath him, who sinks too; yet for a moment -you hear the wings clap against each other. This -sounds faintly, though very perceptibly; but the -distance is great, and it must really be loud. Every -now and again the wings will cease to vibrate, and -the two birds sweep through the air on spread -pinions, but, otherwise, in the manner that has been -described. I must have watched this continuing for -at least a quarter of an hour before they sunk to the -ground together, still maintaining the same relative -position, and with quivering wings as before. Here, -however, something distracted me, the glasses lost -them, and I did not see them actually alight. Another -pair rise right from the ground in this manner,<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> one -directly above the other, quiver upwards to some -little height, then sweep off on spread pinions, following -each other, but still at slightly different elevations. -They overtake one another, quiver up still higher, -with hardly an inch between them, then suddenly, -with an, as it were, 'enough of this,' sweep apart and -float in lovely circles, now upwards now downwards. -As they do this another bird rushes through the air<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39"></a>[Pg 39]</span> -to join them, he circles too, all three are circling, -the light glinting on one, falling from another, thrown -and caught and thrown again as if they played at -ball with light."</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> But I did not see what they were doing before they rose.</p></div> - -<p>I thought, therefore, that birds when they flew in -pairs like this were disporting themselves together in -a nuptial flight, and making—as indeed this, in any -case, is true—a very pretty display of it. What was -there, indeed—or what did there seem to be—to -indicate that angry passions lay at the root of all -this loveliness? But I had not taken sufficiently -into consideration that sharp clap of the wings indicating -a blow—a severe one—on the part of one of -the birds with a parry on that of the other. This -is how stock-doves, as well as other pigeons, fight -on the ground, and it is as an outcome and continuation -of these fierce stand-up combats—which there -is no mistaking—that the contending birds rise and -hover one over the other, in the manner described. -My notes will, I think, show this, as well as the -curious and, as it were, formal manner in which -the ground-tourney is conducted.</p> - -<a name="Illus_40" id="Illus_40"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page040.png" width="600" height="331" alt="Stock-doves: A Duel with Ceremonies." /> -<div class="caption"><i>Stock-doves: A Duel with Ceremonies.</i></div> -</div> - -<p>"Two stock-doves fighting.—This is very interesting -and peculiar. They fight with continual blows of the -wings, these being used both as sword—or, rather, -partisan—and shield. The peculiarity, however, is -this, that every now and again there is a pause in the -combat, when both birds make the low bow, with tail -raised in air, as in courting. Sometimes both will -bow together, and, as it would seem, to each other—facing -towards each other, at any rate—but at other -times they will both stand in a line, and bow, so that -one bows only to the tail of the other, who bows to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40"></a>[Pg 40]</span> -the empty air. Or the two will bow at different -times, each seeming more concerned in making his -bow than in the direction or bestowal of it. It is -like a little interlude, and when it is over the combatants -advance, again, against each other, till they -stand front to front, and quite close. Both, then, -make a little jump, and battle vigorously with their -wings, striking and parrying. One now makes a -higher spring, trying, apparently, to jump on to his -opponent's back, and then strike down upon him. -This is all plain, honest fighting, but there is a constant -tendency—constantly carried out—for the two -to get into line, and fight in a sort of follow-my-leader -fashion, whilst making these low bows at intervals. -It is a fight encumbered with forms, with a heavy, -punctilious ceremony, reminding one of those ornate -sweeps and bowing rapier-flourishes which are entered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41"></a>[Pg 41]</span> -into before and at each pause in the duel between -Hamlet and Laertes, as arranged by Sir Henry Irving -at the Lyceum. There were four or five birds -together when this fight broke out, but I could not -feel quite sure whether the non-fighting ones watched -the fighting of the other two. If they did, I do not -think they were at all keenly interested in it. Also, -the fighting birds may sometimes, when they bowed, -have done so to the birds that stood near, but it -never seemed to me that this was the case, and it -certainly was not so in most instances."</p> - -<p>In the spring from the ground which one of the -fighting birds sometimes makes, coming down on the -other one's back and striking with the wings, we -have, perhaps, the beginning of what may develop -into a contest in the clouds, for let the bird that is -undermost also spring up, and both are in the air -in the position required; and it is natural that the -undermost should continue to rise, because it could -more easily avoid the blows of the other whilst in the -air, by sinking down through it, than it could on the -ground at such a disadvantage. Whether, in the -following instance, the one bird jumped on to the -other's back does not appear, but, as will be seen, the -flight, which I had thought to be of a sexual and -nuptial character, was the direct outcome of a scrimmage. -"A short fight between two birds.—It is -really most curious. There is a blow and then a -bow, then a vigorous set-to, with hard blows and -adroit parries, a pause with two profound bows, -another set-to, and then the birds rise, one keeping -just above the other, and ascend slowly, with quickly -and constantly beating wings, in the way so often<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42"></a>[Pg 42]</span> -witnessed. It would appear, therefore, that the curious -flights of two birds up into the air, the one of them -exactly over, and almost touching, the other—wherein, -as I have noted, there is frequently a blow with the -wings which, to judge by the sound reaching me from -a considerable distance, must be sometimes a severe -one—are the aerial continuations of combats commenced -on the ground." Sometimes, that is to say. -There seems no reason why birds accustomed thus -to contend, should not sometimes do so <i>ab initio</i>, and -without any preliminary encounter on mother earth—and -this, I believe, is the case.</p> - -<p>Here, then, in the stock-dove we have at the -nuptial season a kind of flight which seems certainly -to be of the nature of a combat, very much resembling -that of the peewit at the same season. I have seen -peewits fighting on the ground, and once they were -for a moment in the air together at a foot or two -above it, and the one a little above the other. This, -however, may have been mere chance, and I have -not seen the one form of combat arise unmistakably -out of the other, as in the case of the stock-doves. -But assuming that in each case there is a combat, -is it certain that the contending birds are always, -or generally, two males, and not male and female? -It certainly seems natural to suppose this, but with -the stock-dove, at any rate (and I believe with pigeons -generally), the two sexes sometimes fight sharply; -and, moreover, the female stock-dove bows to the -male, as well as the male to the female, both which -points will be brought out in the following instances:—</p> - -<p>"A hen bird is sitting alone on the sand, a male<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43"></a>[Pg 43]</span> -flies up to her and begins bowing. She does not -respond, but walks away, and, on being followed and -pressed, stands and strikes at her annoyer with the -wings, and there is, then, a short fight between the -two. At the end of it, and when the bowing pigeon -has been driven off and is walking away, having his -tail, therefore, turned to the one he is leaving, this -one also bows, once only, but quite unmistakably. -The bow was directed towards her retiring adversary, -and also wooer, the two birds therefore standing in -a line." And on another occasion "A stock-dove -flies to another sitting on the warrens, and bows to -her, upon which she also bows to him. Yet his -addresses are not successfully urged."</p> - -<p>The sexes are here assumed, for the male and -female stock-dove do not differ sufficiently for one to -distinguish them at a distance through the glasses. -When, however, one sees a bird fly, like this, to -another one and begin the regular courting action, -one seems justified in assuming it to be a male and -the other a female. Both, however, bowed, and there -was a fight, though a short one (I have seen others -of longer duration), between them. It becomes, -therefore, a question whether the much more determined -fights which I have witnessed are not also -between the male and the female stock-dove, and -not between two males. If so, the origin of the -conflict is, probably, in all such cases—as it certainly -has been in those which I have witnessed—the -desires of the male bird, to which he tries to make -the female submit. That she, in the very midst of -resisting, taken, as it would seem, "in her heart's -extremest hate," should yet bow to her would-be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44"></a>[Pg 44]</span> -ravisher seems strange, but she certainly does so. -Whether it would be more or less strange that two -male birds, whilst fiercely contending, should act in -this way, I will leave to my readers to decide, and -thus settle the nature of these curious ceremonious -encounters and their graceful and interesting aerial -continuations, to their own satisfaction.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a></p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> With this suggestion, however, that fighting may be blended with -sexual display in the combats of male birds owing to association of -ideas, for rivalry is the main cause of such combats.</p></div> - -<p>However it may be, the bow itself—which I will -now notice more fully—is certainly of a nuptial character, -and is seen in its greatest perfection only when -the male stock-dove courts the female. This he does -by either flying or walking up to her and bowing -solemnly till his breast touches the ground, his tail -going up at the same time to an even more than -corresponding height, though with an action less -solemn. The tail in its ascent is beautifully fanned, -but it is not spread out flat like a fan, but arched, -which adds to the beauty of its appearance. As it is -brought down it closes again, but, should the bow -be followed up, it is instantly again fanned out and -sweeps the ground, as its owner, now risen from his -prostrate attitude, with head erect and throat swelled, -makes a little rush towards the object of his desires. -The preliminary bow, however, is more usually followed -by another, or by two or three others, each -one being a distinct and separate affair, the bird -remaining with his head sunk and tail raised and -fanned for some seconds before rising to repeat. -Thus it is not like two or three little bobs—which -is the manner of wooing pursued by the turtle-dove—but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45"></a>[Pg 45]</span> -there is one set bow, to which but one elevation -and depression of the tail belongs, and the offerer -of it must not only regain his normal upright attitude, -but remain in it for a perceptible period before making -another. This bow, therefore, is of the most impressive -and even solemn nature, and expresses, as much as -anything in dumb show can express, "Madam, I am -your most devoted."</p> - -<p>I believe—but I am not sure, and quite ready to -be corrected—that the stock-dove's bow is either a -silent one, or, at least, that the note uttered is subdued—the -latter seems the more probable. At any rate, -I was never able to catch it, either when watching -on the warrens at a greater or less distance, or when -not so far, amongst trees—for the stock-dove woos -also amongst the leafy woods, as does the wood-pigeon, -of which it is a smaller replica, but without -the ring. "The male wood-pigeon, when courting, -bows to the female lengthways along the branch on -which he is sitting, elevating his tail at the same time, -in just the same way as does the stock-dove. As he -does so, he says 'coo-oo-oo,' the last syllable being -long drawn out, and having a very intense expression, -with a rise in the tone of it, sometimes almost to the -extent of becoming a soft shrillness. Having delivered -himself of this long 'coo-oo-oo,' he says -several times together in an undertone, and very -quickly, 'coo, coo, coo coo,' or 'coo, coo, coo, coo, -coo, coo, coo,' after which, rising, and then bowing -again, he recommences with the long-drawn, impassioned -'coo-oo-oo,' as before. All this he repeats -several times, the number, probably, depending on -whether the female bird stays to hear his addresses<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46"></a>[Pg 46]</span> -or, as is usual in the contrary, flies away. If she -admits them pairing may take place, and at the -conclusion of it both birds utter a peculiar, low, deep, -and very raucous note which I have heard on this -occasion, but on no other."</p> - -<p>If the courting of the female stock-dove by the -male whilst on the ground, or amongst the branches -of a tree, is of a somewhat heavy nature—more -pompous than beautiful—as is, I think, the case, it -is lightened in the most graceful manner by the -aerial intermezzos—the broidery of the theme—which -charmingly relieve and set it off; for often, "after -bowing and walking together a little, near, but not -touching—a Hermia and Lysander distance—both -rise, both mount, attain a height, then pause, and, -as from the summit of some lofty precipice, descend -on outspread joy-wings in a very music of motion. -It is pretty, too, to watch two of them flying together -and then alighting, when one instantly bows before -the other with <i>empressé</i> mien. Before, you have not -known which was which, or who was escorting the -other. Now you feel sure that it is <i>he</i>—the <i>empressé</i>, -the pompously bowing bird—who has taken <i>her</i>—the -retiring, the coy one—for a little fly." For though -it is undoubted that the female stock-dove bows to -the male, yet, in courting, it is the male, I believe, -who commences and carries it to a fine art.</p> - -<p>There are no birds surely—or, at least, not many—who -can sport more gracefully in the air than these. -"One is sitting and cooing almost in a rabbit-burrow, -and so close to a rabbit there that it looks like a little -call. Sure enough, too, after a while, the bird, who, -of course, is the visitor, rises—but into the air <i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: sans ceremonie">sans -cérémonie</span></i>—and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47"></a>[Pg 47]</span> makes as though to fly away. But -having gone only a little distance, with quick strokes -of the wings, it rests upon their expanded surface, -and, in a lovely easy sweep, sails round again in the -direction from whence it started. It passes beyond -the place, the wings now again pulsating, then makes -another wide sweep of grace and comes down near -where it was before. In a little it again rises, again -sweeps and circles, and again descends in the neighbourhood. -Another now appears, flying towards it, -and as it passes over where the first is sitting, this -one rises into the air to meet it. They approach, -glide from each other, again approach, and thus -alternately widening and narrowing the distance -between them, one at length goes down, the other -passing on to alight, at last, at that distance which -the etiquette of the affair prescribes. This circling -flight on swiftly resting wings is most beautiful. The -pausing sweep, the lazy onwardness, the marriage, as -it were, of rest and speed is a delicious thing, another -sense, a delicate purged voluptuousness, a very banquet -to the eye." Such beauty-flights are almost -always in the early morning, when appreciative -persons are mostly in bed, seen only by the dull -eye of some warrener walking to find and kill the -beasts that have lain tortured in his traps all night, -exciting (if any) but a murderous thought at the -time, with the after-reflection, "If I'd a had a gun -now——"</p> - -<p>Stock-doves, as is well known, often choose rabbit-burrows -to lay their eggs in, and, having regard to -their powers of flight and arborial aptitudes, it might -be thought that but for the rabbits they would never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48"></a>[Pg 48]</span> -be seen on these open, sandy tracts, the abode of the -peewit, stone-curlew, ringed plover, red-legged partridge, -and other such waste-haunting species. But -the nesting habits of a bird must follow its general -ones almost necessarily in the first instance, and -though there are many apparently striking instances -to the contrary, they are probably to be explained -by the former having remained fixed whilst the -latter have changed. No doubt, therefore, the stock-dove -began to spend much of its time on the ground -before it thought of laying its eggs there, and of the -facilities offered by rabbit-holes for so doing. That -the habits as well as the organisms of all living -creatures are in a more or less plastic and fluctuating -state is, I believe, a conclusion come to by Darwin, -and it agrees entirely with the little I have been -able to observe in regard to birds. I have seen the -robin redbreast become a wagtail or stilt-walker, the -starling a wood-pecker or fly-catcher, the tree-creeper -also a fly-catcher, the wren an accomplished tree-creeper, -the moor-hen a partridge or plover, and so -on, and so on, all such instances having been noted -down by me at the time. Most birds are ready to -vary their habits suddenly and <i>de novo</i> if they can -get a little profit on the transaction, and the extent -to which they have varied gradually in a long course -of time and under changed conditions is, of course, -a commonplace after Darwin. The wood-pigeon has -not yet begun to lay its eggs in rabbit-holes or -anywhere but in trees and bushes, but that it may -some day do so is not improbable, for it comes -down sometimes, though not very frequently, on the -same sandy wastes that are loved by the stock-dove,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49"></a>[Pg 49]</span> -and here, like him, the male will court the female as -though on the familiar bough.<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> When I have seen -him courting her thus on the ground, the low bow -which he makes her has been prefaced by one or -more curious hops, which I have not seen in the -stock-dove's courting. They look curious because -they are so out of character, hopping being, as far -as I know, a mode of progression foreign to all the -<i>columbidæ</i>. Whether the wood-pigeon hops upon any -other occasion I cannot be sure. If he does not—and -it is certainly not his usual habit—his adoption -of it here may be looked upon as a purely nuptial -antic. In this the lark, which is also a stepping -and not a hopping bird, keeps him company, as -would the cormorant, were it not that he hops often -as a matter of convenience. Larks I have not seen -hop in everyday life, though sometimes I have -thought that they did when running quickly over -ploughed land in winter, as starlings often do when -they break from a run which has become too quick -for them into a running hop. But I came to the -conclusion that this was only apparent, and due to -their up and down motion over the clods of earth. -A hop is quite foreign to the lark's disposition, yet, -when courting, "the male bird advances upon the -female with wings drooped, crest and tail raised, -and with a series of impressive hops." The hop of -the wood-pigeon, under similar circumstances, is of a -heavy and deliberate nature, as might be expected his -build and size, and has the same set and formal from -character as the bow which immediately follows it.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> The same remark applies to the turtle-dove.</p></div> - -<p>The turtle-dove bows too, in courtship, but it is a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50"></a>[Pg 50]</span> -series of quick little bows, or, rather bobs, which he -makes to his <i>fiancée</i> instead of one or more slower -and much more imposing ones. Essentially, however, -it is the same thing. The pace has been quickened -and the interval lessened, whilst, to allow of the -increased speed, the bow itself has been shorn of -much of its pomp and circumstance, so that it has -become, as I say, a mere bob. The turtle-dove may -perform some half-dozen or more of these bobs, taking -less time, perhaps, to get through them than do his -larger relatives to achieve one of their solemn and -formal bows. Still he is pompous too, he bends down -low at the shrine, and though each little bob may -not be much in itself, yet, when thus strung together, -the display as a whole is equal to the other two.</p> - -<p>All the time he is thus bowing or bobbing the -turtle-dove utters a deep, rolling, musical note which -is continuous (or sounds so), and does not cease till -he has got back into his more everyday attitude. -The hen looks sometimes surprised, sometimes as -though she had expected it, and sometimes, I think,—but -of this I am not quite positive—she will -return the little series of musical bobs. This is in -tree-land; but I have seen the turtle-dove court -on the ground, and he then, between his bobbings, -made a curious dancing step towards the female, who -retired and gave her final answer by flying away. -But, besides this, these birds have another and most -charming nuptial disportment. Sitting <i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: a deux">à deux</span></i> in -some high tree, one of them will every now and again -fly out of it, mount upwards, make one or two circling -sweeps around and above it, then, after remaining -poised for some seconds, descend on spread wings<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51"></a>[Pg 51]</span> -in the most graceful manner, alighting on the same -branch beside the waiting partner. This is a beautiful -thing to see, and especially in the early fresh morning -of a clear, lovely day. It seems then as if the bird -kept flying up to greet "the early rising sun," or as -rejoicing in the beauty of all things. These are the -coquetries, the prettinesses of loving couples, as to -which—on one side at least—what has not been said -by the writers of our clumsy race! But "if the lions -were sculptors"—How might a bird novelist expatiate!</p> - -<a name="Illus_50" id="Illus_50"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page050.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Turtle-Doves: The Nuptial Flight." /> -<div class="caption"><i>Turtle-Doves: The Nuptial Flight.</i></div> -</div> - -<p>Not less beautiful is the nuptial flight of the wood-pigeon. -Of this, the clapping of the wings above the -back is the most salient feature, a sound which is -never heard during the winter or after the breeding-season -is fairly <span class="correction" title='In the original book: over. "In full'>over. In full</span> flight, the bird smites -its wings two or three times smartly together above -the back, then, holding them extended and motionless, -it seems to pause for one instant—if there can be -pause in swiftest motion—before sinking and then -rising and sinking again, as does a wave, or as though -it rested on an aerial switchback. Then continuing -his flight—recommencing, that is to say, the strokes -of his wings—he may do the same when he has gone -a few air-fields farther, and so "pass in music out of -sight." Sometimes there will be only a single clap -of the wings instead of two or three,<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> but always it -is made just before the still-spreading of them, and -the hanging pause in the air; for let the speed be -never so great—and it hardly seems possible that it -could be checked so suddenly, and why should the -bird wish to check it?—yet the effect upon the eye -of the wings extended and motionless after they have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52"></a>[Pg 52]</span> -been pulsating so rapidly is as of a pause. This -pause, or rather this rest-in-speed, as the bird, renouncing -all effort, is carried swiftly and placidly -onwards in a curve of the extremest beauty has a -delicious effect upon one. One's spirit goes out until -one seems to be with the bird oneself, hanging and -sweeping as it does. Yet in this glory of motion it -will often be shot by beings, in all grace and beauty -and poetry of life, how infinitely its inferiors! This -makes me think of Darwin's comment upon Bate's -account of a humming-bird caught and killed by a -huge Brazilian spider, wherein the destroyer and the -victim—"one, perhaps, the loveliest, the other the most -hideous in the scale of creation"<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a>—are contrasted. -Spiders, too, had they their Phidiases, might be -idealised and made to look quite beautiful in marble, -even perhaps to our eyes (what cannot genius do?) -whilst to their own, of course, the <i>spider</i> form would -be "the spider form divine."</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> Sometimes, too, not any, the flight being the same.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> I quote from memory.</p></div> - -<p>Wood-pigeons will also fly circling about above the -trees in which they have been sitting, in rapid pursuit -of each other, and whilst doing so, one or other of -them may be heard to make a very pronounced -swishing or beating sound with the wings, reminding -one of the peewit, nightjar, and a great many other -birds. Of instrumental music produced during flight, -the snipe is a familiar example. Here, however, the -very peculiar and highly specialised sound known as -bleating or drumming is produced, not by the feathers -of the wing, but by those of the tail, which have -been specially modified, as we may suppose (those, at -least, of us who are believers in that force), by a pro<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53"></a>[Pg 53]</span>cess -of musical sexual selection. To quote Darwin: -"No one was able to explain the cause until Mr -Meves observed that on each side of the tail the -outer feathers are peculiarly formed, having a stiff -sabre-shaped shaft with the oblique barbs of unusual -length, the outer webs being strongly bound together. -He found that by blowing on these feathers, or by -fastening them to a long thin stick and waving them -rapidly through the air, he could reproduce the -drumming noise made by the living bird. Both -sexes are furnished with these feathers, but they are -generally larger in the male than in the female, and -emit a deeper note."</p> - -<p>The possibility of reproducing the sound in the -manner described seems conclusive as to the cause -of it. Otherwise I should have come to the conclusion, -by watching the bird, that the wings and -not the tail were the agency employed.</p> - -<p>"I have just been watching for some time a snipe -continually coursing through the air and making, -at intervals, the well-known drumming or bleating -sound,—bleating certainly seems to me the word -which best expresses its quality. The wings are -constantly and quickly quivered, not only when the -bird rises or flies straight forward, but also during -its swift oblique descents, when one might expect -that they would be held rigid in the ordinary manner. -From each sweep down the bird rises and beats -again upwards, but when the flight has been continued -long enough the wings are pressed to the -sides as the plunge to earth is made, which is also -one way in which the lark descends. It is during -these downward flights—but not during the descent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54"></a>[Pg 54]</span> -to earth—that the sound strikes the ear. A second -bird flies, to my surprise and interest, quite differently. -After scudding about for some little time in a devious -side-to-side pathway, less up and down, as it seems -to me, than the other, it suddenly tilts itself sideways, -or almost sideways—one wing pointing skywards, -the other earthwards—and makes a rapid -swoop down, with the wings not beating. I watch -it doing this time after time, both with the naked -eye and through the glasses, and each time that the -swoop is made no bleating or other sound accompanies -it: the flight is noiseless, like that of an -ordinary bird. Two other snipes are now flying -about in this latter way and chasing each other. -At first—and this included a great many sweeps -down—I heard no sound. Afterwards I thought I -heard it faintly sometimes, but could not be sure -that it was not made by another bird—a frequent -difficulty in watching snipe." Again, "A snipe is -standing alone 'in the melancholy marshes,' quite -still, and uttering the creaky, <span class="correction" title="In the original book: sea-sawey">see-sawey</span> note. I can -see the two long mandibles of the beak dividing -slightly and again closing. The note is now thin -and subdued, but, the bird taking flight suddenly, it -becomes much accentuated. It joins two other birds -in the air, and all three now sport and pursue each -other about, constantly uttering this cry, but bleating -only occasionally. I am lying flat on the ground, -and they often fly close about and over me, the light, -too, being good, it being all before 5.40, and not -much after 5, perhaps, when it commenced (this was -April 4th). I note that they often descend through -the air without vibrating the wings, and there is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55"></a>[Pg 55]</span> -then no bleating sound—this whilst quite close. I -think—but am not yet quite sure—that they sometimes -descend in this way uttering the cry. When -they bleat, however, there is never the cry at the -same time. It is impossible to tell when these birds -are going to alight, as they often descend in the -manner that they use when alighting, but, when -almost down, skim a little just over the ground, and, -rising again, continue their flight as before. Yet -that they have had it in their mind to alight I feel -sure, for they always do so with that particular action."</p> - -<p>Since, then, the snipe has two ways of making his -rapid descents through the air, in one of which he -quivers his wings and in the other not, and since, -on the latter occasion, the bleat is not heard or, if -heard, only faintly, it would be natural to suppose -that the sound—if not vocal—was produced by the -rapidly vibrating feathers of the wing when in swift -downward motion rather than by those of the tail, -which should not, one would think, be affected by -the difference. Also the fact of the vocal note not -being uttered at the same time as the bleat might -make one think that this, too, was vocal. Such arguments, -however, would be at best but "poor seemings -and thin likelihoods"—the last one, I believe, not -supported by what we know (at least I cannot at -the moment think of a bird that produces vocal and -instrumental music at the same time). If the sound -can really be reproduced by waving the modified -feathers of the tail, then this is a demonstration.<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a></p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> I have lately observed that when the snipe descends with quivering -wings, some outer feathers of the tail on each side are shot out from -it in a most noticeable manner, making—or looking like—two little -curved tufts. They are not seen before, which seems to me strong -evidence. The tail itself is fanned.</p></div> - -<p>Snipe, as already observed, descend to the ground<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56"></a>[Pg 56]</span> -in order to alight upon it in a manner quite different -to the oblique downward-shooting sweeps, with wings -extended, whether vibrating or not, as practised in -ordinary nuptial flight. There are three ways, possibly -more; but three I have seen. In the first the bird -shoots gracefully down, with the wings pressed to the -sides, as already described. In the second the wings -are raised straight, or almost straight, above the back, -and this gives, perhaps, a still more graceful appearance. -The third way is not nearly so usual a one as -the other two—in fact, I only recall having seen it -once. In this the wings are but half spread (whilst -held in the ordinary manner) and motionless, and the -bird descends in several sweeps to one side or the -other, something after the manner in which a kite -comes to the ground. No sound attends any of these -forms of descent.</p> - -<p>The cry of the snipe which I have alluded to, is -of a curious nature, something like the word "chack-wood, -chack-wood, chack-wood, chack-wood," constantly -repeated, and having a regular rise and fall -in it, which is why I call it a "see-saw note." Sometimes, -when the bird is a little way off, it sounds very -much like a swishing of the wings; but when these -are really swished, as they often are—purposely, I -believe, and as a nuptial performance—the difference -is at once apparent. "Two snipes will often fly -chasing each other, uttering this note, and making -from time to time the loud swishing with the wings. -Often, too, there will be a short, harsh cry—harsh, but -with that wild, loved harshness that lives in the notes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57"></a>[Pg 57]</span> -of birds that haunt the waste—which is instantly -followed by a swishing of the wings, making quite -a music in the air. When at its loudest and harshest, -this cry, which then becomes a scream, is quite an -extraordinary sound, having a mewing intonation in -it suggesting a cat as the performer. Yet it is nothing -so extraordinary as some notes of the snipe which I -have heard, mostly during the winter, and which are -indeed—at least they have struck me as being so—amongst -the most wonderful that ever issued from -the throat of bird. I will recur to them again when -I come to the moor-hen (for it was in his company -I heard them), a bird that is itself as a whole orchestra -of peculiar brazen instruments. These wild cries and -screams blend harmoniously with the curious, monotonous, -yet musical bleating, and come finely out of -the gloom of the evening thickening into night, as -it descends over the wide expanse of the fenlands. -Best heard then—and there: the darkening sky, the -wide and wind-swept waste of coarse tufted grass, -amongst which brown dock-stalks stand tall-ly and -thinly, the long, raised bank with its thin belt of -reeds beyond, emphasising rather than relieving the -flatness, the lonely thorn-bush, the stunted willow or -two, the black line of alders marking the course of -the sluggish river, the wind, the sad whispered music -in the grasses, the wilder music in the air, the aloneness, -the drearness—such voices fit such scenes."</p> - -<p>The male and female snipe both bleat, but the -feathers in the tail which produce the sound are less -modified in the female, and the sound which they -produce is said to be different in consequence. That -there must be a difference would seem to follow of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58"></a>[Pg 58]</span> -necessity; but, according to my own experience, it -requires a nice ear to distinguish the bleating of the -one sex from that of the other. There is, indeed, some -slight difference in the sound made by each individual -snipe, but I only once remember hearing one bleating -with a markedly different tone. Here the sound had -a lower, softer, and deeper intonation, and was, to my -mind, a more musical sound altogether. When heard -just before or after the bleat of another snipe the -difference was very marked, but I considered it to -be rather an individual than a sexual distinction, -for I do not know that there is any reason to suppose -that the female snipe bleats less frequently than the -male except when she is sitting on her eggs.</p> - -<p>Snipe, when bleating, fly round and round in a wide -irregular circle, and for a long time one will not overstep -the invisible boundary so as to encroach upon the -domain of the other. It seems—but the illusion will -be broken after a time—as though each bird had his -allotment in the fields of air and knew that he would -be guilty of a rudeness in entering that of another. -Thus, though three or four of them may be flying -and bleating in the neighbourhood, it is often difficult -to watch more than one at a time with anything -like closeness of observation, a difficulty which is -often increased by the failing light; for, in my own -experience, snipe bleat best either in the early—though -not very early—morning, or when evening -has begun to close in. To follow their wide, swift, -eccentric circle of flight one must keep turning round -on a fixed point, and this, amidst swamp and grass-tufts, -is difficult to do without losing one's balance. -Yet still one watches and turns and strains one's eyes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59"></a>[Pg 59]</span> -into the darkness, unable to go, for one loves to see -that small, swift, vocal shadow appearing out of the -great, still, silent ones and disappearing, again, into -them. When thus disporting, each within its own -charmed circle, the downward rush and bleat of one -snipe will often for a long time immediately precede -or follow that of another, bleat answering to bleat, -till at length the duet is broken and complicated by -a third intermingling voice. At last a bird, trampling -on etiquette, will flit into the circle of the one you -are watching, and the two, excitedly pursuing each -other with "chack-wood, chack-wood," or, with the -harsh, wild scream and loud swish of pinions, will -speed off and vanish together.</p> - -<p>No doubt the male snipes bleat against each other -in rivalry, but it would also seem (a sentence, I confess, -which I never use when I have an undoubted instance -to give) that the male and female bleat to one another -connubially, or in a lover-like manner. Here, however, -is an instance (as I translate it) of the one -bleating whilst the other sits listening and responding -vocally on the ground.</p> - -<p>"A snipe flies with a scream over the marshy -meadows. As he passes one little swampy bit another -snipe utters from out of it the see-sawey, 'chack-wood' -note, in answer, as it appears, to the scream. -The first snipe now flies round about over the meadows -and land adjoining, bleating, whilst the other one in -the grass continues to see-saw."</p> - -<p>Many birds, as is well known, have the instinct, -when suddenly discovered with their young ones, of -tumbling over or fluttering along the ground as -though they had sustained some injury which had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60"></a>[Pg 60]</span> -rendered them unable to fly, so that the murderous -or thievish longings of "the paragon of animals" -being diverted from their progeny to themselves, the -former may take thought and escape. The nightjar, -partridge, and, especially, the wild-duck, are good -instances of this, and in every case where I have -come upon them under the requisite conditions they -have never failed to show me their shrewd estimate -of man's nature. With all these three birds, however, -it has always been the presence of the young that -has moved them to act in this manner, their conduct -during incubation being quite different. The instance -which I am now going to bring forward with regard -to the snipe has this peculiarity, if it be one, that -the bird was hatching her eggs at the time and was -still engaged in doing so a few days afterwards, -proving that the young were not just on the point -of coming out on the occasion when she was first -disturbed. As I noted all down the instant after its -occurrence, the reader may rely upon having here -just exactly what this snipe did.</p> - -<p>"This morning a snipe flew out of some long reedy -grass within a few feet of me, and almost instantly -taking the ground again—but now on the smooth, -green meadow—spun round over it, now here, now -there, its long bill lying along the ground as though it -were the pivot on which it turned, and uttering loud -cries all the while. Having done this for a minute -or so, it lay, or rather crouched, quite still on the -ground, its head and beak lying along it, its neck -outstretched, its legs bent under it, with the body -rising gradually, till the posterior part, with the tail, -which it kept fanned out, was right in the air. And<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61"></a>[Pg 61]</span> -in this strange position it kept uttering a long, low, -hoarse note, which, together with its whole demeanour, -seemed to betoken great distress. It remained thus -for some minutes before flying away, during which -time I stood still, watching it closely, and when it was -gone, soon found the nest, with four eggs in it, in -the grass-tuft from which it had flown. Its action -whilst spinning over the ground was very like that -of the nightjar when put up from her young ones." -It is to be noted here that this snipe flew a very -little way from the nest, and when on the ground -did not travel over it to any extent, but only in -a small circle just at first, after which it kept in one -place. The Arctic skua (Richardson's skua, as some -call it, but I hate such appropriative titles—as though -a species could be any man's property!) behaves in -the same kind of way, for, lying along on its breast, -with its wings spread out and beating the ground, -it utters plaintive little pitiful cries, keeping always -in the same, or nearly the same, spot. This has, -of course, the effect of drawing one's attention to -the bird, and away from the eggs or young (whether -it acts thus in regard to both I am not quite sure, -but believe that it does), but the effect produced on -one—though here, of course, as throughout, I only -speak for myself—is that the bird is in great mental -distress—prostrated as it were—rather than acting -with any conscious "intent to deceive." The same is -the case with the nightjar, whose sudden spinning -about over the ground in a manner much more -resembling a maimed bluebottle or cockchafer than -a bird, seems to proceed from some violent nervous -shock or mental disturbance. The same, too, though<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62"></a>[Pg 62]</span> -in a lesser degree, may be said of the partridge, and -in all cases it is obvious that the bird is very -much excited and <i>ausser sich</i>.</p> - -<p>Darwin, if I remember rightly,<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> found it difficult -to believe that birds, when they thus distract our -attention from their young to themselves, do so with -a full consciousness of what they are doing and -why they are doing it. When the female wild-duck, -however, acts in this manner, it is difficult, I think, -to escape from this conclusion. She flaps for a long -way over the surface of the water, pausing every -now and again and waiting, as though to see the -effect of her ruse, and continuing her tactics as soon -as you get up to her. Having thus led you a long -distance away, she rises, and leaving the river, flies -in an extended circle, which will ultimately bring -her back to it by the other bank when you are well -out of the way. The chicks, meanwhile, have (of -course) scuttled in amongst the reeds and rushes, -though they often take some little while to conceal -themselves. She acts thus on a river or broad stretch -of water, which enables her to keep you in sight -for some time. But it is obvious that if you come -upon her with her family in a very narrow and sharply -winding stream, the first bend of it will hide you -from her, and she would then, assuming that she -is acting intelligently, have all the agony of mind -of not knowing whether her plan was succeeding or -not. It was in such a situation that I met her only -last spring, and to my surprise—and indeed, admiration—instead -of flapping along the water as I have -always known her to do before in such a <i>contre-temps</i><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63"></a>[Pg 63]</span>, -she instantly flew out on to the opposite bank, -and began to flap and struggle along the flat marshy -meadow-land, of course in full view. I crossed the -stream and pursued her, allowing her to "fool me -to the top of my bent," and this she appeared to -me to do, or to think she was doing, on much the -same kind of <i>indicia</i> as one would go by in the -case of a man. Now, unless this bird had wished -to keep me in view, and thus judge of the effect of -her stratagem, or unless she feared that "out of -sight" would be "out of mind" with regard to herself -(but this would be to credit her with yet greater -powers of reflection), why should she have left the -water, the element in which she usually and most -naturally performs these actions, to modify them on -the land? Yet to suppose that it has ever occurred -suddenly, and as a new idea, to any bird to act a -pious fraud of this kind, would be to suppose wonders, -and also to be unevolutionary (almost as serious a -matter nowadays as to be un-English).</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> But I have not been able to find the passage, so may be mistaken.</p></div> - -<p>But may we not think that an act, which in its -origin has been of a nervous and, as it were, pathological -character, has become, in time, blended with -intelligence, and that natural selection has not only -picked out those birds who best performed a mechanical -action—which, though it sprung merely from -mental disturbance, was yet of a beneficial nature—but -also those whose intelligence began after a time -to enable them to see whereto such action tended, -and thus consciously to guide and improve it? There -is evidence, I believe—though neither space nor the -nature of this slight work will allow me to go into -it—that such abnormal mental states as of old in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64"></a>[Pg 64]</span>spired -"the pale-eyed priest from the prophetic cell," -and to-day influence priests or medicine-men amongst -savages (to go no farther), can be, and are, combined -with ordinary shrewd intelligence; nor does it seem -too much to suppose that a bird that was always -seeing the effect of what it did when it, as it were, -fell into hysterics, should have come in time to reckon -upon the hysterics, to know what they were good -for, and even to some extent to direct them—as a -great actor in an emotional scene must govern himself -in the main, though, probably, a great deal of the -gesture, action, and facial expression is unconsciously -and spontaneously performed.</p> - -<p>Now, if we assume that these ruses employed by -birds for the protection of their young—as in the -case of the wild-duck—have commenced in purely -involuntary movements, without any proposed object, -the instance here given of the snipe may perhaps -throw some light upon their origin. A bird, whilst -incubating, and thus, hour after hour, doing violence -to its active and energetic disposition, is under the -influence of a strong force in opposition to and -overcoming the forces which usually govern it. Its -mental state may be supposed to be a highly-wrought -and tense one, and it therefore does not -seem surprising that some sudden surprise and -startle at such a time, by rousing a force opposite to -that under the control of which it then is, and producing -thereby a violent conflict, should throw it off -its mental balance and so produce something in the -nature of hysteria or convulsions. But let this once -take place with anything like frequency in the case -of any bird, and natural selection will begin to act.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65"></a>[Pg 65]</span> -As the eggs of a bird are stationary, and do not run -away or seek shelter whilst the parent bird is thus -behaving in their neighbourhood, it would, on the -whole, be better for it to sit close or to fly away in -an ordinary and non-betraying manner. Allowing this, -then, as the eggs of a bird would be less exposed to -danger the less often the sitting bird went off them -in this way, might not natural selection keep throwing -the impulse to do so farther and farther backwards -till after the incubatory process was completed? Then -the tendency would be encouraged—at least in the case -of birds whose young can early get about—for, as a -rule, such antics would shield them better than sitting -still. The young would generally be in several places—giving -as many chances of discovery—and, on -account of the suddenness of the surprise, would often -be running or otherwise exposing themselves. Take, -for instance, the case of the wild-duck, where I have -always found the brood a most conspicuous object at -first, and taking some time, even on reedy rivers, to -get into concealment.</p> - -<p>And I can see no reason why an aiding intelligence -in the performance of such movements should not be -selected <i>pari passu</i> with the movements themselves, -though of a nervous and, originally, purely automatic -character. Natural selection would, in this way, develop -a special intelligence in the performance of -some special actions, out of proportion to the general -intelligence of the creature performing them, though, -no doubt, this also would tend to be thereby enlarged. -And this is what, in fact, we often do see or seem to see.</p> - -<p>I may add that when, a few days afterwards, I -again approached this same nest the bird went off it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66"></a>[Pg 66]</span> -without any performance of the sort. This, if we could -be sure that it was the same bird, would seem to show -that the habit was in an unfixed and fluctuating -condition. On the other hand, a bird that acts thus -in the case of its young, would, I think, always act so.</p> - -<p>Perhaps it may be wondered why I have not included -the peewit in the list of birds which employ, -or appear to employ, a ruse in favour of their young -ones, since this bird is always given as the stock -instance of it. The reason is, that whilst the birds I -mentioned have always, in my experience, gone off, -so to speak, like clock-work, when the occasion for -it arrived, I have never known a peewit to do so, -though I have probably disturbed as many scores—perhaps -hundreds—of them, under the requisite -conditions, as I have units of the others. I have also -inquired of keepers and warreners, and found their experience -to tally with mine. They have spoken of the -cock bird "leading you astray" aerially, whilst the hen -sits on the nest, and of both of them flying, with -screams, close about your head when the young are -out, which statements I have often verified. But they -have never professed to have seen a peewit flapping -over the ground as with a broken wing, in the way it -is so constantly said to do. I cannot, therefore, but -think that, by some chance or other, an action common -to many birds has been particularly, and yet wrongly, -ascribed to the peewit. As it seems to me, this is just -one of those cases where negative evidence is almost -as strong as affirmative, and though, of course, quite -ready to accept any properly witnessed instance of the -peewit's acting in this way, I cannot but conclude that -it does so very rarely indeed.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67"></a>[Pg 67]</span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page067.png" width="600" height="497" alt="Wheatears, Dabchicks, Oyster-catchers, etc." /> -</div> - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2> - -<p class="sub-title">Watching Wheatears, Dabchicks, Oyster-catchers, -etc.</p> - - -<p>The wheatear is common over the warren-lands, and -as I have been so fortunate as to witness for a whole -afternoon, and very closely, a series of combined displays -and combats on the part of two rival males, -which struck me as very interesting, and as bearing -on the question of sexual selection, I will give the -account <i>in extenso</i>, as I noted it down from point -to point between the intervals of following the birds -about on my hands and knees. Should the narrative -be tedious—and it is, I confess, somewhat minute—I -need not ask my readers to absolve nature and give -me the blame of it, for I am assured that anyone in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68"></a>[Pg 68]</span> -the least degree interested in birds and their ways -might have lain and watched these bizarreries a -hundred times repeated, without wishing to get up -and go. My observations were made on the last -day but one of March, and are as follows:—</p> - -<p>"2.30 (about).—Two male wheatears have for some -time been hopping about in each other's company, -and one now makes a hostile demonstration against -the other. This he does by advancing and lowering -the head, with the beak pointed straight forward, -ruffling out the feathers, fanning the tail, and making -a sudden, swift run towards him. He stops, however, -before the point of actual contact, and the two birds -hop about, each affecting to think very little about -the other." The wheatear, I should say, always hops, -and, by so doing, always give me something of a surprise, -for there is that in his appearance which does -not suggest hopping, but rather that he would run -over the ground like a wagtail. His hops, however, -are so quick, and take him forward so smoothly, that -the effect on the eye is often much more like running -than hopping. I therefore often speak of him as -running, though, I believe, he never does so in the -strict sense of the word. To continue. "After some -time, during which there was nothing specially noteworthy -in their behaviour, the two birds flew, one after -the other, to some little distance off on a higher and -more sandy part of the warren, and here a female -wheatear appeared, hopping near them. One of the -males at once ran to her, but had instantly to fly -before the fierce wrath of the other. The hen then -flew to a stunted willow in the neighbourhood, where -she sat perched amongst the topmost twigs, the males<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69"></a>[Pg 69]</span> -not following her, but continuing to hop about in each -other's vicinity as before. She remained there some -five or ten minutes, when she flew out over the -warrens, and with my attention concentrated on the -rival birds, I lost her, and cannot say where she went -down.</p> - -<p>"One of the male wheatears now enters a shallow -depression in the ground—not a hole, or the mouth -of a rabbit-burrow, but one of those natural fallings -away of the soil which make rugged and give a -character to these sandy, lichen-clothed wastes. As -soon as he is in it he seems to become excited, and -running forward and coming out on the opposite -brink, he flies from this to the one by which he -has entered, hardly two feet off, then instantly back -again, again to the other, and so backwards and forwards -some dozen or twenty times, so rapidly that -he makes of himself a little arch in the air constantly -spanning the hollow, all in the greatest excitement. -Finishing here, he runs a little way to another such -depression, enters it, and coming out again, acts in -precisely the same way, making the same little -rapidly moving arch of two black up-and-down-pointed -wings, moving now this way, now that, now -forwards, now backwards, from edge to edge of the -trough, perching each time on each edge of it, but -so quickly, it seems rather to be on the points of -the wings than the feet that he comes down. Wings -are all one sees; they whirl forwards and backwards, -backwards and forwards, making a little arch or -bridge, the highest point of which, in the centre—which -is the point of the upper wing—is some two -feet from the floor of the trough, whilst the point<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70"></a>[Pg 70]</span> -of the lower one almost touches it. All this time -the other male bird is quite near, but seems to take -little notice of the performance. At length the -frenzied one desists from his madness of motion, -and the two now hop about over the warren as -before, closely in each other's company. In some -ten minutes or so there is the same display—or -rather frenzy—but whether made by the same bird -or the other one I am unable to say. This time -it commences on the even turf and not in a hollow, -but after a few throws the bird finds one and throws, -thenceforth, over that." I have seen, I think, a -Japanese acrobat throw a wonderful succession of -somersaults backwards and forwards within his own -length. With the bird there was no somersault, but -the effect was something the same. The man's body -also presented the appearance of an arch in the air -(as when one vibrates a lighted joss-stick from side -to side), but, as the bird moved much more quickly, -the resemblance in its case was more perfect.</p> - -<p>"Once or twice again, now, one of the two birds -acts in the same way, always seeming to prefer to -do so over a depression in the ground. One then -flies up a little way into the air, descends again, -and, on alighting, instantly recommences as before, -again, I think, over a slight hollow. The motion is -equally violent, but not so long continued, some -seven or eight flings, perhaps, in all. At the end -of it he stops still, advances the head straight forwards, -lowering it a trifle, swells the feathers, and -broadly fans the tail. Then the two birds fly at each -other, but almost in the act of closing they part, with -a little twitter, and commence hopping over the warren<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71"></a>[Pg 71]</span> -as before. It is a constant little run of hops, a pause, -and then another little run of hops, each bird following -the other about in turn, the distance between -them being, as a rule, from two or three feet to -five or six paces.</p> - -<p>"3.10.—Another little fly up into the air, followed -by the frenzied dance on descending. Then the two -come together in the mouth of a rabbit-burrow, fly -at each other as before, separate again almost immediately, -and continue their hopping over the warren, -the one still dogging the other.</p> - -<p>"3.30.—The two fly at each other as though to -fight; but, again, just as they seem about to meet, -they avoid, and quicker than the eye can follow they -are a yard or so apart. One of them then dances -violently from one depression of the soil to another, -arching the space between the two; at the end of it -he fans out the tail and stands looking defiantly at -his rival, who fans his and returns the glance, then -makes a little run towards him, sweeping the ground -with it. Instead of fighting, however, which both -the champions seem to be chary of, one of them -again runs into a hollow—this time a very shallow -one—and begins to dance, but in a manner slightly -different. He now hardly rises from the ground, over -which he seems more to spin in a strange sort of -way than to fly—to buzz, as it were—in a confined -area, and with a tendency to go round and round.<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> -Having done this a little, he runs quickly from the -hollow, plucks a few little bits of grass, returns with -them into it, drops them there, comes out again,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72"></a>[Pg 72]</span> -hops about as before, flies up into the air, descends, -and again dances about.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> Very like the action of the nightjar when disturbed with the young -chicks.</p></div> - -<p>"At about four the female reappears, flying from -the warren towards the same willow-tree where she -had before sat. She perches in it again, and after -remaining but a short time, flies down, and once -more becomes invisible. Shortly afterwards one of -the male birds flies to a little distance, but whether -towards her or not I cannot say. He then rises into -the air and descends with a twittering song, upon -which the other one, who has remained where he -was, does so too. The two are now a good way -apart, but the distance is soon diminished till they -are again quite near, when one of them flies away, -then turns and flies back again and settles not quite -so near. As he does so, the other one flies in an -opposite direction, and at the end of his flight rises -into the air with the twitter-song and descends, when -the other immediately does the same, just as before. -Then again they hop, now this way, now that way, -but always diminishing the distance, till at length -not more than some three or four feet separates -them. But it must not be supposed (and this applies -throughout) that the birds seem to have any sinister -intention, or even any impertinent curiosity, in regard -to each other. They do not advance openly to the -attack, but get to close quarters in a very odd sort -of way. Seeming for the most part to be unconscious -of each other's presence, hopping constantly -away from and approaching one another but obliquely, -they in reality dog each other's steps and -keep a constant eye on each other's movements. -When at length there is but this short space be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73"></a>[Pg 73]</span>tween -them, they stand for a moment looking at -each other, yet without any very warlike demonstration. -Then, all at once, one darts upon the other—so -swiftly that I cannot be sure whether he flies, -hops, or does both—and there is now a fierce and -prolonged fight. For a moment or two they are in -the air (though not at any height), then struggling -on the ground, when one, getting uppermost, holds -the other down. At last they separate, and for a -few seconds stand close together as though recovering -breath. Then, as by mutual consent, they retire -from each other to a short distance and hop about -again in the same manner as before. One of them -then again flies singing into the air, and on coming -down dances, but to this the other does not respond, -and now all goes on in the usual way, the birds -getting once or twice again quite close, but separating -without fighting. At half-past four there is another -twittering flight into the air, and a dance on descent, -which is emulated in a few minutes by the rival bird. -Shortly afterwards one flies a considerable way off, -but is followed almost at once by the other, and the -same thing goes on. Then there is another flight -and song with, this time, no dance on descent, but, -as though to make up for this omission, on the next -occasion, which is some few minutes afterwards, there -are two distinct transports on alighting, separated by -a short interval. On this occasion the bird did not -sing either in ascending or descending.</p> - -<p>"Here some other birds claimed my attention, and -I was away for a quarter of an hour. On returning, -at a quarter to five, I found the two wheatears still -together, and precisely the same thing going on.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74"></a>[Pg 74]</span> -Shortly after five they again fought, but this time -entirely in the air. They mounted, fighting, to a -considerable height, descended, still doing so, and -separated in alighting. Afterwards both of them -sang whilst on the ground, and then one mounted -up, still singing, and danced when he came down. -At half-past five I could only see one of the birds, -and this one I noticed to run several times in and -out of one of those sandy depressions I have spoken -of, and which seem to play such a part in these -curious performances. A little later both of them seem -gone, but now, at a quarter to six, as I am about to -follow their example, I again see them, in company -with the hen. She shortly runs a little away from -them, the two males remaining together, but making -no further demonstration. In a little, one of them -flies to her, and these two are now in each other's -company, singing, flying, and twittering, for some ten -minutes. It would seem as though she had made -her choice, and that this was submitted to by the -rejected bird, but just before leaving at six o'clock -all three are again together."</p> - -<p>It is to be observed here that these two birds, -though they were in active and excited rivalry for -the greater part of an afternoon, and though they -made many feints and, as it were, endeavours to -fight, yet only really fought twice, seeming, indeed, -to have a considerable respect for each other's prowess, -and "letting I dare not wait upon I will" during -most of the time. Perhaps they were brave, but -the idea given me by the whole thing was -that of two cowards trying to work themselves up -into a sufficient degree of fury to overcome, for a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75"></a>[Pg 75]</span> -moment or two, their natural timidity. "Willing -to wound, but yet afraid to strike," seemed to me -to describe their mental attitude.</p> - -<p>Much has been said as to the pugnacity of -birds, but I think that a large amount of timidity -often mingles with this pugnacity, even in the most -pugnacious kinds. I have seen, for instance, two -pheasants sit, first, face to face, pecking timidly at, or -rather towards, each other, and then, on rising, make -various little half-hearted feints and runs, one at -another, as though trying to fight and not being -able to, and this for quite a long time. At last one -of them ran to some distance away, and then, turning, -made a most tremendous, fiery rush down upon the -other one, like a knight in the tilt-yard. Nothing -could have looked bolder, more spirited, more full of -fire and fury, but—just like these wheatears—at the -very moment that he should have hurled himself -upon his foe he swerved timidly aside, and all his -brave carriage was gone in a moment. And what -struck me (and, indeed, as humorous) was that this -other bird—the one thus charged down upon—who -had been just as timid, and had seemed to find -fighting equally difficult, did not retreat, as one -might have expected, before this great show, but -sat quietly, as knowing it to be "indeed but show," -and that there was nothing really to fear. In fact, -it was like the drawing of swords between Nym and -Pistol in <i>Henry V.</i>, each being afraid to use his, -and knowing the other to be so too. Black-cocks, -again, are often very ready to avoid a conflict, and -dance much more fiercely than they fight. A bird, -indeed, which is a very demon in the "spiel" or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76"></a>[Pg 76]</span> -"lek-platz" may, as I have seen, become meek and -retreat from it upon the entry of another, which other -is then, of course, <i>ipso facto</i>, the boldest bird in existence. -Blackbirds are considered to be quarrelsome,<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> -and I know that even the hens—or, perhaps, -they especially—will sometimes fight in the most -vindictive manner. But, as with these wheatears, I -have seen in the case of rival cock blackbirds a -great deal of chariness of real fighting mingle with -much ostentation of being ready to fight.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> Whereas the thrush (it is usually added) is peaceable. But this is one -of those passed-on things with which natural history is burdened. From -my own experience, I know it to be otherwise. I have watched -thrushes fighting furiously, not only with one another but with the -blackbird also.</p></div> - -<p>I am not, of course, disputing the pugnacity of -birds during the breeding season and often at other -times. That is quite beyond doubt, and proofs or -instances of it are altogether superfluous. But the -pugnacity is all the greater if, in order for it to -assert itself, a greater or less degree of timidity, -varying, of course, in different species and individuals, -must first be overcome. Assuming that this is -sometimes the case (and I know not how else such -instances as I have given are to be explained), is -it so unlikely that rival birds, wishing to fight yet -half afraid to, and being thus in a state of great -nervous tension, should fall into certain violent or -frenzied movements, into little paroxysms of fury, -as when a man is popularly said to "dance with -rage"? Anything that excites highly tends to -exalt the courage and conquer fear, as we know -with our own martial music, to say nothing of the -"pyrrhic" and other dances. It seems possible,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77"></a>[Pg 77]</span> -therefore, that such violent movements as are here -imagined might have this effect, and thus, though -excited originally by rage—or some high state of -emotion—only, might be persisted in and increased -through experience of their efficacy. But if this -does ever happen, may we not have here the origin—or -one of the origins—of those undoubted displays -made by the male bird to the female, on which the -theory of sexual selection is chiefly based? That -the male birds should, in the beginning, have consciously -displayed their plumage, in however slight -a manner, to the females, with an idea of it striking -them, seems improbable, and, even if we might -assume the intelligence requisite for this, the theory -of sexual selection supposes the beauty of the plumage -to have been gained by the display of it, not that -the display has been founded upon the beauty. Then -what should first lead a bird of dull plumage consciously -to display this plumage before the female? -A mere habit of the male, increased and perfected -by the selective agency of the female (as this is explained -by Darwin), has hitherto—as far as I know—been -considered a sufficient explanation of the -origin and early stages of such displays as are -now made by the great bustard, the various birds -of paradise, or the argus pheasant. But if we can -show a likelihood as to how this habit has arisen -we are, at least, a step farther forward, even if a -slight difficulty has not thereby been removed.</p> - -<p>Now, with regard to these wheatears, it will, I -think, be admitted that the little frenzies of the -male birds—as I have described them—were of a -very marked, and, indeed, extraordinary nature, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78"></a>[Pg 78]</span> -also, perhaps, that it is more easy to look upon -them as sudden bursts of excitement—nerve-storms -or emotional whirlwinds, so to speak—than as displays -intended to attract the attention of the female -bird. Certainly there was nothing like a set display -of the plumage; and, with regard to the female, the -question arises, Where was she, at least during the -greater part of the time? The two male birds in -the course of their drama got over a considerable -amount of ground, and constantly flew from one part -to another, so that, in order to have had anything -like a good view, the female must have accompanied -them, and I must then, perforce, have seen her, which -I did not, except on the occasions related. She was, -therefore, not with them, and, if watching them at all, -could only have been doing so from such a distance -that the dancings of the male birds would have been -very much thrown away. Yet that she took some interest -in what was going on appears likely from her -flying up twice into the willow tree during its continuance, -and being with the two rivals at the end of the -day. She might, too, have been listening to the song -and observing the flights up into the air, which would -have been much more noticeable from a distance.</p> - -<p>One might expect a female bird to take <i>some</i> -interest in two male ones fighting for her merely, -without any adjunct, and if they added to the fighting -peculiar violent movements, such as those here described, -that interest would tend to become increased. -Now I can imagine that with this material of violent -motions on the one side and some amount of interested -curiosity on the other, the former might gradually -come to be a display made entirely for the female,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79"></a>[Pg 79]</span> -and the latter a greater or lesser degree of pleasurable -excitement raised by it with a choice in accordance, -which is sexual selection. And that the display -would come at last to be made intelligently, and -with a view to a proposed end—as in the case supposed -of the female wild duck (or other bird) diverting -attention from its young—I can also understand. In -both instances mere nervous movements due to a high -state of excitement would have been directed into a -certain channel and then perfected by the agency -either of natural or sexual selection.</p> - -<p>On this view the curiosity (passing insensibly into -interest and satisfaction) of the female bird would -have been directed, at first, not to the plumage but -to the frenzied actions—the antics—of the male, and -he, on his part, would have first consciously displayed -only these. From this to the more refined appreciation -of colours and patterns may have been a very -gradual process, but one can understand the one -growing out of the other, for waving plumes and -fluttering wings would still be action, and action is -emphasised by colour.</p> - -<p>Where, however, such movements had not been -seized upon and controlled by the latter of these two -powers—<i>i.e.</i> sexual selection—(and there is no -necessity that they should be), we should have antics -not in the nature of sexual display properly speaking, -but which might yet bear a greater or less -resemblance to such. That this is, in fact, the case -has been pointed out by the opponents of sexual -selection, and often as if it were evidence against it -(though no one, unfortunately, can point to men as -a ground for disbelief in armies). Mr Hudson, for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80"></a>[Pg 80]</span> -instance, in his very interesting work, "The Naturalist -in La Plata," after bringing forward a number of -cases of curious dance-movements (or of song), performed -by birds, and which are, in his opinion, not -to be explained on the theory of sexual selection, -says, in regard to other cases brought forward by -Darwin in support of that theory:</p> - -<p>"How unfair the argument is, based on these carefully -selected cases gathered from all regions of the -globe, and often not properly reported, is seen when -we turn from the book<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a> to nature, and closely consider -the habits and actions of all the species inhabiting -any <i>one</i> district!"</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> But from <i>which</i> "book"? Not, I suppose, from Darwin's alone.</p></div> - -<p>Now, had Darwin been of opinion that antics performed -by a bird which could not, or could not -easily, be explained by his theory, were fatal to it -in other cases—if he had thought that the one was -inconsistent with the other—then, no doubt, it would -have been unfair on his part to have marshalled the -affirmative evidence without concerning himself with -the negative. But why should he have held that -view, or on what good grounds can such a view be -maintained? As well might it be argued—so it -appears to me—that woollen or other goods could -only have been produced through the action of the -loom, or some such special machinery. But let the -wool be there, and it can be worked up in various -ways. Mr Hudson would account for all such displays -or exhibitions by "a universal joyous instinct" present -throughout nature, but to which birds are more -subject than mammals. I do not dispute the instinct—or -rather, perhaps, the emotion—or that some of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81"></a>[Pg 81]</span> -the displays in question may be due to it simply -and solely: but I cannot believe that all are. Why -should this be the case, or how can movements which -are often of a complex and elaborate nature be -explained solely by reference to some large general -factor, such as joy or vital energy? These may lie -at the root of all; but something else, some more -special process is, I think, in many cases required. -One would not be content to explain all the phenomena -of history by a reference to human nature, and -though it may be true, as the Kaffirs say, that in a -cattle-kraal there can only be one bull, yet nature -is a good deal larger than a cattle-kraal. I believe -myself that various antics which are performed by -birds have grown out of various nervous, excited, or -automatic movements arising under the influence of -various special causes. Two such possible causes—viz. -(1) sudden alarm whilst incubating, and (2) -paroxysms of rage or nervous excitement during -rivalry for the female I have already indicated. Two -other possible ones have also been suggested to me -by some of my observations, and I will now, by the -aid of these, make an attempt—I daresay a lame -one—to throw light on the possible origin of a -very extraordinary case of bird-antics, described -by Mr Hudson in the work I have mentioned, and -which is believed by him to be unique.</p> - -<p>The bird in question is the spur-winged lapwing, -and the following is Mr Hudson's account of its -performances:—</p> - -<p>"If a person watches any two birds for some time—for -they live in pairs—he will see another lapwing, -one of a neighbouring couple, rise up and fly to them,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82"></a>[Pg 82]</span> -leaving his own mate to guard their chosen ground; -and instead of resenting this visit as an unwarranted -intrusion on their domain, as they would certainly -resent the approach of almost any other bird, they -welcome it with notes and signs of pleasure. Advancing -to the visitor, they place themselves behind -it; then all three keeping step begin a rapid march, -uttering resonant drumming notes in time with their -movements, the notes of the pair behind being emitted -in a stream, like a drum-roll, while the leader utters -loud single notes at regular intervals. The march -ceases; the leader elevates his wings and stands erect -and motionless, still uttering loud notes; while the -other two, with puffed-out plumage, and standing -exactly abreast, stoop forward and downward until -the tips of their beaks touch the ground, and, sinking -their rhythmical voices to a murmur, remain for some -time in this position. The performance is then over, -and the visitor goes back to his own ground and -mate, to receive a visitor himself later on."</p> - -<p>Now the most curious point in this remarkable -performance, so well described, is that three birds—a -pair (male and female), and one other, whether male -or female is not stated—take part in it, and how is -this fundamental peculiarity to be explained better on -the theory of "a universal joyous instinct" than on -that of sexual selection, if, indeed, the former one helps -us so well? Joy, no doubt, is there, but something else—some -shaping force—is surely required to account -for the particular form in which it finds expression. -Now with regard to the peculiarity pointed out—the -odd bird (though all act oddly)—I have, whilst -watching birds in the early spring, been struck by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83"></a>[Pg 83]</span> -frequency with which three of the same species will -be seen in each other's company, usually chasing one -another about, and, as with the spur-winged lapwing, -these three are almost always made up of a pair -(a male and female) and another bird, a male, as -I believe. It may be said that here there can be -no analogy, for that it is either merely a case of -two males courting one female, or that the odd male -is both a rival and intruder, endeavouring to come -between the married happiness of two who have made -their choice. This latter explanation is the one that -has generally seemed to me to meet the case, but -what I have frequently noticed with surprise is that -the state of anger, or, indeed, fury, which one might -imagine would obtain under such circumstances between -the two male birds, is either wholly absent, -or very much subdued. Now it is in the case of our -own peewit, more than with any other species, that -I have noticed this quite amicable association of three -birds, two of which would often seem to be a paired -couple, and as my notes, made whilst I had the birds -under observation, both illustrate the point and contain -the explanation of it which I have to offer, I will -here quote from them:</p> - -<p>"<i>February 25th.</i>—Three peewits in company with -each other. Two are flying close together, as though -they were a paired couple, whilst one follows them at -a short interval.</p> - -<p>"<i>February 27th.</i>—Three peewits flying together in -the same way as before—that is to say two, which -may be paired birds, are close together, whilst there -is commonly a short space between them and the -third one. This arrangement may be temporarily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84"></a>[Pg 84]</span> -suspended or reversed by the bird that has been -separated getting up to the other two, when one of -these will often fall behind, so that now the bird -which was the follower makes one of the two -advanced ones, whilst one of these has taken its -place. As there is no sexual distinction in the plumage -of peewits,<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> it is impossible to be quite sure to -what sex each of these birds belongs, but I believe -that two of them are male and female, and the third -a male, either of the two males being alternately in -the close company of the female. This, indeed, may -be in the nature of the matter. The pairing off of -the birds, we will suppose—as is likely at this time—is -not yet completed, and, assuming two of the three -to be of one sex, it may not be quite settled with -which of them the third will pair. It is not, indeed, -necessary to suppose that either of the three will eventually -pair with one of the others, though this may be -probable. But what appears to me to obtain is this, -that the association of two birds (male and female) -together has a tendency to bring up a third, presumably -a male, who envies this arrangement, and -would fain itself make one of the two. But how, -then, is the amicableness—or, at any rate, the absence -of any marked evidence of hostility—to be accounted -for? I believe that at this early season the sexual -feelings have not yet become fully developed, or so -strong as to produce jealousy to any active extent. -Things are only beginning, the emotions are, as yet, -in their infancy, and thus, I believe, the curious, not -fully defined nature of the actions of the three birds—their -seeming to be half unconscious of what they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85"></a>[Pg 85]</span> -really want or mean—may be accounted for. As the -season advances, the tendency will be more and more -for the two birds (but I here speak of birds generally) -to avoid, or actively to drive away, the third, and for -the third to find another bird for a partner, the whole -being tempered by the character both of the species of -bird and the individual birds belonging to it. The -three birds being thus brought together, without the -feelings being of a very strong or defined character, -and the feelings of animals generally being, as I -believe they are, of a very plastic nature (by which -I mean that they pass easily from one channel into -another), I can understand a sort of sport or game of -three birds together arising, at first almost imperceptible, -till, by the fundamental laws of evolution—variation -and inheritance—it might pass into something -highly peculiar, as in the case of the spur-winged -lapwing—for though such sport might commence -in the air, there would be no reason why it -should not pass from thence on to the ground. And -that the number should be three, and not more, is -thus also explained, for whilst the sight of a paired -male and female bird would be likely to excite the -sexual feelings—even though, as here supposed, -somewhat languid—of another male, so as to make -it join them, three together would hardly have this -effect in an equal degree, and, moreover, more than -three would tend to become a flock, when other -feelings would come into play. However this may be, -I have, as a matter of fact, been struck with the frequency -with which, in the early spring, three birds will -keep together, as and in the manner before stated."</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> For ordinary field observation at least.</p></div> - -<p>This, it will be observed, was written at a time of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86"></a>[Pg 86]</span> -year when peewits are only beginning their nuptial -antics, though, as to their having begun them, there -is no doubt, as I had carefully noted this at a still -earlier date. But long subsequent to this, and when -the theory of a not fully developed state of the sexual -feelings could no longer be tenable as an explanation -of non-combativeness, I noticed, or thought I noticed, -a more than usual tendency in this species for a -single bird to project itself, so to speak, into the -midst of a married pair, and for its presence not to -be resented, but rather otherwise. If this be really -so—for, of course, I may be deceived—it is interesting, -and perhaps assists the suggestion which I have -offered as to the origin of the astonishing conduct -of the spur-winged lapwing, the two being such near -relations. When the habit had once commenced, it -might continue and become fixed, irrespective of -season.</p> - -<p>But it may be said that all the evidence which I -here bring forward is of three birds being together, -and that there is none as to any sport or antic, of -however incipient or rudimentary a nature. I have, -however, often seen peewits sport and wanton in the -air in threes, but I admit that more evidence in this -direction is wanted. The little that I have, and will -here give, relates, not to the peewit, but to two birds -very different both to it and to each other. The first -of these is that attractive and delightful little creature, -the dabchick or little grebe (<i>Podiceps fluviatilis</i>), a -bird whose society I have always cultivated to the -best of my ability. My first note, taken on 14th -December, I give merely by way of showing that -sexual feelings in birds may not always lie entirely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87"></a>[Pg 87]</span> -dormant, even in the depth of winter; for, from -having long watched the same birds in the same -little reedy creek, I feel sure that the two I here -chronicle were male and female.</p> - -<p>These were "pursuing each other, first over the -water—fly-flapping along the surface in their peculiar -way—then on and under it, ducking, coming up close -together, ducking again, and so on, flapping, ducking, -and swimming, each in turn. It is very sustained -and animated, suggesting an amorous pursuit of the -female by the male, even at this time of year. They -make a great noise and splashing, they are obstreperous, -and a hen moor-hen standing staidly on some -bent reeds gives a look as though doubtful of the -strict propriety of such conduct,—in the winter,—then -with an 'Ah, well! dabchicks will be dabchicks, I -suppose, at all times,' resigns herself to the inevitable, -and takes to preening her feathers." In the other -case, which is the one that bears more directly on -the question under discussion, three dabchicks pursued -each other in this manner, one behind the other, -and following the course of the stream. The last -bird was particularly energetic, and seemed determined -to interfere with the pursuit of the foremost -by the one just in front of him. "When quite near -me they all three pitch down and instantly dive. The -first to come up stops dead still on the water, looking -keenly and expectantly over it, his neck stretched -rigidly out, his head darting forward from it at a right -angle, as rigid as the neck. The instant another one -appears, he dives again with a suddenness as of the -lid of a box going down with a snap, and this other -one has seen him at the same time, and dives still<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88"></a>[Pg 88]</span> -more quickly, if that were possible—so quickly that -there is just a swirl on the water, the appearance -seems part of the disappearance, 'and nothing is but -what is not.' And this, as I think, continues, but -owing to the rapid progress of the birds under -the water, and their getting amongst flags and -weeds, I never have an equally 'convincing' sight -of it."</p> - -<p>Now, here, on the 4th February, we have, as in -the case of the peewits, three birds together, all in -pursuit of each other, but two, as it appeared to me, -in a little more intimate association, and the third -seeming to wish to <i>make</i> a third. They chase each -other excitedly down the stream for a little, then all -pitch down upon it and dive, and one, upon coming -up, dives again at the merest sight of another who -behaves similarly, a peculiarly set and rigid attitude -being adopted by the waiting bird. Is this not something -like a little romp or water-dance following on -the excitement of the chase? True, it may have been -fighting between the two males, for dabchicks, like -the great crested grebe and other water-birds, probably -fight by diving and attacking each other beneath -the surface. To my eyes, however, it had very much -the appearance of a romp, or, at <span class="correction" title="In the original book: anyrate">any rate</span>, a something -betwixt sport and earnest. Assuming it to have -been so, then here is a habit of a sport or antic between -three birds at the end of an excited chase of -each other. Now supposing this habit to increase, -then, as the birds became more enamoured of their -little sport—as it became more and more a fixed -habit with them—is it not likely that the preliminary -chase before the romp began would be thrown more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89"></a>[Pg 89]</span> -and more into the background? The more one enjoys -a thing, the more eager is one to begin it, and as -here, the longer the chase lasted, the longer must -the romp at the end be postponed, the tendency -would be for the former to become shortened and -shortened, till at length it ceased altogether, the -approach of the one bird getting to be associated -in the minds of the other two with the sport or game -alone. In the final stage this last might be extraordinary -in a high degree, but every trace of its -origin, as here suggested, would have vanished. And -so strongly might the habit or instinct of thus romping -<i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: a trois">à trois</span></i> be now implanted, that one of any pair -of birds would be ready to join any other pair, and -they to receive him, in order to indulge in it.</p> - -<p>I can, indeed, see no reason why birds that sported -well should succeed in life better than others, but if -such sporting were an outcome of general vigour, and -vigorous birds were selected, their sportings would -be selected also. And that movements of this sort -would tend sooner or later—if only by mere preference—to -fall into some sort of form, also seems not -unlikely. It will be remembered that what I have -just recounted took place early in February, whereas -the dabchick does not, in my experience, commonly -build before May. One would not, at so early a -period, expect to find the jealous and combative -feelings of the male in regard to the female bird fully -awake, but if there were apt to be occasional sudden -outbursts of this—little flare-ups, inducing appropriate -action for a few moments and then passing quickly -away—the birds might be left, as it were, surprised -at themselves and not quite knowing what had started<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90"></a>[Pg 90]</span> -them off. The originating cause would have ceased -or subsided, but the excitation consequent on the -bodily activity which had been thus aroused would -require a further outlet, and this might pass in time -into some prescribed play or antic which might afterwards -be indulged in for its own sake.</p> - -<p>My other instance is that of the oyster-catcher. If -anyone will watch these birds closely, he may see -three of them go through a performance bearing the -same sort of resemblance to that of the spur-winged -lapwing, that the combs of the humble-bee do to -the more perfect ones of the hive-bee. He may -see, for instance, two standing side by side with their -heads bent forwards and downwards, as the two lapwings -bend theirs, though here the length of the -brilliant, orange-red bills, the tips of which, also, -almost touch the ground, make the angle of inclination -a much lesser one. In this attitude they both -of them utter a long, continuous, piping note, of a -very powerful and penetrative quality, sometimes -swaying their heads from side to side as though in -ecstasy at their own performance, and seeming to -listen intently in a manner strongly suggestive of -the musical connoisseur. The third bird, who is -obviously the female, either stands or walks at a -short distance from the two pipers, who will frequently -follow and press upon her, and then, though -the march is not quite so formal and regular, it yet -bears for a few moments a considerable resemblance -to that of the spur-winged lapwing, as described and -figured in Mr Hudson's work. Of course, there is -really no march at all in the proper sense of the -word, but there is the occasional resemblance, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91"></a>[Pg 91]</span> -the resemblance suggests the origin. In the case of -the spur-winged lapwing the play is commenced -by one bird of a pair flying to another pair, and -thus making the trio. There is the same kind of -rough and imperfect resemblance to this in the way -in which these oyster-catcher trios commonly open, -but as an account of what I actually saw may give -a better idea of how the birds act than can a mere -generalisation, I will illustrate the last point, as well -as those others which I have mentioned, by this -means.</p> - -<p>"When one of the male birds—standing near the -female—commences thus to pipe, the other one, if -on the same rock, runs excitedly up to him, and -pushing him out of the way so as to occupy almost -his exact place, pipes himself, as though he would -do so instead of him. The other, however, is not to -be silenced, but standing close by him the two pipe -together, throwing their heads from time to time -in each other's direction, and then back again, in a -frenzy or ecstasy, as though they were Highland -bagpipers of rival clans piping against each other, -and swinging their instruments as they grew inspired -by their strains. Continuing thus to act, the two -male birds approach and press upon the female. She -flies to a corner of the rock, the two, still piping -vigorously, follow and again press upon her. She -flies down upon a lower ledge of it, the two pipe -down at her from above. She flies from the rock, -they half raise their heads, and cease to pipe, then -with single querulous notes, and in their ordinary -attitude, walk disconsolately about.</p> - -<p>"After some ten minutes the female flies back again.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92"></a>[Pg 92]</span> -The demeanour of the two birds is at once visibly -affected, and they begin to pipe again, though not so -vigorously as before. They continue to do so, more -or less, at intervals, the third bird (the female) remaining -always passive, and never once piping. All at -once one of the two pipers flies violently at the other, -who flies off, and is closely pursued by him. They -alight—it would seem together—on the edge of a -great rocky slab, but are instantly at some little -distance apart, looking at each other and bearing -themselves after the manner of rivals. How they -separated, whether as recoiling from a conflict, or -avoiding it, I cannot now say. The movements of -birds are often so quick, that the eye, though it may -follow, forgets them as they pass. On another occasion, -a bird close to where I sit, on hearing the pipe -from a rock a little off the shore, becomes excited, -pipes for a moment itself, and then darts off to the -rock. On alighting, he instantly runs to the piping -bird, and the two pipe together to a third, exactly -as before. This third one, silent and unresponsive, -soon flies away. The piping instantly ceases, and -the two birds assume normal attitudes.</p> - -<p>"The note of the male oyster-catcher when thus -courting the female differs both from its ordinary one, -and, as I think, from that of the female. The usual -note is a loud 'wich, wich, wich,' or some similar -sharp, penetrative cry, constantly reiterated. The -pipe is a much more wonderful affair, and, though -harsh, is like a real composition. It is of long continuance, -beginning with something like 'kee, kee, -kee, kee, ker-vie, ker-vie, ker-vie, ker-vie, ker-vie,' a -loud and ear-piercing clamour. Gradually, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93"></a>[Pg 93]</span> -it sinks, becoming in its later stages quite faint, and -ending, commonly, in a sort of long-drawn-out, -quavering trill which the bird seems to pause upon -with pleasure. Holding down its head all the time, -it seems to drink in every tittle of the sound, and to -strive to give it its full and just expression. So much -has it, whilst doing this, the appearance of a musician, -and so much does the long, straight, orange bill resemble -a pipe it is playing on, that if fingers were to -appear there of a sudden, and begin to 'govern the -stops,' one would hardly feel surprise—for a moment -or two. A point to be noted is that the piping bird -is not always turned towards the female he is courting, -even when close beside her. He turns towards her, -commonly (perhaps always), when he begins, but -having once begun, he seems more enthralled by his -own music than by her, and will turn from side to -side, or even right round and away from her, as -though in the rhythmical sway of his piping."</p> - -<p>Here, then, at last, we have upon our own shores, -and amongst our own birds, an unmistakable case -of a display or performance of a very marked character, -in which three birds are present, though one -takes only a passive part. The motive power here -is obviously sexual; two males are, at least to all -appearance, courting one female. But I made at -the time this special observation, that, though the -rival birds did, upon two occasions, fly at each other, -and though the piping of one always brought the -other over to him to pipe in rivalry, yet, when once -they began to pipe vigorously, their interest seemed -to become centred in, and, as it were, abstracted into -this. The actual display, in this case vocal, seemed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94"></a>[Pg 94]</span> -to have become, or to be in process of becoming, of -more importance than the emotion which had given -birth to it, the essence seemed merged into the form, -the book had become its binding. I suggest that -this may be sometimes actually the case in nature, -that a movement, or a note, or series of notes, may -become itself so all-absorbing as to demand the whole -consciousness of the bird who, in performing it, -forgets the why and the wherefore of the performance. -Let this process once commence, and certain -movements—antics—performed at first with a definite -object, might be gone through at last for themselves -alone, the object having become now merely to perform -them. In this case, we should have a pure antic -or display, the reason of it being unobvious and its -origin a puzzle. Such a principle, if it exists, might, -perhaps, be called the "law of the formalisation of -actions once purposive" (which sounds learned -enough), and perhaps traces of it may be seen -amongst ourselves. What, for instance, are our -civilised dances except movements which have become -quite formal and meaningless, but which once, -as in the war-dance of the savage, had an intense -significance? The analogy is not quite perfect, unless -we could show that actual war, for instance, had sometimes -passed into a dance. Whether this has ever -been the case with man I do not know, but I believe -that it may have actually happened with some birds, -for which idea I will further on adduce my, perhaps, -somewhat slender evidence. But, coming back to -the oyster-catchers, I can understand that under -such a law as this, the actions of the two male birds -in regard to the female might gradually get to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95"></a>[Pg 95]</span> -of a quite formal and non-courting nature, and, though -I will not here try to indicate the steps by which the -female bird might gradually enter into the dance-movements -or the song, they do not seem to me -impossible to conceive of. The number of performers, -however, having once become fixed, would -be likely to continue, through habit, as long as no -other influence arose to affect it.</p> - -<p>The fact that it was in the early days of July, when -the true courting-season should have been over, that -I witnessed these movements, may perhaps strengthen -the above view.</p> - -<p>In seeking to explain such performances as those -of the spur-winged lapwing in this latter way, one -must assume the number of three birds to have -originated in accordance with general principles, and -that first there has been a real courtship of the female -bird by two males, the antics proper to which have, -at last, become stereotyped into a formal dance or -display. This, however, would not exclude the possibility -of what I have suggested in the case of the -dabchicks and common peewit, and I believe myself -that it is not by one only, but by many causes, that -the many curious antics of birds are to be explained.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page095.png" width="450" height="136" alt="Rabbit" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96"></a>[Pg 96]</span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page096.png" width="600" height="400" alt="Gulls and Skuas" /> -</div> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2> - -<p class="sub-title">Watching Gulls and Skuas</p> - - -<p>The oyster-catcher brings us to the sea, so to sea-birds -I will consecrate the next few chapters.</p> - -<p>Gulls and skuas are best watched on some lonely, -island, where they breed, and thither we will now -transfer ourselves.</p> - -<p>They breed together, or, more strictly speaking, -conterminously, and more than half of the whole -island—all that part where it is a peaty waste -clothed with a thin brown heather—is now, in early -June, their assembly ground and prospective nursery. -The gulls are in much the greater numbers, and all -of them here are of the black-backed species, mostly -the lesser of the two so named, but with a fair sprinkling -of the greater black-backed also. Lying down -and sweeping the distance with the glasses—for near -they have risen and float overhead in a clamorous -cloud—one sees everywhere the bright, white dottings -of their breasts, soft-gleaming amidst the uniform<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97"></a>[Pg 97]</span> -brown of the heather. They are not at all crowded, -but scattered widely about at irregular and, for the -most part, considerable intervals. There is rarely a -group, and though many pairs may be seen standing -closely together, yet this is the exception rather than -the rule. Most birds of such pairs as are present are -some three or four to a dozen or twenty yards apart, -whilst the greater number of the whole assembly stand -singly, the bird nearest to each, at a much greater -distance, being one of another pair. This is because -the partner birds are for the time being absent, but -every now and again one may be seen to fly up and -join the solitary one, whilst, similarly, one of a couple -will from time to time fly off and leave the other -alone. Thus, though the eye will distinguish at any -time many paired couples, to the majority of the -birds it will not be able to assign a partner with -certainty. But this varies very much. On some -occasions there will be many more close couples than -on others, and it is when this is the case that the -gullery has the most pleasing appearance. Here -and there one sees a bird, not standing, but couched -closely down amidst the heather. These birds have -laid, and are now hatching, their eggs. For the most -part they are alone, but as the season advances and -they become more and more numerous, the partner -may often be seen standing near the nest, and presenting -every appearance of a joint interest and -proprietorship in it.</p> - -<p>When a bird flies up to its partner it usually comes -down close beside it. The two will then be together -for awhile, but soon they either walk or fly to a little -distance from one another. After remaining apart<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98"></a>[Pg 98]</span> -for a longer or shorter time they visit again, then -again separate, and so they continue to act, at longer -or shorter intervals, till one or other of them flies off -to sea.</p> - -<p>This system of making each other little visits and -then going away and remaining for some time apart, -seems a feature of the gull tribe generally, and it is -particularly marked in the case of the great skua. A -pair of these birds will each have its apartments, -so to speak, and, by turns, each will be the caller -on or the receiver of a call from the other. Either, -one will walk or fly directly over to where the other -is standing or reclining, or it will make several -circling sweeps before coming down beside it, or -else—for this is another fashion—each of them will -set out to call on the other, and meeting in the -centre between their respective places, have their -gossip there.</p> - -<p>However the meeting takes place, when the birds -are together one of them will commonly bow its head -down towards the ground in a heavy sort of manner, -whilst the other stands facing it with the head and -bill lifted into the air. All at once one of the birds—usually, -I think, the caller, if either has remained at -home—turns round, raises its wings above its back, -and holding them thus, makes a heavy sort of spring -or running leap forward along the ground. This it -does several times, lowering the wings each time that -it pauses, and raising them again to make the leap. -From this it might be thought that the bird flew -rather than leapt, but this, when I saw it, did not -appear to me to be the case. It did not fly, but -only jumped with the wings held up. The birds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99"></a>[Pg 99]</span> -are now apart again as before, but after a short interval -the one that has behaved in this odd way -returns, and they again stand <i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: vis-a-vis">vis-à-vis</span></i>, regarding -each other, but this time without so much bowing -or raising of the head. Then one of them—and -I think it is the same one—turning as before, -there is almost an exact repetition, and this may -take place some three or four times in the course -of an hour.</p> - -<p>The two will then often take wing and fly for a -while together, sometimes over the sea, but more -often in a series of wide circles round and about -their home. They are masters of flight, and, after -two or three flaps, will glide for long distances without -an effort, alternately rising and sinking, varying -their direction by a turn of the head or, as it seems, -by presenting the broad surface of their wings to the -different points of the compass, and sweeping either -with or against the wind, apparently with equal ease. -Or, with the wind blowing violently (its normal state), -they will neither advance nor recede, and it is certainly -a very surprising thing to see one of these -great sombre-plumaged birds hanging motionless, -or almost motionless at but a foot or so above the -long coarse grass, which is being all the while bent -and swayed in the direction towards which its head -is turned; if it advances at all, it is against the bend -of the grass.</p> - -<p>But though I have said that the great skua is a -master of flight, I have not yet termed its flight either -graceful or majestic. For a long time, indeed (during -which I had only seen it near its temporary home), -I was unable to do so, not, at least, with a full con<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100"></a>[Pg 100]</span>viction, -for though I admired it, yet there seemed -always to be in it some want which I felt, but was -unable to define. It puzzled me, but at last I discovered -what it was, and my discovery, which acquits -the bird and is to the honour of nature, I will give -as I wrote it down directly after I had made it.</p> - -<p>"One of the great skuas has now flown right out -to sea. There its flight, which is peculiar, becomes -instantly very graceful. Descending with a sweep, -which, though majestic, is yet soft and gentle, it -seems about to sink upon the waves, when, almost as -it touches them, it glides again softly upwards, to -descend once more in the same manner. Thus, ever -rising and sinking, seeming always about to rest, yet -never resting, it glides, tireless, and seems to coquet -with the sea. On land, too, these wide circling sweeps -had had a grace and charm, but it had not entirely -pleased the eye. Something had been absent, but -what that something was, it had been beyond me to -say. Now, I knew it. What it wanted had been the -illimitable plain of the ocean which, in a moment, took -away all heaviness from the form and all harshness -from the colouring. The sombreness of the sea -blends now with its own, and the waves are moving -with its own motion. All is in harmony, the picture -has found its frame." Gulls, too, are more graceful -when they sweep over the sea than the shore near it. -They have then softness and expanse as a background. -The latter, I think, is the more important, -and may be unconsciously demanded by association -of ideas. Earth had not been wide enough for the -great skua.</p> - -<a name="Illus_100" id="Illus_100"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page100.jpg" width="550" height="800" alt="Great Skuas: Nuptial Flight and Pose." /> -<div class="caption"><i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: Great Skuas: a nuptial pose.">Great Skuas: Nuptial Flight and Pose.</span></i></div> -</div> - -<p>Often when one of the great skuas is circling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101"></a>[Pg 101]</span> -round, and the other standing at its post, this one -will stretch itself up and raise its wings above the -back every time its partner passes. This raising of -the wings enters into one of the most salient of the -many nuptial antics of this bird, which I will now -describe. In its completest form it commences -aerially. "The two birds have been circle-soaring -one above the other, and are now at a considerable -height above one of their chosen standing-places, -when the lower one floats with the wings extended, -but raised very considerably—half-way, perhaps, -towards meeting over the back—an action which, in -their flight, is uncommon. As it does this it utters -a note like 'a-er, a-er, a-er' (a as in 'as'), upon -which, as at a signal, the other one floats in the same -manner, and both now descend thus, together, to the -ground. Standing, then, the one behind the other, -at about a yard's distance and faced the same way, -both of them throw up their heads, raise their wings -above their backs, pointing them backwards, and -stand thus for some seconds fixed and motionless, -looking just like an heraldic device. At the same -time they utter a cry which sounds like 'skirrr' -or 'skeerrr.' The foremost bird then flies off, and -is instantly followed by the other."</p> - -<p>If the wings were not extended, this pose would -somewhat resemble that of the great plovers, for -though the neck is stretched more forwards, it is -curved in the same curious way, and the head, though -held high, is bent towards the ground. The wings, -however, give it quite a different character, and I have, -I feel sure, seen some figures of birds on a shield -whose attitude bore a wonderful resemblance to that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102"></a>[Pg 102]</span> -of these skuas. May not some of the figures of -animals in heraldry have come right down from -savage times, even if they do not represent totems? -Savages, as we know, catch the more salient and -strongly characterised attitudes of animals with wonderful -truth and force.</p> - -<p>The two birds will often (as might be expected) -assume this pose without any previous descent on upraised -wings, and, presumably, such descent need not -be followed either by this or any other special attitude. -Also, when so posing, they do not always stand in -line, but indifferently sometimes, as far as relative -position is concerned, though at the same approximate -distance from one another. I have seen the descent -followed by the pose, but not in line, and I have seen -the pose exactly as I have described it, but not preceded -by the descent.</p> - -<p>Obviously (or, at least, in all probability), the birds -would be as likely to stand in line when posing on -one occasion as on another, and I have therefore put -them into line here to give a picture of this nuptial -sport when at its best and fullest.</p> - -<p>Sometimes during these visits that the birds pay -to each other, the two will bend their heads down -together and pick and pull at the grass. When they -raise them there may be a blade or two of it in the -bill of one, which is allowed to drop in a negligent, -desultory way. Or one, which I take to be the -female, plucks up a tuft and walks with it to the male -as though to show him. She lets it drop, and then -both birds, standing front to front, lower their heads -at the same time and utter a shrill though not a loud -cry. This seems as though one bird were suggesting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103"></a>[Pg 103]</span> -to the other the propriety of building a nest, but it -may be the actual manner in which the nest is built. -There would, of course, be no doubt as to this, if the -birds—or one of them—were to continue thus to pluck -and bring tufts or blades of grass. But this was never -the case when I saw them, nor did I ever remark any -action on their part that had more the appearance of -systematic nest-building than this. The nest of the -great skua is very slight, a mere pressed-down litter -of coarse long grass, shallow, and having a pulled, -tattered look round the edges suggestive of the -crown of a shabby straw hat or bonnet from which -the remaining portion has been torn. Compared to -it, the nest of a gull, being formed of quite a considerable -quantity of bog-moss and heather, basin-shaped, -and fairly regular and with well-formed, soft, -cushiony rim all round it, is almost a work of architecture.</p> - -<p>Yet neither do gulls seem to work regularly or -systematically in the building of their nests. One -may be seen piking into the ground with its powerful -beak and then withdrawing it with a tuft of moss -or a sprig of heather held between the mandibles. -After making a few sedate steps with this the bird -lays it down, but instead of fetching some more, now, -and continuing the work, it merely stands there and -appears to forget all about it. Another will fly up -with some material, and, after circling a little above -its partner on the ground, will alight and lay it down -as a contribution beside it, in a very stolid sort of way. -The other bird does not help, and does not seem particularly -interested, and the two now stand side by -side for about half-an-hour, when the one that has last<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104"></a>[Pg 104]</span> -arrived flies away, and, on returning again, brings -nothing. Sometimes a gull may be seen walking -with moss or heather in the bill, whilst its consort -walks beside it, but without having anything. When -the heather is placed by the one bird, the other stands -by and seems interested, but does not assist, and no -further supply is brought. It would appear, therefore, -that only one bird—and this, no doubt, the female—actually -builds the nest, though the other—the male—may -look on and take a greater or less amount of -intelligent interest in what she is doing. But though -the above is from the life it hardly seems possible that -gulls could get their nests done at all if they worked -no better than this. When I first got to that island -"de cuyo nombre no quiero acordarme," but few eggs -had yet been laid and many of the nests were only -half finished, or not even so far advanced as that. -Most, however, were completed, or nearly so, and it is -probable that what I saw represented merely the -finishing touches, which will also apply to the great -skuas.</p> - -<p>What I saw was, indeed, very little, and it is only -a surmise that the female gull builds the nest without -being aided by the male. I think so, however, because -usually, when both the male and female assist in the -building, they work together, and whilst collecting the -materials keep more or less in each other's company, -arriving with them either at the same time or shortly -after each other. This, at least, has been the case with -those birds which I have watched. I have, indeed, -seen two gulls pulling up the moss or heather within -a yard or so of each other, and these I at first put -down as a married couple. This, however, was not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105"></a>[Pg 105]</span> -the case, for they laid down what they pulled in -different places, and several times they attacked each -other and fought quite fiercely. With other birds, too, -I have noticed a kind of rivalry between the females -when collecting materials for the nest. Hen chaffinches -seem particularly jealous of each other in this -respect. They pull the lichens from the trunks of -trees, fluttering up against them, and using both their -claws and beaks, and when thus engaged, or when -flying off with what they have got, two will often fly -at each other and fight furiously in the air. I do -not think that the one tries to take what the other -has collected—there ought, one would think, to be -enough for all—but, rather, that the sight of one when -thus occupied, has an irritating effect on the other, -and so it seemed to be with these two gulls.</p> - -<p>Male gulls fight, too, as might be expected, the -motive being usually, if not always, jealousy. Sometimes -a little drama may be witnessed, as when a pair -who would fain be tender are annoyed and hampered -by a rejected suitor—the villain of the piece. This -odious bird advances upon them with a menacing -and, it would almost seem, a scandalised demeanour -every time that he detects the smallest disposition -towards an impropriety of behaviour, and when the -husband-lover rushes furiously upon him he flies -just out of his danger, and acts in the <span class="correction" title="In the original book: some">same</span> way on -the next occasion, which is immediately afterwards. -This goes on for some time, the envious bird becoming -more and more rancorous and more and more torn -between rage and discretion every time valour assaults -him. At last rage carries it, and, strange to say,—considering -it as melodrama—he, the villain, makes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106"></a>[Pg 106]</span> -quite a spirited stand against the "good" hero, who, -by all the laws of such things, should fell him to the -ground and spurn him, so as to make the orthodox -situation. Instead of this there is an equal combat -which ends only in "nothing neither way," except that, -as the bad gull still goes on afterwards, it is more in -his favour than the other's. He wins, in fact, for the -lovers are at length wearied out, and the contemplated -impropriety never does take place. It is a pity almost -that it cannot sometimes go like this in stage reality. -To see the hero, just when most reeking with noble -utterance, put suddenly into an unshowy position by -the "hound" or the "cringing cur" would be a -glorious thing, a delightful—almost a Gilbertian—<i>dénouement</i>. -One could applaud it "to the very -echo that should applaud again," but one never gets -the chance—or, rather, one would not if one tried, for -I will not suppose that anyone with a taste for nature -affects the melodrama—or even the drama nowadays.</p> - -<p>Gull-fights are sometimes very fierce and determined, -and when this is the case they often cause -great excitement among a number of others. As -on the human plane, fights between birds make -impressions upon one according to the greater or -lesser amount of intensity manifested, becoming sometimes -quite tragic in their interest. Not only is this -the case with oneself, but birds that are not fighting -seem affected in the same way. I have noticed this -with partridges somewhat—but more in the gullery. -An ordinary scuffle between two birds attracts -little if any notice from the others, but when it is -sustained and bitter, supported with great courage on -either side, there may be quite a crowd of excited on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107"></a>[Pg 107]</span>lookers. -I have seen a very desperate combat which -I at first thought was a general scrimmage. It was -not so, however. Two alone were engaged, but a cloud -of gulls swept over and hovered about them, often -hiding them from view. All were interested, and interested, -it seemed to me, against one of the two birds -who stood all the time on the defensive, beating or -trying to beat off with wings and beak the continual -eager rushes of his assailant. Many times they closed -and went struggling and flapping over the ground, -attended all the time by gulls in the air and gulls -walking about and near them. When they disengaged, -the same bird—as I inferred from the dramatic unity -of its conduct—attacked again in the same eager way, -as though the greater vivacity of its feelings or disposition -made it always more quick than the other, though -this one was equally brave and determined. One -might almost fancy that the attacking gull had had -some great wrong done it by the one it attacked. -This latter, however, a powerful and steady fighter, -finally beat off its assailant, who now took to the air. -Sweeping backwards and forwards above the hated one, -it made each time that it passed a little drop down -upon it with dangling legs and delivered, or tried -to deliver, a blow with the feet, a strategy which the -other met by springing up and striking with the beak.</p> - -<p>Such a conflict as this makes quite a commotion -in the gull world, all those birds that have been -standing anywhere in the neighbourhood flying and -circling excitedly about above the combatants, or -settling and walking up to them. I did not see the -<i>casus belli</i>, so merely assume it to have been jealousy -between two rival males. Quite possibly the birds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108"></a>[Pg 108]</span> -were females. In none of these fights, nor in others -that I have seen between black-backed gulls on the -island, did there seem to be any special set method -either of attack or defence, as is so noticeable in the -case of some birds. It was a generalised fight—"a -pankration"—in which each bird did whatever it -could without art or plan. A fight between two -herring-gulls that lasted a long time was of another -character. "They fought most savagely, but in a -curious manner. Each seized the other by the beak, -which they then (or one of them) endeavoured to -extricate by pulling backwards, so that the stronger -bird, or each alternately, dragged the other over the -ground, a process which the one being dragged tried -to resist by spreading the wings at right angles -and opposing them to the ground. To me it seemed -that one of the birds had each time seized the other -to advantage and strove to retain its hold against the -efforts of the less fortunate one to disengage. The -length of time during which they remained with the -beaks thus interlocked was remarkable. I was not -able to time them, but it was so long as to grow -tedious, and I several times turned the glasses on to -other objects and, after a short interval, brought them -back again, always finding them as before. A quarter -of an hour, or, at the very least, ten minutes, would not, -I think, be an over-estimate of the time they sometimes -remained in this connection. The instant the -beaks were unlocked the birds fiercely seized each other -by them again, there was the same dragging and -resistance, the same lengthy duration, and this was -repeated three or four times in succession. At length -there was a very violent struggle, and the bird that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109"></a>[Pg 109]</span> -seemed to have the advantage in its hold, by advancing -upon the other while never relaxing this, forced -its head backwards and at length right down upon -its back, the bird so treated being obviously much -distressed. At last, with a violent effort, this latter -got its bill free, and the two, grappling together, and -one, now, seizing hold of the other's wing, rolled -together down the steep face of the rock. At the -bottom they separated. The bird, as I think, that -had had the worst of it all along flew back to the -place from which they had fallen, while the other -remained, seeming somewhat hurt by the fall. Some -time later there was another conflict between the same -two gulls which was similar in all respects, including -the place at which it was fought, except in its ending. -This time there was no fall down the rock, but the -one bird flew off, soon, however, to alight again, the -other one pursuing and continuing to molest it with -savage sweeps from side to side."</p> - -<p>No doubt, in a fight like this, each bird seizes the -other by the beak, as fearing what it might otherwise -do with it, as two men with knives might seize -hold of each other's wrists. But this might become -in time so confirmed a habit that the birds, when -fighting, would have no idea of doing anything else, -and thus not attack each other in any less specialised -way, however much one might have the other at an -advantage. I do not mean to say that it has really -come to this with the gulls in question—the facts, -indeed, do not bear out this view—but several times, -when watching birds fighting, I have seen, as I believe, -a tendency in this direction, and it has occurred to -me that the process might be carried even further.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110"></a>[Pg 110]</span></p> - -<p>There was no other bird very near to these two -gulls during all the long time that they fought, no -female who was obviously the cause of the affair, -and to whom either of them went, or showed a desire -to go, either in the interval between the two combats -or at the end of it all. Yet that the two were rival -males seems hardly to be doubted, taking the season -into consideration. This—and the same observation -applies to the two wheatears who fought for hours -without the female being at all <i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: en evidence">en évidence</span></i>—seems -to show a power of retaining a vivid mental impression -of the loved or coveted bird in her absence, to -which is added a tranquil pleasure of the paired birds -in each other's society apart from mere sensual gratification. -It is absurd, therefore, to keep the word -"love" to ourselves, as we do in the spirit if not the -letter. As in other things, there is no line drawn -here in nature, and it is in watching animals that -one gets to know the real meaning of all our high -terminology. It is wonderful how long two birds -who have chosen each other will stand quite motionless -close together, as though they were a couple of -stones, and then show by some mutual or dependent -action that each is in the other's mind. Here is an -instance. "A pair of herring-gulls have been standing -for a long time one just behind the other on the edge -of the grassy slope of the cliff, quite motionless, -looking like the painted wooden birds of a Noah's -ark. All at once both, as in obedience to a common -impulse, burst into wild clamorous cries for a few -seconds and then fly out over the sea. Quite soon -they return and, settling again in precisely the same -spot and relative position, stand motionless as before,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111"></a>[Pg 111]</span> -for full three hours, when one, uttering a little -chattering, almost talking note, again launches himself -from the verge and flies around for some three -or four minutes in the near neighbourhood, with a -frequent 'how, how, how.' He then re-settles just in -his old place behind the other, talks a little, again -flies off, returns and talks as before. The other gull -has remained motionless, or almost so, all the time, -and the two now stand silently as before." It seems -strange that the birds should first act so mutually -and then so independently of each other, but far -stranger, as it struck me, was the absolute instantaneousness -with which, on the first occasion, they -both burst out screaming.</p> - -<p>It is possible that close attention to animals might -lead to evidence pointing in a new and unexpected -direction, but I will leave this for another chapter.</p> - -<p>Gulls have no very salient or pronounced courting -antics—I mean I have observed none—and, in the -same sense, there is no special display of the plumage -by one sex to the other. When amorous, they walk -about closely together, stopping at intervals and -standing face to face. Then, lowering their heads, -they bring their bills into contact, either just touching, -or drawing them once or twice across each other, or -else grasping with and interlocking them like pigeons, -raising then, a little, and again depressing the heads -with them thus united, as do they. After this they -toss up their heads into the air, and open and close -their beaks once or twice in a manner almost too -soft to be called a snap. Sometimes they will just -drop their heads and raise them again quickly, without -making much action with the bills. This is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112"></a>[Pg 112]</span> -dalliance, and between each little bout of it the two -will make little fidgety, more-awaiting steps, close -about one another. Always, however, or almost -always, one of the birds—and this one I take to be -the female—is more eager, has a more soliciting -manner, and tender-begging look, than the other. It -is she who, as a rule, commences and draws the male -bird on. She looks fondly up at him, and raising her -bill to his, as though beseeching a kiss, just touches -with it, in raising, the feathers of his throat—an action -light, but full of endearment. And in every way -she shows herself the most desirous, and, in fact, so -worries and pesters the poor male gull that often, to -avoid her importunities, he flies away. This may -seem odd (to non-evolutionists), but I have seen other -instances of it. No doubt in actual courting, before -the sexes are paired, the male bird is usually the -most eager, but after marriage the female often -becomes the wooer. Of this, I have seen some -marked instances. That of a female great plover -calling up the male by her cries, when pairing took -place between them, I have already given, and I have -seen precisely the same thing in the case of the -kestrel hawk. Female rooks, too, are often very -importunate with the males in the rookery when -building is going on. It is always a great satisfaction -when the male and female of a species differ -noticeably in their plumage, as then one is never in -uncertainty as to which of them it is that performs -any act. Often one must remain quite in the dark -as to this, and often, again, one can only surmise. -Of course, when one watches birds for any time in -the breeding season, one gets clear ideas as to which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113"></a>[Pg 113]</span> -is the male and which the female, but certainty is -better, and certainty, at any moment or on any -occasion, unless there is some marked difference -between the sexes, one cannot have. In the case of -gulls, however, though the plumage is alike, there is -a difference in size sufficient to strike the eye, the -male being larger—in the great black-backed gull, -greatly larger—than the female.</p> - -<p>Leaving the palled blandishments of its spouse, the -gull husband cleaves the air, cuts the dark line of -beetling precipice, and seeks the free haven of the -open sea, where, with other sensible, repentant Benedicts, -it wheels and circles. Suddenly a dusky form, -slender and swallow-like, though as large as a pigeon, -shoots over the rounded bastion of the heather, and -sweeping upwards as it nears the cliffs, darts upon -one of the gulls. A second pirate follows. With -wild cries, and long, gliding sweeps, they press and -harass the larger bird, who, doubling, twisting, avoiding, -dodging, but never resisting, utters again and -again a cry of distress and complaint. Its companions -sweep and eddy about them, shooting -athwart and between. They protest, they cry to -heaven, their wild voices mingle in harsh, discordant -unison with the rock-dash of the waves, and the -everlasting notes of the wind. Suddenly something -drops from the oppressed gull. There is a sinking -towards it of one of the dark shadows—swift beyond -telling, but so soft that the speed is not realised—the -object is covered, lost, and almost with a jerk, the -eye—or rather the brain—realises that it has been -caught in the descent. Empty, and now unregarded, -the robbed bird sweeps on, the pirates sweep back<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114"></a>[Pg 114]</span> -to the heather, the cloud of witnesses disperse themselves, -and, as with us each day, each hour, things -smooth themselves again over the high-placed acts -of successful villainy. Who troubles over a robbed -gull? What moral Nemesis concerns itself with the -wrongs of some cheated, done-to-death savage or -tribe of savages? Over both there is some shrieking, -some eloquence at the time, but both are soon -lost in oblivion, the waves close over, the world -jogs on its way. Retribution, retributive justice—such -fine things may exist, perhaps, but, if so, it -is for showier matters. Had the skuas robbed an -albatross, something, perhaps, would have happened. -Their sin might have found them out—then. A -gull is like an Armenian, or ... but there are so -many.</p> - -<p>Thus closes one of nature's wild dramas. The -gulls are circling again now, and all is as before.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">"Es pfeift der Wind, die Möven schrein</div> -<div class="verse">Die Wellen, die wandern und schäumen."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Such a scene as the above may often be witnessed -as one lies on the heather and watches, but for one -actual robbery that one sees there will be a dozen -or so unsuccessful attempts at it. Yet, if one believes -those who have the best opportunities of knowing, -neither the great nor the Arctic skua—the latter is -the bird to which attention has just been called—ever -eat a fish that has not first been swallowed by a gull -or tern. They say, moreover—at least, this assertion -is made in regard to the great skua—that if the -booty is not secured in mid-air, but falls either on the -sea or land, no further attention is paid to it by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115"></a>[Pg 115]</span> -robber. For myself, I believe that the skuas always, -or almost always, feed in this way, because I think -that when, in the satisfaction of such a daily and -almost constant want as hunger, some curious and -bizarre method had been adopted it would tend to -become habitual, to the exclusion of all others. Two -such different plans of obtaining fish as are, respectively, -swooping upon them whilst swimming in the -water, and catching them in the air upon their being -disgorged by another bird, after a chase which is -often long and arduous, could hardly be carried on -by the same bird; for it is probable that either one, -to be successful, would have to be habitually employed, -thus leaving no room for the other. Moreover, -the adoption of such a peculiar method of -obtaining food at all implies a great advantage over -the older method, and this being the case it would -tend entirely to supersede it. But that the Arctic -skua, at any rate, thus habitually chases and robs -gulls one can easily satisfy oneself, nor have I ever -seen either it or the great skua stooping on fish, -like terns, gulls, or gannets.</p> - -<p>The young of the great skua are fed entirely on -herrings, which are first swallowed by the parent -bird, and then disgorged on to the ground in the -neighbourhood of the nest. I cannot say that I -have myself seen this done, for it is impossible to -watch the nesting habits of a bird that always attacks -you when you approach its nest, and continues to -do so as long as you stay anywhere near it. In these -grey desolate islands there is no sort of cover, no -tree or bush with the branches of which one can -make oneself a shelter, and watch unobserved. More<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116"></a>[Pg 116]</span>over, -as there is no night properly so speaking, only -a portentous lurid murkiness towards midnight, which -seems neither to belong to night nor day, and in -which, as you can read small print, the skua can -very naturally see you, there is no approaching under -cloud of darkness and being there, ensconced, when -morning dawns. But that the bird disgorges the -herrings for the young ones after the manner of gulls -generally, and does not carry them in its beak or -claws, which is contrary to their practice, there can -be no doubt. Now, as every one of these herrings -has—as I believe it has—been secured in the -manner above described, it is curious to reflect that, -when finally swallowed by the young skua, it "goes -a progress" for the third time, nor would it be easy, -perhaps, to find another instance (outside this family -of birds) of prey that has been twice given up, through -fear once, and then, again, through love.</p> - -<p>The herrings lying about the nest, and which have -thus been recently disgorged for the second time, -look almost as fresh and clean as if nothing peculiar -had happened to them. They are disgorged whole, -or nearly so; for, as I myself observed, in the great -majority of cases the head is absent. Thus at one -nest, in the neighbourhood of which (but this means -often a considerable space of ground) forty-one -herrings or their remains were lying, only ten -retained the head or any part of it. At another, -where there were thirteen, all were entirely headless: -at another there were eight, of which one only had -part of the head remaining: at another ten, eight of -which were headless: at another seven, six of which -were: and at another four, of which one retained the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117"></a>[Pg 117]</span> -entire head. Thus, out of eighty-three herrings, only -fifteen had the heads to them, though the proportion -of the one to the other was different at different nests. -The heads when thus absent are entirely so—that is -to say, they are not to be found lying about -separately. That the chick should eat the head of -the herring by preference seems unlikely, and particularly -when it is quite young. Yet I have seen -four herrings lying about a newly-hatched chick, -which were quite fresh and almost untouched, but -headless. The question, therefore, arises whether the -parent-bird eats the head after disgorging the whole -fish, or whether, in the majority of cases, it is disgorged -minus the head. Fish are, I believe, always -swallowed by birds which prey upon them, head -first, and would therefore, one would suppose, lie in -the gullet in this direction. If disgorged again tail -first, as they lay, the gills, by expanding, might offer -such resistance that the head would be in most cases -torn off. If this be so, then the skua may often -receive the fish headless from the gull, or, if otherwise, -the head would be still more likely to be torn -off, on a second disgorgement. This, however, one -would think, must be a very disagreeable process for -the bird disgorging, and it would seem more probable -that the fish can be turned or shifted in the gullet, -by some muscular action on its part, so as to be -brought up head foremost, as it descended; but -whether there is any evidence as to this, I do not -know. If the head of the herring does not remain -in the gullet, then it must be eaten by the parent -skuas after ejection, and it would seem that they -looked upon this portion as their <i>peculium</i>, to which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118"></a>[Pg 118]</span> -they were honestly entitled, for they seem to leave -the rest, mostly, for the chicks, of which there are, -commonly, two. At any rate, a number of the -herrings will have only a small portion eaten off -them. There is a great profusion, amounting to -waste, and there does not seem any reason why the -skuas should vary their diet during the breeding -season, as they are asserted to do, since they have -the sea always at hand, and the gulls, that are to -them as their milch cows, breed in their close -proximity.</p> - -<p>In the skuas we see the habit of obtaining food by -forcing another bird to disgorge what it has swallowed, -perfected and become permanent, so that the birds -practising it have risen—shall we say?—into rapacious -parasites; but amongst the gulls themselves, who suffer -by the practice, we may see, if I am not mistaken, the -habit in its incipiency, and may get a hint as to how it -might have arisen. When fishing-smacks are in harbour -they are thronged round, sometimes, by hundreds of -gulls, all the more common kinds—viz. the lesser and -greater black-backed, herring-gulls, and kittiwakes—being -mixed and crowded together. When some offal -is thrown out, the birds that secure any are at once -mobbed, and often it is torn away from them almost -before they have swallowed a mouthful. To avoid -this, they often rise with it in the beak and get it down -as fast as they can on the wing, dodging and jerking -their head from side to side amongst the pursuing -crowd. But I have observed that the pursuit does not -always cease after the morsel has been swallowed, and -sometimes—whether rarely or frequently I am unable -to say—the oppressed gull disgorges it again, in order<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119"></a>[Pg 119]</span> -to be left in peace. Now, amongst a crowd of birds -like this, the greater number would be unable to see -whether the one they were pursuing had swallowed his -morsel or not, and would therefore keep pressing about -him in the hope of being able to snatch at it. But, of -course when birds that were hustled began to disgorge, -this would be noticed and soon remembered, and they -would then be hustled so that they might do so. In -this, or in some similar way, I can understand the habit -arising without any initial act of intelligence on the -pursuing bird's part.</p> - -<p>Perhaps, however, there would be no great unlikelihood -in assuming such an act of intelligence. For one -gull to conceive the idea of making another bring up -what it had swallowed, might not be so very much -more than for the sea-eagle to think, in regard to the -osprey with the fish in his talons, "I'll make him drop -it." With all the gull tribe the bringing up of the -food again after swallowing it is an easy and habitual -action. Not only are the young fed thus, but I -have some reason to think that, during the nuptial -season, the presenting in this manner of some "pretty -little tiny kickshaw" by the male bird to the female is -looked upon as a chivalrous and lover-like act. Perhaps -such acts are reciprocal, but I will give my two little -instances and let my readers draw their own conclusions. -The first is the case of a herring-gull. I -was watching the mother bird (as I suppose) sitting -on the nest over two young ones, one of which had -been hatched either only that day or the day before, -and the other a day or two earlier. "At 12 o'clock a -chick moves out from under the mother, and leaves the -nest. It is quite active, and has the general appearance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120"></a>[Pg 120]</span> -of a young chicken, being fluffy and of a yellowish grey -colour, speckled with black. At 12.40 the second -young one appears, pushing itself out from under the -mother bird as she rises a little in the nest. At half-past -one the male gull, which has been near all the -while, walks slowly and importantly to the nest, which -he passes and then, turning back towards it, disgorges -on to the rock a small fish, which he takes up in just -the tip of his bill and pushes towards both the chick -on the rock and the mother on the nest, all slowly and -with a dry sort of manner, as though the bird were a -cynic. The mother gull leans forward from the nest -and takes it, and, first, holds it on the ground, while the -chick outside pecks at it. Then she swallows it herself. -The male now produces in the same way a small something—I -suppose a gobbet of fish—and draws the -chick's attention to it by touching it with his bill and -pushing it a little towards him. The chick then -swallows it, upon which the male flies off and takes -his accustomed stand on a large projecting point of -rock close at hand." This is a conjugal, a domestic, -picture. The other, which I shall now give, and in -which the hero was an Arctic skua, was, perhaps, -"more condoling."</p> - -<p>"The one bird stands still and upright, whilst the -other, holding the neck constrainedly down, but with -the head raised as far as is compatible with this, keeps -moving round and round it. After revolving thus -several times, keeping, always, very close to and, -sometimes, actually touching the standing bird, this -one also stands still, always in the same attitude, and -opens his beak. The other one, standing as before, -now raises the head and opens the beak also, upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121"></a>[Pg 121]</span> -which the satellite bird, assuming, at last, his proper -height, delivers into it, from his own, something which -he appears to bring up, and this, as it seems to me, is -swallowed by the bird receiving it. The morsel is -small, but the actions of giving and taking, and, afterwards, -the movements of the beak and throat of the -bird that has parted with it, are unmistakable. This -would appear, therefore, to be a little friendly act, or, -perhaps, an act of courtship—a love-token between the -male and female bird—and I take the bird who delivers -the morsel, and who is cream-marked, to be the male, -and the other, who is uniformly dark, the female."</p> - -<p>Skuas, as is well known, attack one if one comes -at all near to their nest, and gulls—at any rate the -two black-backed kinds—will sometimes, though much -more rarely, come very near to doing so too. For -instance, the greater black-backed gull swoops at one -backwards and forwards, in the same way (though -more clumsily) as do the skuas, except that he neither -touches you nor comes so near. Every time he passes -he gives a loud, harsh, tuneless cry, and drops down -his legs as though intending to strike with them. -When he does this, he may be some five or six feet -above one's head—a little more, perhaps, or a little -less—and presents an odd, uncouth appearance. The -skuas swoop in silence, though the great one continually -says "ik, ik" (or words to that effect), whilst -circling between the swoops. "On another occasion -two of the lesser black-backed gulls acted in this -way, though one of them continued to do so for a -much longer time. These two seemed to be angry with -each other, making little motions and opening their -bills in the air as though each thought it was the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122"></a>[Pg 122]</span> -other's fault." This little trait, which would seem -to raise them nearer humanity, I particularly noted. -The mode of attack, when thus <span class="correction" title="In the original book: aerialy">aerially</span> delivered, is -the same in all these birds, and, as it seems to me, -curiously ineffective. The beak, a powerful weapon, -is not employed, nor is a blow—which, if it were, -might be of real force—delivered with one of the -wings. Instead, the webbed feet, which would seem -to be weak in comparison, and have no talons or -grasping power, are made use of in the way I have -already described in the case of the two gulls fighting, -when, after the tussle on the ground, the one -was swooped at by the other.</p> - -<p>The following account of the attack of the smaller -or Arctic skua, will apply almost equally to the great -one. "The bird comes swooping down in a slanting -direction, with great speed and impetus, and as it -passes over one's head, makes a slight drop with the -feet hanging down, so that they administer a flick -just on the top of it, as it shoots by. Having made -its demonstration, it shoots on and upwards, and turning -in a wide sweep, again comes rushing down to -repeat it, and so forwards and backwards for perhaps -some half-a-dozen times, after which the intervals -will become longer, the circling sweeps which fill -them up wider and more numerous, till the attacks -cease, and the bird flies away." (The great skua, -however, will attack almost indefinitely.) "The force -of the downward rush is in all cases very great, and -the 'swirr' which accompanies it quite startling, -suggesting a larger bird, or something of a more -portentous nature altogether. In striking, the bird -shoots the feet forward as they dangle, so that they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123"></a>[Pg 123]</span> -hit one with the anterior surface, and there is not -the slightest attempt to scratch or grasp with them. -The force that can be put into such a blow is but -slight, and, even in appearance, there is something -trivial and inadequate about it that takes away from -the effect of the bold sweep, which, in the case of -the great skua especially, strikes the imagination, -and is, indeed, a fine sight. A terrific blow with the -wing, or a seizing and tearing with beak and claw, -as with an eagle, would seem the fitting sequel to -such power and fierceness."</p> - -<p>This failure of the sublime, and falling almost into -the ridiculous, cannot be observed when one is oneself -the object of attack, and, moreover, the buffets -that one is constantly receiving, though quite out -of proportion to the size and fury of the birds, are -often so stinging and disagreeable as to spoil one -for looking at the matter from such a point of view. -A ruse, however, may be adopted, and the scales -then fall from one's eyes. For instance: "To-day I -sat down by the almost fledged chick of a pair of -great skuas, and, drawing my plaid over my head, -numbered the attacks of the parent birds. When I -began to count it was 3.13 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, and at 3.30 they -had made between them—turn and turn about—136 -swoops at me. Of these, 67 were hits and 69 -misses. Some of the hits were very—indeed, extremely—violent, -so that without the plaid I could not -have stood it, and even as it was, it was unpleasant. -The blow is always delivered with the feet, though -sometimes (and pretty often as it seemed to me) a -portion of the bird's body touches one at the same -time, thus giving more weight and force to it. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124"></a>[Pg 124]</span> -force of the swoop is tremendous, and did the bird -strike one full with its whole bulk, it would, I believe, -knock one over, as a hare, it is said, has sometimes -done by accident, in leaping over a hedge. After -this heroism, I stuck my umbrella (staff, or even -stick, would sound better, but it <i>was</i> an umbrella) -into the ground, arranged my plaid upon it, and walked -to a little distance. The birds, one after another, -swooped at the plaid but never hit it. As they got -just above it they stretched down their legs, but at -the last moment seemed to think something was -wrong, and rose, so as just to clear it. 'But out -upon this half-faced fellowship!' This dangling -down of the legs, in which the speed is checked -and the grand appearance lost, is quite pitiful. Why -cannot the birds fell you with a blow, or tear you with -the hooked beak? This would be 'Ercle's vein, a -tyrant's vein,' but a flick with the feet merely—it -is a tame conclusion!"</p> - -<p>I doubt now, if the bird ever does strike you with the -body even lightly. It feels as if there must be more than -the feet at the time, but, probably, this is not the case.</p> - -<p>Both the male and female of the great skua defend -the nest—and especially the young—in this manner, -but the swoopings of one of them, probably of the -female, are generally fiercer than those of the other. -In my limited experience this dual attack was almost -invariable, but in one instance the nest was guarded -by one bird alone. This bird, as though to make -up for the deficiency, was even more than usually -fierce, making long rushing swoops from a great -height and distance, which would, I believe, have -been effective each time had I not bobbed. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125"></a>[Pg 125]</span> -other bird circled at a still greater height, and never -once joined in the attack. The height, I may say, -from which the birds swoop is not, as a rule, very -considerable. The above does not apply equally -to the Arctic skua—at least in my own experience—for -though often the two birds would attack, yet in -the greater number of cases only one of them did -so. Now the Arctic skua, as I have mentioned -elsewhere, is one of those birds which employs -strategy (begging here the question for the sake of -brevity) as well as force to defend its young, and -it occurred to me that here might be a case of co-operation, -the male bird most probably attacking, -and the female employing the ruse. I satisfied -myself, however, that the same bird sometimes does -both one and the other. How often this is so, and -whether there is a tendency on the part of either -sex to resort by preference to one or the other -method, it might be difficult to find out. Yet I -cannot help thinking that this is the case, and that -a process of differentiation is in course of taking -place. The facts are—or appeared to me to be—these. -In the case of the great skua, both sexes—almost, -but not quite, always—attack, and there is no -ruse. In that of the Arctic skua both sexes sometimes -attack, but far more frequently (that, at least, -was my own experience) one alone does so, and here -a ruse is employed. In the former case we just see -occasionally, as an exception, the raw material (the -non-attacking of the one bird) that might conceivably -be utilised by nature for the elaboration of another -form of defence. In the latter we <i>may</i> see this other -form being elaborated.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126"></a>[Pg 126]</span></p> - -<p>Questions of this nature might be settled in the -future on facts observed now, as easily as a reference -to an iron ring where boats were once moored settles -the question as to whether the coast has risen or -the sea encroached. The coast and the sea, however, -remain. Birds, slaughtered by millions each year, -must cease almost as a class before any great period -has gone by. Of what use then the ring, the record -when what it speaks of is no more?</p> - -<p>Another interesting point in the Arctic skua (which -it shares with at least one other species of the genus) -is its dimorphism—or rather, to describe it more -properly, its polymorphism. To me it seems to offer -a case of a species in course of variation from one -form into another. In the two extreme forms the -plumage is, respectively, either entirely sombre both -above and below, or the whole throat, breast and -under surface, with a ring round the neck, and more -or less of the sides of the head, is of a fine cream -colour. Between these extremes there are various -gradations, the cream being sometimes on the breast -only, whilst the throat is of a lighter or deeper grey, -more or less mottled with the still darker shade, or -the lighter colour is hardly or not at all discernible -on these parts, whilst lower down it becomes less and -less salient till it is merely a not so dusky duskiness. -The cream-coloured birds, though numerous, are in -the minority, and both this and their being much -handsomer suggests that the process of change is in -this direction, whilst the intermediate tintings may -represent the steps in this process. To what form -of selection (if to any) are we to attribute the change? -As the cream colouring makes the bird more con<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127"></a>[Pg 127]</span>spicuous, -natural selection (as distinct from sexual) -seems excluded, unless it could be shown that the -change of colour is correlated with some still greater -advantage, and this is neither apparent nor likely. -There remains sexual selection, which to my mind is -strongly suggested. The modified colouring is, it is -true, shared by the two sexes, but this is quite compatible -with the theory, which supposes the tintings -of the male kingfisher and numerous other brilliant -birds to have been thus acquired and transmitted in -each stage of progress to the female. It would, therefore, -be interesting, though, no doubt, difficult, to -determine by observation whether the creamy-coloured -male birds were on an average more attractive to the -females than the other kind, and also whether the -more handsome form was increasing. In regard to -the last point, this was the opinion of a man guiltless -of theories, but with a large amount of experience of -the birds.</p> - -<p>Of these two species of skua, the great and the lesser -or Arctic one, the latter appears to me to be the -boldest and most aggressive. It will chase not only -gulls, but <span class="correction" title="In the original book: ocasionally">occasionally</span> the great skua also, this last, as -it would seem, for sport or pleasure rather than for -any particular object. In the same way they often -chase each other. A too near approach to the nest -may, perhaps, be the reason in either case, but having -watched them attentively I do not think that the -pursuing bird is often under any real apprehension. -Gulls are persecuted by them in the manner I have -described, and sometimes, I think, also in mere wantonness. -The larger ones seem never to resist, but the -kittiwake will sometimes go down upon the water,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128"></a>[Pg 128]</span> -turn to bay, and drive the robber off. Gulls seem to -fear the great skua less than the Arctic one, and will -sometimes mob and molest it. A single pair that had -nested on the outskirts of a gullery were a good deal -subject to this annoyance. One and then another -gull would pursue them when they flew near, and -sometimes even swoop at them from side to side as -they stood upon the heather. But I never saw them -annoy the Arctic skuas in this manner. The latter, -however, were much more numerous.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page128.png" width="600" height="332" alt="Flock of flying birds with young birds on back" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129"></a>[Pg 129]</span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page129.png" width="600" height="431" alt="Ravens, Curlews, Eider-ducks, etc." /> -</div> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI</h2> - -<p class="sub-title">Watching Ravens, Curlews, Eider-ducks, etc.</p> - - -<p>A pair of ravens on our island are also molested -by the gulls, and when either of them flies from one -point to another of the coast in their neighbourhood -its path is marked by a constant succession of "annoying -incidents" of this nature. That these stately birds -should have to put up with rudeness from mere gulls -does not seem right; but so it is, nor did I ever see -either of the two make any serious attempt to over-awe -them. Personally, I must say that I was at first -so little impressed by these ravens, that for a long -time I did them the injustice of looking upon them -as carrion crows. Certainly, the hoarse, bellowing -croak which they uttered as they flew round when -disturbed by me impressed me and made me wonder, -but their size appeared altogether incompatible with -the state of being a raven. I suppose the great frowning -precipices over which they commonly circled had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130"></a>[Pg 130]</span> -a dwarfing effect upon it, but they were manifestly -smaller than any of the gulls which molested them, -and this I was not prepared for from the specimens -which I have seen in museums or languishing in -captivity. That they were ravens however, is, I -think, certain from the very peculiar croaking note -to which I have alluded, and which they uttered at -this time almost constantly.</p> - -<p>When I came to the island these birds had -already hatched out their young, of which there -were four lying in a loose cradle of what looked -like sticks, but could not have been, since these -were nowhere procurable. It was a mass of -something having the general appearance of a -battered and flattened rook's nest, but what the -actual materials of which it was constructed were, -I am unable to say. The nest was on a ledge -half-way down the face of a huge precipice -forming one side of a fissure in the coast-line—the -mouth of an immature fiord—dug out in the course -of ages by the slow but ceaseless sapping of the -sea. From the summit of the opposite side I -could look across at and down upon it, having an -excellent view. The young birds—five in number—who -were well fledged, and within, perhaps, a -fortnight of leaving the nest, lay in it very flatly -with their wings half spread out, and so motionless -that for some time, upon first seeing them, I -almost thought they must be dead. The sudden yet -softly sudden rearing itself up of one with an expressive -opening of the beak—expressive of "surely, -surely, it must be meal-time again now"—gave a -delightful assurance that this was not the case, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131"></a>[Pg 131]</span> -then there were more such risings and expressed -convictions. At intervals only, however, for it was -wonderful how still the young birds would lie for -quite a long time, and so closely inwoven within -the cup of the nest that it was only when they -stirred that five became a possibility. The ledge -being quite bare and open, the nest with the young -in it, making a black bull's-eye in the midst of a -great sheet of white, was conspicuously apparent. -Several times I saw the young birds move themselves -backwards to the inner edge of the nest, and -then void their excrements over it, so that only a -little of the quite outer portion was contaminated. -By this means the nest is kept clean and dry, whilst -all around it is defiled. It would seem as though -this power of ejecting their excrements to a distance -which various birds possess was, sometimes at least, -in proportion to the size and bulk of the nest which -they construct. The nest of the shag, for instance -(and in a still greater degree that of the common -cormorant), is a great mass of seaweed and other -materials, and the force with which the excrement -is shot out over this, both by the young and the -parent birds, astonishes one, as does also its upward -direction. I had always felt surprise when seeing -cormorants and shags perform this natural function -whilst standing on the rocks, but it was not till I -had watched the latter birds for hour after hour, -as they sat on their nests, that I understood (or -thought I understood) the significance of it. In -spite of the popular saying, it does not seem probable -that all young birds act in this way, and -many nests are so constructed that it would hardly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132"></a>[Pg 132]</span> -be possible for them to do so. In most cases everything -necessary for sanitation or convenience could -be effected afterwards by the parent birds, but -this would not be the case with ravens and cormorants, -or with other such carnivorous or fish-eating -species. Perhaps, therefore, the power which -I speak of may stand in joint relation to the diet -and habits of the bird, and the kind of nest which -it builds.</p> - -<p>I made many attempts to witness the feeding of -these young ravens by their parents, but owing to -there being no kind of cover from which I could -watch, and no means of erecting a proper shelter, -I was unable to do so. I did what I could by means -of pieces of turf, and a plaid or waterproof stretched -over them, but this was not sufficient to allay the -suspicions of the old birds, who had always seen me -as I came up, and from my first appearance over -the brow of the hill flew around croaking and croaking, -awaiting impatiently the moment of my departure. -It would have been difficult not to sympathise with -them, not to feel like an intruding vulgarian amidst -that lonely wildness. For my part, I never tried -not to, but yielded at once to the feeling, and retired -each time with the humiliating reflection that the -scene would be the better without me. Yet it seems -strange that in any scene of natural beauty or -grandeur, the one figure—should it happen to be -there—that has the capacity to feel it is just the one -that puts it out. Scott, for instance—though he <i>were</i> -Scott—would not have improved any Highland bit, -and Shakespeare's Cliff would hardly have looked the -better for the presence even of Shakespeare himself.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133"></a>[Pg 133]</span> -The samphire-gatherer, however, would have blended -artistically, but neither he nor a kilted shepherd or -clansman would have had any more appreciative -perception of the beauties into which they fitted, -than the "choughs and crows" themselves, the sheep, -or the majority of tourists.<a name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a> It is not a matter of -clothes alone. It would seem as though one must -stand outside of a thing, and therefore be out of -keeping with it, before one can feel and grasp it, -though, heaven knows, the one need not involve the -other.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_13_13" id="Footnote_13_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_13_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a> Scott, however, credits the Highlanders—I mean the rank and file—with -an artistic appreciation of the scenery amidst which they lived (see -"Rob Roy"). I should bow to such an authority, but confess I find it -hard to believe.</p></div> - -<p>But, though I missed the feeding, I twice saw the -raven mother—the real one—cling on to the side of -the nest and look in upon her young ones, who rose -and greeted her hungrily. That was a glorious thing -to see. There was something in the bird's look almost -indescribable, a blending—as it seemed to me—of -cunning, criminal knowledge combined with lightheartedness, -and strong maternal affection. With the -first two of these, and with the stately, yet half -grotesque action, the bright, black eyes, and steely, -glossy-purpling plumage (it never looked black -through the glasses), a faint, flitting idea, as of the -devil, was communicated, enhancing and giving -piquancy to the delight. She hung thus for some -moments, seeming to enjoy the sight of her children, -yet all the while having her black, cunning eyes half -turned up towards myself. Then she flew away, -joining her mate, who had waited for her some way<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134"></a>[Pg 134]</span> -off at the accustomed place on the cliffs. It was -when I saw her like this, and when the glasses -isolated her from the general of rock and sea, that -this raven seemed to assume her true size and dignity, -and to become really a raven. When she flew it -was different. Her sable pinions beating against the -face of the precipice added no effect to it, but she -was instantly dwarfed and dwindled, and became as -nothing, a mere insignificant black speck, against its -huge frowning grandeur.</p> - -<p>Though, really, their plumage is all of gleaming, -purply blues, at a little distance, and when they fly, -ravens look a dead ugly black, which is also the -case with rooks, who are almost equally handsome -when seen closely. Their flight is peculiar, and -though it strikes the imagination, yet it cannot be -called at all grand or majestic in the ordinary sense -of those words. The wings, which are broad, short, -and rounded—or at any rate present that appearance -to the eye—move with regular, quick little beats, or, -when not flapped, are held out very straightly and -rigidly. When thus extended, they are on a level -with or, perhaps, a little below the line of the back, -and from this, in beating, they only deviate downwards, -and do not rise above it, or very triflingly so, -giving them a very flat appearance. A curious curve -is to be remarked in the anterior part of the spread -wing, at first backwards towards the tail, and then -again forwards towards the head. All the primary -quills seem to partake of this shape, and they are also -very noticeably disjoined one from another, so that -the interspace, even whilst the wing is beaten, looks -almost as wide as the quill—by which I mean the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135"></a>[Pg 135]</span> -whole feather—itself. I tried to imagine the effect -of a number of these sombre, quickly-beating pinions -with the short eager croak, having something of a -bellowing tone in it ("the croaking raven doth -bellow for revenge") over the wide-extended carnage -of an ancient battlefield, and I thought I could do -it pretty well—in spite of the difficulty, in the present -day, of conjuring up such scenes.</p> - -<a name="Illus_135" id="Illus_135"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page135.png" width="600" height="490" alt="Raven: The Game of Reversi." /> -<div class="caption"><i>Raven: The Game of Reversi.</i></div> -</div> - -<p>But, though the ordinary flight of ravens be as I -have described, it does not at all follow that they -may not sometimes soar or sail for long distances -through the air, or descend through it at great speed, -and with all sorts of whirring and whizzing evolutions.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136"></a>[Pg 136]</span> -For all these things do the rooks, and yet their ordinary -flight is of a heavy and plodding character. One very -peculiar antic, or "trick i' the air," the raven certainly -has. Whilst flapping steadily along with regular, -though quick beat of the wings, it closes these all at -once, quite tightly, as though it were on the ground, -and immediately rolls over to one side or the other. -Either the roll is complete, so that the bird comes -right round again into its former position, or else, -having got only so far as to be back downwards, it -rolls back the reverse way. This has a most extraordinary -appearance. The bird is stretched horizontally -in the position in which it has just been flying, -and in rolling over makes one think of a barrel or a -man rolling on the ground. Being in the air, however, -it may, by dropping a little as it rolls, make -less, or, possibly, no progress in a latitudinal direction, -though whether this is the case or not I am not -sure.</p> - -<p>To watch this curious action through the glasses -is most interesting. Each time there is a perceptible -second or two during which the bird remains completely -reversed, back to earth and breast to sky. -The appearance presented is equally extraordinary, -whether it makes the half roll and returns, or goes -completely round. I have sometimes seen rooks make -a turn over in the air, but this was more a disorderly -tumble, recalling that of the peewit, and, though -striking enough, was not nearly so extraordinary as -this orderly and methodical, almost sedate, turning -upside down. The feat is generally performed four -or five times in succession, at intervals of some seconds, -during which the steady flight is continued. Most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137"></a>[Pg 137]</span> -often it is done in silence, but sometimes, at each -roll over, the raven cries "pyar," a penetrating and -striking note.</p> - -<p>Sometimes these ravens would roll in this manner -whilst pursued by or skirmishing with a gull, and -once I saw one of them do so during a curious kind -of skirmish or frolic—it was hard to tell its exact -character—with a hooded crow. Whether the hooded -crow turned itself almost at the same time in a manner -somewhat or entirely similar, I am not quite sure, but -it struck me that it did do so. Of course, one may -very easily just miss seeing the action of a bird -clearly, especially if there are two or more together, -and it is then, often, very annoying to be left with no -more than an impression, which may or may not be -correct. It is more satisfactory, almost, to see nothing -than not to be sure, but both impression and doubt -should be stated, for both are facts, and should not -be suppressed. But on no other occasion have I -seen a hooded crow behave in this way, though I -have watched them often. Once, but only once, I -saw one indulging in an antic which was sufficiently -striking, but of quite a different character. This bird -would spring suddenly from the ground, mount up -almost perpendicularly to a moderate height, and -then descend again on the same spot or close to it, -making a sudden lurch and half tumble in alighting. -It did this some dozen times, but not always in so -marked a manner, for sometimes the mount or tower -was not straight up from this spring—as a mountain -sheer from the sea—but arose out of what seemed -an ordinary flight over the ground. As it descended -for the last time another crow flew up to and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138"></a>[Pg 138]</span> -alighted beside it in a manner which seemed to -express an entry into its feelings. This was in -East Anglia, on the last day but one of February, -and I look upon it as a premature breaking out -of the nuptial activities before the birds had taken -wing to their more northerly breeding-places. As -to these aerial antics of the ravens, I doubt if they -were strictly nuptial, on account of their performance -of them whilst skirmishing with gulls, or with the -hooded crow.</p> - -<p>These two ravens were most devoted guardians of -their young, and they pursued a plan with me—for -I was the only intruder on their island—which was -well calculated to blind me with regard to their -whereabouts, and would certainly have succeeded in -doing so, had not the nest been so openly situated, -and such a conspicuous object. They took up their -station daily—and in this they never once varied—at -a point on the cliffs considerably beyond the place -where they had built their nest, and which commanded -a wide outlook. As I came each morning along the -coast, which rose gradually, I became visible to them -whilst about as far from their nest on the one side -as they were on the other, and the instant my head -appeared over the brow of the hill they rose together -with the croaking clamour I have mentioned, and -circled about round their own promontory. This -strategy could hardly have been improved upon had -it been carefully thought out by a man, for in the -first place my attention was at once directed to the -birds themselves, and then if the <i>likelihood</i> merely of -there being a nest had occurred to me, that part of -the cliffs from which they rose, and about which they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139"></a>[Pg 139]</span> -wheeled, would have seemed the most likely place -in which to search for it. No doubt, had the nest -been well concealed, the birds would have done better -not to have shown themselves, but conspicuous as it -was, they could hardly have adopted a better plan -of getting me away from just that part of the coast -where it was situated.</p> - -<p>I have spoken in the last chapter of the extreme -boldness of the smaller of the two skuas, and how, -whether in sport or piracy, he chases birds much -larger than himself. It was, therefore, something of -a surprise to me when I observed one morning this -bold buccaneer being himself pursued by another bird. -This was one of a pair of curlews, birds that are as -the spirit of the sad solitudes in which they dwell. -It is, indeed, more as a part of the scene—that treeless, -mist-enshrouded waste beneath grey northern -skies, which they emphasise and add expression to—than -in themselves that one gets to consider them. -Just thickening with a shape the dank, moist atmosphere, -seeming to have been strained and wrung out -from the mist and rain and drizzle, they are, at -most, but a moulded, vital part of these. They move -like shadows on the mists, when they cry, desolation -has found its utterance. And yet, for all this, their -general appearance, with their long legs and neck, -and immensely long sickle-shaped bill, is very much -that of an ibis—insomuch, that seeing them in this -bleak northern land, has sometimes almost a bizarre -effect. This should seem quite irreconcilable with -the other, and yet, though it certainly ought to be, -somehow it is not, so that, at one and the same time, -this opposite bird brings a picture, by looking like<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140"></a>[Pg 140]</span> -an ibis, of Egypt and the South, and is likewise the -very incarnation of grey skies, of mist and morass. -So strangely can contradictions be reconciled in the -mind, or rather so well and impartially can we grasp -two aspects of a thing when neither concerns us -personally.</p> - -<p>When they stand or walk slowly and sedately these -curlews hold their long, slender necks very erect, and -it is this, with the beak, that gives them their ibis-like -character. When they run they lower the neck, and -the quicker they go the lower do they hold it. In -taking flight they sometimes make a few quick -running steps with raised body, as though launching -themselves on the air; but at other times they will -rise from where they stand without this preliminary. -In flight they may be called conspicuous, at <span class="correction" title="In the original book: anyrate">any rate</span> -by contrast with the wonderful manner in which they -disappear simply—"softly and silently vanish away"—when -on the ground. This is by reason of their -colouring, which on all the upper surface of the body -and the outside of the wings is of a soft, mottled -brown, which blends wonderfully with, or, rather, -seems to become absorbed into the general surroundings -of moor and peat-bog, so that they never catch -the eye, and are simply gone the instant this is taken -off them. But the plumage of the under surface of -the body and of the inside of the wings is much -lighter, and this becomes visible as the bird rises (as -with the redshank), and alternates with the other as it -flies around. It is thus—round and round in a wide -circle—that a pair of them will keep flying when -disturbed in their breeding-haunts. But though -each bird is equally disturbed and anxious, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141"></a>[Pg 141]</span> -though their mournful cries answer each other like -two sad complaining souls, yet they keep apart, and, -on settling, do not run to each other. From the drear -slope of a hill a wail goes up, and from another hill, -or the cheerless hollow between, the sad sound is -answered. Or one will fly wailing whilst the other -wails and sits, or the two will follow each other along -the ground, but without coming very near. Thus, -in a kind of sad, solitary communion, they wail and -lament, and so exactly is each the counterpart of -the other, one might think that the prophet Jeremiah -had been turned into a bird, which had subsequently -flown asunder.</p> - -<p>In flight the wings are for the most part constantly -quivered, with a quick and somewhat tremulous -motion, but sometimes the bird will glide with them -outstretched, and not moving, just over the ground, -before it alights, or make a steep-down descent holding -them set in this manner, and so settle. There is -also a trick or mannerism of flight which is graceful, -and may be of a nuptial character. Rising to a -certain height on quivering wings, they sink down, -holding them extended and motionless. After but -a short descent, they rise again in the same quivering -way, and so continue for a greater or lesser space of -time.</p> - -<p>The note which they utter is, first, a melancholy -"too-ee, too-ee, too-ee," then a much louder and -sharper "wi-wi, wi-wi, wi-wi" (i as in "with"), and -there are various other ones, one of which—if memory -did not trick me—is just, or very, like a note which is -but seldom heard of the great plover, "Tu-whi, whi, -whi, whi, whi." This bird is itself a curlew, so that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142"></a>[Pg 142]</span> -the resemblance can be understood. Its affinities -with the oyster-catcher are (unless it is the other -way about) less close; yet some part of the piping -of the latter bird reminded me strongly of the -"clamour," as it is called, of the former one. Sometimes, -but more rarely, the mournful "too-ee, too-ee, -too-ee" of the curlew is followed by a note as -mournful, but louder and more abrupt. This sounded -to my ear something like "chur-wer—whi-wee," but, -of course, all such renderings are arbitrary, and more -or less fanciful.</p> - -<p>One of the strangest sounds that came to me on -that lonely island was the courting-note of the male -eider-duck. This varies a good deal, not in the sound, -which is always the same, but in the duration and -division of it. Sometimes it is one long-drawn, soft -"oh" or "oo," more generally, perhaps, this is -syllabled into "oh-hoo" or "ah-oo," and often -there is a much longer as well as very distinct and -powerful "hoo-oooooo." The sound seems always -to be on the point of catching, yet just to miss, the -human intonation, sometimes suggesting a soft (though -often loud) mocking laugh, at others a slightly ironical -or surprised ejaculation. But this human element -only just trembles upon it and is gone. Rousing for -a moment the sense of man's proximity with its -attendant associations, these vanish almost in the -forming, and are replaced by a feeling of unutterable -loneliness and wildness. For what recalls, yet is -far other, enforces the sense of the absence of that -which it recalls. Yet this feeling changed too, or, -rather, with it there came another as of the unseen -world, also, I think, comprehensible, since what is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143"></a>[Pg 143]</span> -almost, yet not quite, human must needs suggest fays, -elves, elementals, and all their company. I loved the -sound. If not quite music, it was most softly harmonious, -and always, from first to last, brought into -my mind with strange insistency, those lines in the -<i>Tempest</i>:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse indent20">"Sitting on a bank,</div> -<div class="verse">Weeping again the King my father's wreck,</div> -<div class="verse">This music crept by me upon the waters,</div> -<div class="verse">Allaying both their fury and my passion</div> -<div class="verse">With its sweet air."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Then, of course, I was on Prospero's island, though, -heaven knows, this bleak northern one was little like -it. Thus can some poor bird that we murder, by -an association merely, or called-up image, as well as -by actual song,</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">"Dissolve us into ecstasies,</div> -<div class="verse">And bring all heaven before our eyes."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>It was some little time before I could be quite sure -to what bird this strange note belonged. It seemed -too poetical for a duck, though, indeed, an eider-duck -is the poetry of the family. Also, it was difficult to -locate, seeming to bear but little relation to the place -or distance at which it was uttered. But I soon found -that whenever there were eider-ducks I heard the note, -whereas I never did when they were nowhere about. -At last—quite close in a little bay, as though they had -come there to show me—I "tore out the heart of their -mystery." It was a lovely sight. Even the female -eider-duck, sober brown though she be, has a most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144"></a>[Pg 144]</span> -pleasing appearance, but the male bird is beauteous -indeed. In the pure white and deep, rich black of his -plumage he looks, at first, as though clothed all in -velvet and snow. There are, however, the green -feathers on the back of the head and neck, which do -not look like feathers at all, but rather a delicate wash -of colour, or as though some thin, glazed material—some -finest-made green silk handkerchief—had been -tied round his head with a view to health by the -female members of his family. And although at first, -with the exception of this green tint, all that is not the -richest velvet black looks purest white, the eye through -the glasses, growing more and more delighted, notices -soon a still more delicate wash of green about the -upper parts of the neck, and of delicate, very delicate, -buff on the full rounded breast just where it meets -the water. These glorified males—there were a dozen -of them, perhaps, to some six or seven females—swam -closely about the latter, but more in attendance upon -than as actually pursuing them; for the females -seemed themselves almost as active agents in the sport -of being wooed as were their lovers in wooing them. -The actions were as follows:—The male bird first -dipped down his head till his beak just touched the -water, then raised it again in a constrained and tense -manner—the curious rigid action so frequent in the -nuptial antics of birds—at the same time uttering that -strange, haunting note. The air became filled with -it, every moment one or other of the birds—sometimes -several together—with upturned bill would softly laugh -or exclaim, and whilst the males did this, the females, -turning excitedly, and with little eager demonstrations -from one to another of them, kept lowering and ex<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145"></a>[Pg 145]</span>tending -forwards the head and neck in the direction -of each in turn.</p> - -<p>As there were a good many females in this "reunion," -the numbers of the males about any one of -them at one time was not great. Some of them -were attended by only one cavalier or left quite -lonely for a time—but all kept shifting and changing. -The birds kept always swimming on, and -were now all together, now scattered over a considerable -surface of water. Sometimes two males -would court one hen, who would then often demonstrate -between them in the way I have described. -Often, however, the male birds are in excess of the -females, and sometimes there will be only one female -to a number of males, who then press so closely about -her that they may almost be said to mob her, though -in a very polite manner. There are then frequent -combats between the males, one making every now -and again a sudden dash through the water at another, -and seizing or endeavouring to seize him by the head -or scruff of the neck. The two then struggle together -till they both sink or dive under the water. Shortly -afterwards they emerge separately, and the combat is -over for the time. During, if not as a part of, these -nuptial proceedings, the birds of both sexes will -occasionally rise in the water and give their wings -a brisk flapping. They may also occasionally dive as -a mere relaxation, or to give vent to their feelings, at -least so it appeared to me.</p> - -<p>The female eider-duck—as far as I could observe—does -not utter the curious note, but only a deep -quacking one, with which she calls to her the male -birds. It appeared to me that she would sometimes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146"></a>[Pg 146]</span> -show a preference for one male over another, and also -(though of this I cannot be so sure), a power of dismissing -birds from her. But if she really possesses -such a power, she cannot very well assert it when -closely pressed upon by a crowd of admirers. I -noticed, too, and thought it curious, that a female -would often approach a male bird with her head and -neck laid flat along the water as though in a very -"coming-on disposition," and that the male bird -declined her advances. This, taken in conjunction -with the actions of the females when courted by the -males, appears to me to raise a doubt as to the universal -application of the law that throughout nature -the male, in courtship, is eager and the female coy. -Here, to all appearance, courtship was proceeding, and -the birds had not yet mated. The female eider-ducks, -however—at any rate some of them—appeared to be -anything but coy. As time went on and the birds -became paired this curious note of the males became -less and less frequent, and at last ceased, a proof, I -think, that the note itself is of a nuptial character, -and also that the birds at the time they kept uttering -it were seeking their mates.</p> - -<p>I regret that I was not able to observe the further -breeding or nesting habits of these interesting birds. -A few of the females may have laid before I left the -island, but the greater number were still on the water. -One day I put one up from the heather, upon which I lay -down and waited. Soon a pair of them—both females—flew -round me and alighted together not far off. -Both then lay or crouched in the heather at a few -yards from each other. Later, whilst watching from -the coast, I saw two female eiders walking side by side<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147"></a>[Pg 147]</span> -at a slight distance apart. At intervals they would -pause, stand or sit for a little, and again jog on together. -These birds must, I think, have been selecting a place -in which to lay their eggs, and if so, it would seem -that they like to do this in pairs. I also saw a male -eider-duck sitting for a considerable time amidst the -heather right away from the sea. It is, of course, -impossible to mistake the sexes after the males have -assumed their adult plumage, and, moreover, this bird -subsequently flew down into the little bay just beneath -me. I say this because it is authoritatively stated that -the male eider-duck never goes near the nest. It is -probable that a week or so later this bird could not -have sat where he was without being near to <i>a</i> nest -at any rate; and, moreover, what should take the male -bird from the sea, or its immediate coast, at all, if it -were not some impulse appropriate to the season? -This and a statement made to me by a native in -regard to this point, which went still further against -authority, makes me wish that I had been able to see a -little more. As it is, I have only a right to ask with -regard to this one male eider-duck, <span class="correction" title='In the original book: Que diable allait il -faire dans cette galere?"'>"Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galere?"</span></p> - -<p>It is difficult to tire of watching these birds, ducks, -yet so wonderfully marine. The freedom of the sea is -upon them, far more than Aphrodite they might have -sprung from its foam—it is of the male with his snowy -breast that one thinks this. One cannot see them and -think of a pond or a river—yet, always, they are so -palpably ducks. It is delicious to see them heave -with the swell of the wave against some low sloping -rock—lapping it like the water itself—and then remain -upon it, standing or sitting—living jetsam that the sea<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148"></a>[Pg 148]</span> -has cast up. They ride like corks on the water, they -are the arch of each wave and the dimple of every -ripple.</p> - -<p>Eider-ducks feed by diving to the bottom of the -sea off the rocks where it is shallow, and getting there -what is palatable. Probably this is, in most cases, -eaten under water, but whilst, as a rule, emerging -empty-mouthed, they occasionally bring up something -in their bill, and dispose of it floating on the surface. -In one case this was, I think, a crab; in another, -some kind of shell-fish. Their dive is a sudden dip -down, and in the act of it they open the wings, which -they use under water, as can be plainly seen for a -little way below the surface. This opening of the -wings in the moment of diving is, I believe, a sure -sign that they are used as fins or flippers under water, -and that the feet play little or no part.</p> - -<p>Birds, amongst others, that dive in this way are—to -begin with—the black guillemot.</p> - -<p>"Looking down from the cliffs into the quiet pools -and inlets, one can see these little birds—the dabchicks -of the ocean—swimming under water and -using their wings as paddles, perfectly well. Instantly -on diving they become of a glaucous green colour, and -are then no longer like things of this world, but -fanciful merely, suggesting sprites, goblins, little -subaqueous bottle imps, for their shape is like a -fat-bodied bottle or flat flask. Great green bubbles -they look like, and so too but—larger and still -greener—do the eider-ducks." In their small size -and rounded shape, in their <i>deariness</i>, their pretty -little ways and actions, in everything, almost, these -little black guillemots are the marine counterpart of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149"></a>[Pg 149]</span> -the dabchick or little grebe. It is pretty to see them, -a dozen or so together. They pursue each other -under the water—in anger, I think, but it has the -appearance of sport; it is a joyous anger. They seem -all in a state of collective excitement, and out of -this one will make a sudden dart at another, who -dives, and the pursuit is then alternately under or -on the water, and sometimes just skimming along -it on the wing, exactly as dabchicks do. Yet the -black guillemot is a fair flier, having to ascend the -precipices, and the dabchick too, for the matter of that, -can if he chooses rise into the air and fly seriously. -There are three modes of delivering the attack in -fighting. In the first two the one bird either just -darts on the other when quite near, in which case there -may be a slight scuffle before either or both disappear, -or flies at him over the water from a greater or lesser -distance and often very nearly gets hold of him, but -never quite. Invariably the other is down in time, -if it be only the justest of justs. The third plan, -which is the most <i>rusé</i>, is for the attacking bird to -dive whilst yet some way off, and, coming up beneath -his "objective," to spear up at him with his bill. -And so nicely does he judge his distance that he -always does come up exactly where the swimming -bird was,—not is, for this one is as invariably gone. -Yet this plan must sometimes be successful, though -I did not see a case in which it was. At least, I -judge so by the precipitation with which the bird on -the water when he saw the other one dive—as he -always did, and divined his intention—flew up and -off to some distance. In just the same way have I -seen the great crested grebe rise up and fly far over<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150"></a>[Pg 150]</span> -the glassy waters of the sun-bathed lake—but still -more precipitately, and, indeed, in disorder, for <i>he</i> -rose not alone from the surface but also from the -well-aimed spear-point of his successfully-lunging -antagonist. Whether the little dabchicks also, as -well as the crested grebes, attack each other in this -manner, I cannot from observations say, but from the -relationship it would seem probable.</p> - -<a name="Illus_150" id="Illus_150"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page150.png" width="591" height="600" alt="Habet! Great-Crested Grebe Attacked by Another -Under Water." /> -<div class="caption"><i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: Crested Grebe.">Habet! Great-Crested Grebe Attacked by Another -Under Water.</span></i></div> -</div> - -<p>Razorbills also dive briskly, opening the wings<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151"></a>[Pg 151]</span> -and with a kick up, as it were, of the legs and tail. -If one sits on a height and they come sufficiently -near inshore to look down on them at an acute -angle, one can follow their course under the water, -often for a considerable time. One remarks then -that the wings are moved both together—flapped or -beaten—so that the bird really flies through the water. -In flight, however, they are spread straight out without -a bend in them, whereas here they are all the -while flexed at the joint, being raised from and -brought downwards again towards the sides in the -same position in which they repose against them -when closed. These birds—and, no doubt, the other -divers—dive not only to catch fish, but also for the -sake of speed. I have seen them when travelling -steadily along the shore duck down and swim or -fly like this, in a straight line and but just below the -surface of the water, always pursuing the same direction, -and seeming to have no difficulty in guiding themselves. -The speed was very much greater than when -they merely paddled on the surface. Thus we may -see, perhaps, how such birds as the great auk and the -penguins came to lose the power of flight. They could -fly in two ways, either through the air or the water. -The first—as long as they retained it at all, probably—was -much the quicker; but the other was quick enough -for their purposes, and the effort required to rise from -the water was thus dispensed with. These razorbills -dived in order to get more quickly to some point for -which they were making. They might have got there -still sooner by flying, but the time saved was evidently -not worth that effort to them. But the power of flight -might be long retained by a bird—though useless to it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152"></a>[Pg 152]</span> -in other respects—owing to its habit of laying its eggs -on otherwise inaccessible ledges of the rock.</p> - -<p>When three or four razorbills are swimming -together, it is common for one of them to dive first, -and for the rest to follow in quick succession, sometimes -so quick that the order in which they go down, -and the succession itself, can only just be followed. -They must keep together under the water as well as -above it, since they will often emerge so, after some -time, and at a considerable distance.</p> - -<p>The guillemot dives more or less like the razorbill, -but I have not been successful in tracing him -under the water.</p> - -<p>There remains the puffin. "I have been able to -follow the puffin downwards in its dive, and at once -noticed that the legs, instead of being used, were -trailed behind, as in flight, so that the bird's motion -was a genuine flight through water, unassisted by the -webbed feet. With the razorbill, I was not able to -make this out so clearly, for the legs are black, and -the eye cannot detect them under the water, as it can -the bright vermilion ones of the puffin (one wonders, -by the way, if the latter play any part under water such -as the white tail of the rabbit is supposed to do on land), -though I could see that just in diving they were brought -together and raised, so as to extend backwards in the -same way. Penguins also trail the legs like this in -diving, only giving an occasional paddle with them, -whilst the wings are in constant motion."</p> - -<p>It would seem, therefore, that those diving birds -which swim with their wings under the water only -use their feet in a minor degree, and that they go -down with a quick, sudden duck, or bob, and in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153"></a>[Pg 153]</span> -act of opening their wings. On the other hand, -cormorants, shags, and mergansers, birds which do -not use their wings in this way, dive in a quite -different manner. Instead of the sudden, little, -splashy duck, as described, they make a smooth, -gliding leap forwards and upwards, rising a little -from the water, with the neck stretched out, and -wings pressed close to the sides, to enter it again, -beak foremost, like a curved arrow, thus describing -the segment of a circle. Their shape, as they perform -this movement, is that of a bent bow, and there -is the same suggestion in it of pent strength and -elasticity.</p> - -<p>The shag is the greatest exponent of this school of -diving, excelling even the cormorant—at least I fancy -so—by virtue of his smaller size. He leaps entirely -clear of the water, including even, for a moment, his -legs and feet. This seems really a surprising feat, -for, as I say, the wings are tightly closed, so that, -by the force merely of the powerful webbed feet, he -is able to throw himself bodily out of the sea. It -must be by a single stroke, I think, for the motion -is sudden and then continuous. The bird may, of -course, have been in ordinary activity just previously, -so that some slight degree of impetus may be supposed -to have been already gained, but this is unnecessary, -and the leap is often from quiescence. The -merganser dives like the shag or cormorant—though -the curved leap is a little less vigorous—and swims, -like them, without using the wings. His food being -fish, instead of getting deeper and deeper down till -he disappears, like the eider-duck, he usually swims -horizontally, sometimes only just beneath the surface,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154"></a>[Pg 154]</span> -and, as he comes right into the shallow inlets, where -the water almost laps the shore, he can often be -watched thus gliding in rapid pursuit. Though I saw -all his turns and efforts, I never could see either the -fish or the capture of it—supposing that this took -place. If it did, the fish must each time have been -swallowed, or at least pouched, beneath the surface, -as the bird never emerged with one in his bill. There -are, of course, several different species of merganser -and goosander. I cannot be quite sure of the identity -of the bird which has given rise to these observations—I -think it was the red-throated merganser—but, -no doubt, the ways and habits of all the species -are either identical or nearly so.</p> - -<p>It is interesting to find the little dabchick of our -ponds and streams diving sometimes in the manner -of the shag and cormorant, though, of course, -tempered with his own little soft individuality. I -have this note of him, taken in the frost and snow of -a cold December day whilst he sported in his little -creek just a few feet in front of me. "He gives a -little leap up in the water, making a graceful curve, -a pretty little curl, as he plunges. One sees the curve -of his back—which is something—as he spring-glides -down. The action is that of the cormorant, but, -rendered by himself, made dabchicky. Of course he -is in the water all the time; he does not shoot right -out of it. There is far less power and energy. It is -a star-twinkle to a lightning-flash, a floss ringlet to a -bended bow." And again: "He is diving now very -prettily, with a graceful little curled arch in the air -before going down."</p> - -<p>I say that the dabchick sometimes dives like this,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155"></a>[Pg 155]</span> -for he has many ways of doing so, and it is not very -often that he will repeat the same thing twice in -succession. Sometimes he dips so smoothly and -still-ly down that one seems hardly to miss him from -where he was; there is just a swirl on the stream—which -seems, now, to represent him—and that all but -silent sound, so cool and pleasant, as of water sucked -down into water. Or, swimming smoothly down the -current, he stops suddenly, brings the neck stiffly and -straightly forward, with eye fixed intently, severely -on the water—piercing down into it as though making -a point—and then down he goes with a click, almost -a snap, flirting the water-drops up into the air with his -tiny little mite of a tail. I have seen it stated, I think, -that the dabchick has no tail, or that he has no tail -to speak of. I shall speak of it, for I have seen it -enter largely into his deportment. When, as I say, -he dives like this, suddenly, it may be flirted up with -such vigour that, mite as it is, it will send a little -shower of sparkling drops to 20 feet away or more. -It may be said that it is not so much the tail as the -whole body that does this. I say that the tail has its -share, and a good share, too—more, perhaps, than is -quite fair. At any rate, I have seen the prettiest -little drop of all whisked right off the tip of it, and -the sun shining more upon that one than any of the -others—and that, I think, is having a tail to speak of. -But when swimming along quite quietly, the dabchick's -tail, instead of being cocked or flirted up like -the moor-hen's, is drawn smoothly down on the water -so as not to project and thus interfere with its owner's -appearance, which is that of a little, smooth, brown, -oiled powder-puff, "smooth as oil, soft as young<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156"></a>[Pg 156]</span> -down." The dabchick, therefore, has a tail, and -knows how to regulate it.</p> - -<p>Between these two extremes of the dabchick's -manner of diving, and independently of the little -curled leap <i>à la</i> cormorant, there are infinite gradations, -as well as all sorts of mannerisms and individualities. -But in all these I do not distinctly -remember to have seen him throw out his wings in -the act of going down.</p> - -<p>I should be pretty sure, therefore, that he swims -only and does not fly (if this expression is permissible) -under water, if I did not seem to remember having -once seen him do so, as I lay with my head just -over the river's bank and he passed underneath me. -But it was years ago; I have no note, and my -memory may very likely have deceived me. Possibly -both in regard to this, as well as the way in -which he dives, the dabchick may be in a transition -state. His multifariousness in this latter respect -seems to render this likely. The shag, if I mistake -not, never dives in any other way than that which I -have described, unless he is really alarmed, when he -disappears instantaneously and in a dishevelled -manner.</p> - -<p>The moor-hen, also, may follow no fixed plan in -his diving, for I have certainly seen him using his -feet only under water, and I believe I have also -seen him using his wings. Though this, too, was -many years ago I ought not to be mistaken, as the -incident made such a deep impression on me at the -time. I was standing on the bank of a little creek, or -streamlet, running out of a reedy moor-hen-haunted -river. The creek itself, however, was clear where I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157"></a>[Pg 157]</span> -stood, and all at once a strange object passed right -in front of me, swimming beneath the surface. It -was a moor-hen, but the wings used in the way I -have been discussing—a thing to me quite unexpected—seemed -to give it an entirely unbirdlike -appearance, and surprised me into thinking for the -moment that it was some kind of turtle. The legs, -I believe, were also used, alternately in a kind of -long, gliding stride, and may just have touched the -mud at the bottom. This, however—and I believe -the moor-hen often walks in this way along the bottom -rather than swims—would seem to make its use of -the wings at the same time all the more unlikely. -I have but my memory, which, as evidence after so -many years, is of little value. In all such matters -what is wanted is a note taken down at the time. -As to the actual dive down of the moor-hen, whenever -I have seen it it has always been a sudden duck, -sometimes in a rather splashy and disordered manner, -but whether the wings were ever thrown partly open -I am not able to say. I have noted cases, however, -where they certainly were not, and this again makes -it more likely that the moor-hen in diving does not -use the wings at all. I do not know that I have -ever seen the moor-hen dive, unless it was in alarm -from having seen me; and with regard to this a -question arises which, I think, is of interest—to what -extent, namely, does diving enter into the moor-hen's -ordinary habits, how often does it do so of its own -free will? Possibly it may differ as to this in different -localities. Jefferies, for instance, writes as -though it were always diving. Yet I have watched -moor-hens latterly, at all seasons, and for several hours<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158"></a>[Pg 158]</span> -at a time, without having once seen them do so; so -that from seeing them thus <i>au naturel</i>, and without -any suspicion of my proximity, I might have come -to the conclusion that they were not diving birds at -all. As it is, I am inclined to think that they rarely -dive except to avoid danger, and only then when -surprised and as a last resource. For instance, if -a moor-hen sees one from the smallest distance it -flies to the nearest belt of reeds, but if one appears -quite suddenly on the bank just above it—as sometimes -happens—it will then often dive. Even here, -however, according to my own experience, it is more -likely to trust to its wings; so that, as it seems to -me, the habit under any circumstances is only an -occasional one, and may, therefore, be in process -either of formation or cessation. If we look at the -moor-hen's foot, which shows no special adaptation to -swimming, but a very marked one for walking over -a network of water-herbage, the former of these two -suppositions seems the more probable. The bird -from a shore and weed-walker has become aquatic, -and is probably becoming more so. If the habit of -diving is only becoming established, it is possible that -some localities might be more conducive to its quick -increase than others, and it would be interesting, -I think, if observers in different parts of the -country would make and record observations on -this point.</p> - -<p>The chariness of the moor-hen in diving is the more -interesting because the coot, which belongs to the -same family, has the same general habits, and has -evidently become aquatic by the same gradual process, -dives frequently, and is accustomed to feed upon weeds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159"></a>[Pg 159]</span> -which it pulls up from the bottom of the water. Here -is an instance, in which it will also be seen that the -coot's manner of diving is very much more formed -than the moor-hen's, which may be said to be archaic. -"It dives down and reappears, shortly, with some -dank weediness in its bill, which it proceeds to peck -about and swallow on the surface. Then it dives -again, comes up with some more, which it likewise -eats, and does this several times in succession. After -five or six dives it comes up with quite a large -quantity, with which it swims a little way to some -footing of flag and reed, and on this frail brown raft -it stands whilst picking to pieces and eating 'the fat -weed' which it has there deposited. Having finished, -or selected from it, it swims to the same place again -and continues thus to dive and feed, each time coming -up with some weeds in its beak, which I see it eat -quite plainly. It is charming to see this, and also -the way in which the bird dives, which is elaborate, -studied, and yet full of ease. Rising, first, from the -water in a light, buoyant manner as if about to ascend, -balloon-like, into the air, it changes its mind in the -instant and plunges beneath the surface, having, as -it goes down, a very globular and air-bally appearance. -It is like the sometime dive of the dabchick, -but with more deportment and less specific gravity. -The dabchick is an oiled powder-puff, the coot a -balloon, the dabchick a small fluff-ball, the coot an -air-ball."</p> - -<p>From this it would seem as though the coot belonged -to the cormorant school of diving, disagreeing -in this with the moor-hen, to whom it is so closely -allied, whilst agreeing with the dabchick, as well as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160"></a>[Pg 160]</span> -the great crested grebe and other birds—the cormorant -itself—with whom it has no close affinities. -But this cannot be said without considerable qualification, -for, though the description I have given is -from the life and seen over and over again, yet at -other times the dive down of this bird is so totally -different that no one who had seen only the one -could think it capable of the other. In the winter, -coots swim about in flocks, and then one may see -first one little spray of water thrown up as a bird -disappears, and then another. That is all; there is -the spray and there is no bird, whereas just before -there was one. Indeed, I think it is a quicker dive -than any that I have seen a sea-bird make, only -equalled, perhaps (or even, perhaps, not quite -equalled), by that of a really alarmed dabchick. -As for the process of it, it is undiscoverable, the eye -catches only the spray-jet, which is pretty and always -just the same. But there is no disorder, no higgledy-piggledyness. -It is something which you can't see, -but which you feel is the act of a master. Here -again, then, the coot in diving is quite the moor-hen's -superior. The dive of the latter bird is, as we have -said, archaic. It is unpolished, and greatly wants -form and style. Now, the coot is fin-footed—that is -to say, the skin of the toes is extended so as to -form on the interspace of each joint a thin lobe-shaped -membrane. In this formation, which likewise -distinguishes the grebes, we may, perhaps, see -the gradual steps by which the feet of some more -purely aquatic birds have become webbed. As the -lobes became larger they would have met and overlapped, -and from this to an actual fusion does not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161"></a>[Pg 161]</span> -seem an impassable gulf. This, however, is only a -supposition. It seems more likely that the web has -been, in most cases, gained by the extension of the -slight membrane between the toes, at their junction -with one another. Possibly the lobes on the toes of -the coot were gained before he became a swimmer, -and served the purpose of supporting him on mud or -floating vegetation, or, as perhaps is more probable, -they may have been developed in accordance with -the double requirement. At any rate, if we suppose -this structural modification to have been effected after -the bird became in some degree truly <span class="correction" title="In the original book: acquatic">aquatic</span>, then, -though this does not prove that the period at which -it became so was longer ago than in the case of the -moor-hen, which has remained structurally unaffected, -yet it, perhaps, renders it likely, and we can, by supposing -so, understand why the one bird should dive -habitually and the other only occasionally.</p> - -<p>The great crested grebe exhibits the same feature -of variety in his manner of diving as does his sprightly -little relative the dabchick. Sometimes it is quite -informal—he just spears the water before disappearing, -sinking in it a little before he spears—but at -others there is the cormorant leap upwards as well -as forwards, before going down. Of course, no more -than with the dabchick is there the same tremendous -vigour, the wonderful supple virility which lives in -the leap of this strong-souled sea robber. I say -"of course," for anyone who has watched these birds—the -most ornamental, perhaps, of any except swans -that swim the water—must have remarked a quiet, -easy, one may almost say languid, grace—something -suggestive of high birth, of "Lady Clara Vere de<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162"></a>[Pg 162]</span> -Vere"-ness—in their every, or almost every, action. -Masters of grace indeed they are, and consummate -masters of diving. I do them wrong descanting -upon them here so scantily, but space, my constant -and persistent enemy, will have it so. I have not -even sufficient to make them any further apology.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page162.png" width="300" height="385" alt="Flamingo" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163"></a>[Pg 163]</span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page163.jpg" width="600" height="320" alt="Shags and Guillemots" /> -</div> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII</h2> - -<p class="sub-title">Watching Shags and Guillemots</p> - - -<p>I have referred once or twice before to the cormorant -(including under this title the shag), and once -to the guillemot. In this chapter I shall treat of -both these birds a little more at large, for in the -first place they are salient amongst sea fowl, giving -a distinctive character to the wild places that they -haunt, and secondly, I have watched them closely and -patiently. Both are interesting, and the cormorant -especially has a winning and amiable character, which -I shall the more enjoy bringing before the public -because I think that up to the present scant justice -has been done to it. Something, perhaps, of the wild -and fierce attaches to the popular idea of this bird, -due, no doubt, both to its appearance, which has in -it something dark and evil-looking, and to the stern, -wild scenery of rock and sea with which this is in -consonance, and by which it is emphasised. Perhaps -the mere name even, which has by no means a harmless -sound, has something to do with it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164"></a>[Pg 164]</span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">"As with its wings aslant</div> -<div class="verse">Sails the fierce cormorant</div> -<div class="verse">Seeking some rocky haunt,"</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>says Longfellow—lines which, to me at least, call -up a graphic picture of the bird, though I do not -know that the first contains anything which is -specially characteristic of it; and Milton has recorded—as -we may, perhaps, assume—the way in -which its uncouth shape appealed to him by making -it that which his grand angel-devil chooses, on one -occasion, to assume. On another one, it may be -remembered, Satan takes for his purposes the form -of a toad, and on each, no doubt, the poet, who never -appears to yield to the strong temptation (as one -would imagine) of loving his great creation, has -intended to convey a general idea of fitness and -symbolical similarity as between the disguised being -and the disguise taken.</p> - -<p>It has been conjectured that the habit which the -cormorant has of standing for a length of time with -its wings spread out and loosely drooping, suggested -to Milton its appropriateness, and certainly there is -an o'er-brooding, possession-taking appearance in this -attitude of the bird, in keeping with the ideas which -may be supposed to reign in Satan's breast as he -looks down from the high tree of life upon the garden -of Eden and its two newly created inhabitants. Independently -of this, however, the bird, as it stands -in its ordinary posture, firmly poised, the body not -quite upright but inclined somewhat forward, with -the curved neck and strong hooked beak thrown -into bold relief—the dark webbed feet grasping firmly -on the rock—has in it something suggestive both of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165"></a>[Pg 165]</span> -power and evil, which may well have struck Milton, -as it must, I think, anyone who is appreciative and -either not an ornithologist or who, if he is one, will -suppress for the time being his special scientific -knowledge and <i>se laisser prendre aux choses</i>, as -did the less (falsely) critical portion of Moliere's -audiences.</p> - -<p>For, whatever the cormorant may look, he is in -reality—except from the fish's point of view, which -is, no doubt, a strong one—both a very innocent -and, as I have said, a very amiable bird. He shines -particularly in scenes of quiet domestic happiness—in -the home circle both giving and receiving affection—and -it is in this light that the following pictures -will for the most part reveal him. I must premise -that they all refer to that smaller and handsomer -species of our two cormorants adorned with a crest, -and whose plumage is all of a deep glossy, glancing -green, called the shag. If I speak of him sometimes -by his family name, it is because he has a clear right -to it, and also because it has a more pleasing sound -than the one which distinguishes him specifically. The -habits of the two birds are almost the same, if not -quite identical. They fish together in the sea, stand -together on the rocks, and in the earlier stages of -its plumage the more ornate one closely resembles -the other in its permanent dress. One might think -that they were not merely the co-descendants of a -common and now extinct ancestor, but the modified -form and its actual living progenitor. But I am -aware of the arguments which could be used against -such a conclusion.</p> - -<p>I will now give my observations as taken down<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166"></a>[Pg 166]</span> -at the time, and should they be thought minute to -the point of tediousness, I can only in extenuation -plead the title of this book, whilst assuring the reader, -that however it may lie between us two, the bird, -at any rate, is in no way to blame.</p> - -<p><i>Courtship, love-making.</i>—"The way in which the -male cormorant makes love to the female is as -follows:—Either at once from where he stands, or -after first waddling a step or two, he makes an impressive -jump or hop towards her, and stretching his -long neck straight up, or even a little backwards, he -at the same time throws back his head so that it is -in one line with it, and opens his beak rather widely. -In a second or so he closes it, and then he opens -and shuts it again several times in succession, rather -more quickly. Then he sinks forward with his breast -on the rock, so that he lies all along it, and fanning -out his small, stiff tail, bends it over his back whilst -at the same time stretching his head and neck backwards -towards it, till with his beak he sometimes -seizes and, apparently, plays with the feathers. In -this attitude he may remain for some seconds more -or less, having all the while a languishing or ecstatic -expression, after which he brings his head forward -again, and then repeats the performance some three -or four or, perhaps, half-a-dozen times. This would -seem to be the full courting display, the complete -figure so to speak, but it is not always fully gone -through. It may be acted part at a time. The -first part, commencing with the hop—the <i>simple aveu</i> -as it may be called—is not always followed by the -ecstasy in the recumbent posture, and the last is -still more often indulged in without this preliminary,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167"></a>[Pg 167]</span> -whilst the bird is sitting thus upon the rock. Again, -a bird whilst standing, but not quite erect, will dart -his head forward and upward, and make with his -bill as though snapping at insects in the air. Then, -after a second or two, he will throw his head back -till it touches or almost touches the centre of his -back, and whilst at the same time opening and -shutting the beak, communicate a quick vibratory -motion to the throat. It looks as though he were -executing a trill or doing the <i>tremulo</i> so loved of -Italian singers, of which, however, there is no vocal -evidence.</p> - -<p>"When the male bird makes the great pompous hop -up to the female, and then, after the preliminaries -that I have described, falls prone in front of her, he is, -so to speak, at her feet; but by throwing his head -backwards he gets practically farther off, nor can he -well see her whilst staring up into the sky behind -him, which is what he appears to be doing. Thus -the first warmth of the situation is a little chilled, -and on the stage we should call it an uncomfortable -distance. The female shag seems to think so too, -for all that she does—that is to say, all that I have -then seen her do—is to stand and look about, conduct -which, as it is uninteresting, we may perhaps assume -to be correct. But when the antics begin, as one -may say, from the second figure, the male not rising -from his recumbent position (a quite usual one) on -the rock to make the first display, the bird towards -whom his attentions are directed will often be standing -behind him, and it then appears as if he had -brought back his head in order to gaze up at her -<i>con expressione</i>. In this case she, on her part, will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168"></a>[Pg 168]</span> -sometimes cosset the feathers of his throat or neck -with the tip of her hooked bill, a courtesy which you -see him acknowledge by sundry little pleased movings -of his head to one side and to another. It must, -however, be understood that when I say it is the -male bird who thus pays his court to the female, I -am only inferring that this is the case. There was -nothing beyond likelihood and analogy to guide me -in what I saw, and from some subsequent observations -I have reason to think that these antics are -common to both sexes. As a rule, however, one -may safely assume that the bird which in such -matters both takes the initiative and does so in a -very decided manner, is the male."</p> - -<p>I will add that the waddling step with which the -male bird (as I believe) approaches the female may -become quickened and exaggerated into a sort of -shuffling dance. But I only use the word "dance," -because I can think of no slighter, yet sufficient, one. -It is not, I should imagine, intentional, but only the -result of nervous excitement.</p> - -<a name="Illus_168" id="Illus_168"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page168.jpg" width="600" height="399" alt="Love on a Rock: Shags During the Breeding -Season." /> -<div class="caption"><i>Love on a Rock: Shags During the Breeding -Season.</i></div> -</div> - -<p>These seem to be odd antics, but it is in the -nature of antics to be odd, and when such a bird -as a cormorant indulges in them one may expect -something more than ordinarily peculiar. The hop, -however, which is very pronounced, is not confined -to such occasions, but is made to alternate with the -customary waddle when the bird is moving about on -the rocks, and especially when getting up on to any -low ledge or projection. I do not know of any other -British bird which adopts this recumbent position in -courtship, but this is just what the male ostrich does, -as I have over and over again seen. He first pursues<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169"></a>[Pg 169]</span> -the hen, who flies before him, and then, having -followed her for a short distance, flings himself down, -throws back his head upon his back and rolls from -side to side, each time slowly passing the splendid white -feathers of first one and then another wing over the -velvet black plumage of his body, by which, of course, -they are shown to the very best advantage. The hen -commonly stops whilst he is doing this, and may -be supposed to pay some attention, but as to the -amount, as I write from memory after many years, -I will not here express an opinion. After a while the -male bird rises, again pursues the hen, again flings -himself down, and this is continued for a greater or -lesser number of times, till either he gives up the -chase, or the two have come to a thorough understanding. -When thus rolling with wings spread out -and head thrown back upon himself the bird is in a -kind of ecstasy, and it is easy to go right up to him—as -I have myself done—and seize him by the neck -before he becomes aware of one's presence.</p> - -<p>These antics therefore—though in a bird so different -as the ostrich<a name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a>—bear a considerable resemblance to -those of the shag, though the latter does not at any -time make use of his wings. This, again, is interesting, -for there is nothing specially handsome in -the wings of a cormorant. The crest, however, is -conspicuous as the head is flung up, and by the -opening of the bill, which is a very marked feature,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170"></a>[Pg 170]</span> -the brilliant yellow gule which matches in colour the -naked outer skin at the base of the mandibles becomes -plainly visible. This habit of opening the bill as it -were <i>at</i> each other I have remarked in several sea-birds, -and also that in all or most of these cases the -interior part thus disclosed is brightly or, at least, -pleasingly coloured.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_14_14" id="Footnote_14_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_14_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a> Having been led to speak of the ostrich, I will take this opportunity -of challenging the statement to be met with in several works of standing, -that the male bird alone performs the duties of incubation. I have -lived on an ostrich-farm and (unless I am dreaming) ridden round it -every afternoon in order to feed the hens, who had till then been sitting -on the eggs, and were often still to be seen so doing.</p></div> - -<p><i>Bathing.</i>—But whether the following be bathing -or a kind of aquatic exercise either of or not of the -nature of sexual display, I will leave to the reader -to decide. Birds which live habitually in the water -do yet bathe, I believe, in the proper sense of the -word.</p> - -<p>"The cormorant, when bathing, raises himself a little -out of the water whilst still maintaining a horizontal -position, and in this attitude, supported as it would -seem on the feet, he commences violently to beat the -sea with his wings, moving also the tail and, I think, -treading down with the feet upon the water. The -sea is soon beaten all into foam, and when he has -accomplished this, desisting, he begins to sport about -in the whiteness of it in an odd excited manner, -making little turns and darts and often being just -submerged, but no more. He does this for a few -minutes, stops, and commences again after a short -interval, and thus continues alternately sporting and -resting for a quarter of an hour or, perhaps, even as -long as half-an-hour. I think this must be bathing -or washing, for other birds act in the same way, -though less markedly, so that it does not occur to -one to wonder what they are about. The little black -guillemot, for instance, beats the water briskly and -rapidly with his wings, but whereas the cormorant<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171"></a>[Pg 171]</span> -beats it into foam so that it looks like the wake of -a steamer, he raises only a little silvery sprinkling of -spray, for he but just flips the surface of it with the -tips of his quill feathers. All the while his little, -upturned, fanned tail keeps waggle-waggling, but -this, too, acts more like a light shuttlecock than a -powerful screw. Nor does he dip so much or make -such violent motions as of a mad water-dance. The -cormorant's performance is strong—an epic. His -is lyrical rather. No lofty genius but a pretty little -minor poet is the black guillemot, and after each -little water-verselet he rises pleasedly and gives his -wings an applausive little shake. You might think -he was clapping them—and himself."</p> - -<p><i>Gargoyle idylls.</i>—"Now I have found a nest with -the bird on it, to see and watch. It was on a ledge, -and just within the mouth of one of those long, -narrowing, throat-like caverns into and out of which -the sea with all sorts of strange, sullen noises licks -like a tongue. The bird, who had seen me, continued -for a long time afterwards to crane about -its long neck from side to side or up and down -over the nest, in doing which it had a very demoniac -appearance, suggesting some evil being in its dark -abode, or even the principle of evil itself. As it was -impossible for me to watch it without my head being -visible over the edge of the rock I was on, I collected -a number of loose flat stones that lay on the turf -above, and, at the cost of a good deal of time and -labour, made a kind of wall or sconce with loopholes -in it, through which I could look, yet be invisible. -Presently the bird's mate came flying into the cavern, -and wheeling up as it entered, alighted on a sloping<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172"></a>[Pg 172]</span> -slab of the rock just opposite to the nest. For a -little both birds uttered low, deep, croaking notes -in weird unison with the surroundings and the sad -sea-dirges, after which they were silent for a considerable -time, the one standing and the other sitting -on the nest <i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: vis-a-vis">vis-à-vis</span></i> to each other. At length the -former, which I have no doubt was the male, hopped -across the slight space dividing them on to the nest, -which was a huge mass of seaweed. There were -now some more deep sounds and then, bending over -the female bird, the male caressed her by passing the -hooked tip of his bill through the feathers of her head -and neck, which she held low down the better to -permit of this. Afterwards the two sat side by side -together on the nest.</p> - -<p>"The whole scene was a striking picture of affection -between these dark, wild birds in their lonely, wave-made -home.</p> - -<p>"Here was love unmistakable, between so strange a -pair and in so wild a spot. But to them it was the -sweetest of bowers. How snug, how cosy they were -on that great wet heap of 'the brown seaweed,' just -in the dark jaws of that gloom-filled cavern, with -the frowning precipice above and the sullen-heaving -sea beneath. Here in this gloom, this wildness, this -stupendousness of sea and shore, beneath grey skies -and in chilling air, here was peace, here was comfort, -conjugal love, domestic bliss, the same flame burning -in such strange gargoyle-shaped forms amidst all the -shagginess of nature. The scene was full of charm, -full of poetry, more so, as it struck me, than most -love-scenes in most plays and novels—having regard, -of course, to the <i>prodigious</i> majority of the bad ones.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173"></a>[Pg 173]</span></p> - -<p>"The male bird now flies out to sea again, and after -a time returns carrying a long piece of brown seaweed -in his bill. This he delivers to the female, who takes -it from him and deposits it on the heap, as she sits. -Meanwhile, the male flies off again, and again returns -with more seaweed, which he delivers as before, and -this he does eight times in the space of one hour -and forty minutes, diving each time for the seaweed -with the true cormorant leap. Sometimes the sitting -bird, when she takes the seaweed from her mate, -merely lets it drop on the heap, but at others she -places and manipulates it with some care. All takes -place in silence for the most part, but on some of -the visits the heads are thrown up and there are -sounds—hoarse and deeply guttural—as of gratulation -between the two.</p> - -<p>"Once the male bird, standing on the rock, pulls at -some green seaweed growing there, and after a time -gets it off.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">('It was rather tough work to pull out the cork,</div> -<div class="verse">But he drew it at last with his teeth.')</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>"The female is much interested, stretches forward -with her neck over the nest and takes the seaweed -as soon as it is loose, before the other can pass it to -her. Then she arranges it on the nest, the male -looking on the while as though she were the bride -cutting the cake. Now he hops on to the nest again, -and both together (for I think the male joins) arrange -or pull the seaweed about with their beaks. One -would think that the nest was still a-building and -that the eggs were not yet laid. This last, however, -is not the case. Several times, whilst waiting alone,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174"></a>[Pg 174]</span> -the female bird rises a little on the nest, and each -time there is a gleam like snow and the gloom seems -deeper against the cut outline of a pure white egg. -How full of poetry and interest it is lying there; how -unmeaning and, one may almost say, absurd in a -cabinet!"</p> - -<p>The nest of the shag is continually added to by the -male, not only whilst the eggs are in process of incubation, -but after they are hatched, and when the young -are being brought up. In a sense, therefore, it may -be said to be never finished, though to all practical -purposes it is, before the female bird begins to sit. -That up to this period the female as well as the male -bird takes part in the building of the nest I cannot but -think, but from the time of my arrival on the island I -never saw the two either diving for or carrying seaweed -together. Of course, if all the hen birds were sitting -this is accounted for, but from the courting antics which -I witnessed, and for some other reasons, I judged that -this was not the case. Once I saw a pair of birds -together high up on the cliffs, where some tufts of grass -grew in the niches. One of these birds, only, pulled -out some of the grass, and flew away with it accompanied -by the other one. It is not only seaweed that -is used by these birds in the construction of the nest. -In many that I saw, grass alone was visible (though I -have no doubt seaweed was underneath it); and one, -in particular, had quite an ornamental appearance, -from being covered all over with some land-plant -having a number of small blue flowers; and this I -have observed in other nests, though not to the same -extent. A fact like this is interesting when we remember -the bower-birds, and the way in which they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175"></a>[Pg 175]</span> -ornament their runs. I think it was on this same nest -that I noticed the picked and partially bleached -skeleton—with the head and wings still feathered—of -a puffin. It had, to be sure, a sorry appearance to -the human—at least to the civilised human—eye, but -if it had not been brought there for the sake of ornament -I can think of no other reason, and brought -there or, at least, placed upon the nest by the bird, it -must almost certainly have been. The brilliant beak -and saliently marked head of the puffin must be here -remembered. Again, fair-sized pieces of wood or spar, -cast up by the sea and whitened by it, are often to be -seen stuck amongst the seaweed, and on one occasion -I saw a bird fly with one of these to its nest and place -it upon it. In all this, as it seems to me, the beginnings -of a tendency to ornament the nest are clearly exhibited. -It would be interesting to observe if the common -cormorant exhibits the same tendency, or to the same -degree. The shag being a handsome and adorned -bird, we might, on Darwinian principles, expect to find -the æsthetic sense more developed in it than in its -plainer and unadorned relative.</p> - -<p>Both the sexes share in the duty and pleasure of -incubation, and (as in some other species) to see them -relieve each other on the nest is to see one of the -prettiest things in bird life. The bird that you have -been watching has sat patiently the whole morning, -and once or twice as it rose in the nest and shifted -itself round into another position on the eggs, you -have seen the gleam of them as they lay there</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">"As white</div> -<div class="verse indent4">as ocean foam in the moon."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176"></a>[Pg 176]</span></p> - -<p>At last when it is well on in the afternoon, the -partner bird flies up and stands for some minutes -preening itself, whilst the one on the nest, who is -turned away, throws back the head towards it and -opens and shuts the bill somewhat widely, as in greeting, -several times. The newcomer then jumps and -waddles to the further side of the nest, so as to front -the sitting bird, and sinking down against it with a -manner and action full both of affection and a sense of -duty, this one is half pushed, half persuaded to leave, -finally doing so with the accustomed grotesque hop. -As it comes down on the rock it turns towards the -other who is now settling on to the eggs, and, throwing -up its head into the air, opens the bill so as to show -(or at any rate showing) the brightly coloured space -within.</p> - -<p>All this it does with the greatest—what shall we -say? Not exactly <i>empressement</i>, but character—it is -a character part. There is an indescribable expression -in the bird—all over it—as of something vastly -important having been accomplished, of relief, of -satisfaction, of <i>summum bonum</i>, and, also, of a certain -grotesque and <span class="correction" title="In the original book: gargoil">gargoyle</span>-like archness—but as though all -these were only half-consciously felt. She then (for I -think it is the female), before flying away, picks up a -white feather from the ledge and passes it to the male, -now established on the nest, who receives and places -it. It has all been nearly in silence, only a few low, -guttural notes having passed between the birds, whilst -they were close together.</p> - -<p>Just in the same way the birds relieve each other -after the eggs have been hatched and when the young -are being fed and attended to.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177"></a>[Pg 177]</span></p> - -<p>"A shag (I think the female bird) is sitting on her -nest with the young ones, whilst the male stands on a -higher ledge of the rock a yard or so away. He now -jumps down and stands for a moment with head somewhat -erected and beak slightly open. Then he makes -the great pompous hop which I have described before, -coming down right in front of the female, who raises -her head towards him and opens and closes the mandibles -several times in the approved manner. The two -birds then nibble, as it were, the feathers of each other's -necks with the ends of their bills, and the male takes -up a little of the grass of the nest, seeming to toy with -it. He then very softly and persuadingly pushes himself -against the sitting bird, seeming to say, 'It's my -turn now,' and thus gets her to rise, when both stand -together on the nest, over the young ones. The male -then again takes up a little of the grass of the nest, -which he passes towards the female, who also takes it, -and they toy with it a little together before allowing it -to drop. The insinuating process now continues, the -male in the softest and gentlest manner pushing the -female away and then sinking down into her place, -where he now sits, whilst she stands beside him on the -ledge. As soon as the relieving bird has settled itself -amidst the young, and whilst the other one is still there—not -yet having flown off to sea—it begins to feed -them. Their heads—very small, and with beaks not -seeming to be much longer in proportion to their size -than those of young ducks—are seen moving feebly -about, pointing upwards, but with very little precision. -Very gently, and seeming to seize the right opportunity, -the parent bird takes first one head and then another -in the basal part, or gape, of his mandibles, turning his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178"></a>[Pg 178]</span> -own head on one side in order to do so, so that the rest -of the long bill projects sideways beyond the chick's -head without touching it. In this connection, and -whilst the chick's head is quite visible, little, if any -more than the beak being within the gape of the parent -bird, the latter bends the head down and makes that -particular action as of straining so as to bring something -up, which one is familiar with in pigeons. This -process is gone through several times before the bird -standing on the ledge flies away, to return again in a -quarter of an hour with a piece of seaweed, which is -laid on the nest." Here again, as throughout, the -sexes of the birds can only be inferred or merely -guessed at. Both share in incubation, both feed the -young, both (I think) bring seaweed to the nest, and -both are exactly alike.</p> - -<p>As the chicks become older they thrust the head and -bill farther and farther down the throat of the parent -bird, and at last to an astonishing extent. Always, -however, it appeared to me that the parent bird brought -up the food into the chick's bills in some state of -preparation, and was not a mere passive bag from -which the latter pulled out fish in a whole state. -There were several nests all in unobstructed view, -and so excellent were my glasses that, practically, -I saw the whole process as though it had been -taking place on a table in front of me. The chicks, -on withdrawing their heads from the parental throat, -would often slightly open and close the mandibles -as though still tasting something, in a manner which -one may describe as smacking the bill; but on no -occasion did I observe anything projecting from the -bill when this was withdrawn, as one would expect<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179"></a>[Pg 179]</span> -sometimes to be the case if unmodified fish were -pulled up, but not if these were in a soft, porridgey -condition. Always, too, the actions of the parent -bird suggested that particular process which is known -as regurgitation, and which may be observed with -pigeons, and also—as I have seen and recorded—with -the nightjar.</p> - -<p>Cormorants, as they sit on the nest, have a curious -habit of twitching or quivering the muscles of the -throat, so that the feathers dance about in a very -noticeable manner, especially if that rare phenomenon, -a glint of sunshine, should happen to fall upon them. -Whilst doing so they usually sit quite still, sometimes -with the bill closed, but more frequently, perhaps, -with the mandibles separated by a finger's -breadth or so. I have watched this curious kind of -St Vitus's dance going on for a quarter of an hour -or more, and it seems as though it might continue -indefinitely for any length of time. All at once it -will cease for a while, and then as suddenly break -out again. It is not only the old birds that twitch -the throat in this manner. The chicks do so too in -just as marked a degree, and on account of the skin -of their necks being naked it is, perhaps, more noticeable -in their case than with the parent birds. I have -observed exactly the same thing, though it was not -quite so conspicuous, in the nightjar, so that I cannot -help asking myself the question whether it stands in -any kind of connection with the habit of bringing -up food for the young from the crop or stomach—the -regurgitatory process. I will not be sure, but I -think that the same curious <i>tremulo</i> of the throatal -feathers may be observed in pigeons as they sit on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180"></a>[Pg 180]</span> -nest. It is that portion of the throat which lies just -below the bird's gape (I am here speaking of the -shag), including both the feathered and the naked skin -between the cleft of the lower mandible, and extending -to the sides of the neck, which is principally -twitched or quivered.</p> - -<p>The above, perhaps, is a trivial observation, but no -one can watch these birds very closely without being -struck by the habit.</p> - -<p>Young shags are, at first, naked and black—also -blind, as I was able to detect through the glasses. -Afterwards the body becomes covered with a dusky -grey down, and then every day they struggle more and -more into the likeness of their parents. They soon -begin to imitate the grown-up postures, and it is a -pretty thing to see mother and young one sitting -together with both their heads held stately upright, -or the little woolly chick standing up in the nest and -hanging out its thin little featherless wings, just as -mother is doing, or just as it has seen her do. At -other times they lie sprawling together either flat -or on their sides. They are good-tempered and -playful, seize playfully hold of each other's bills, -and will often bite and play with the feathers of -their parent's tail. In fact, they are a good deal -like puppies, and the heart goes out both to -them and to their loving, careful, assiduous mother -and father. As pretty domestic scenes are enacted -daily and hourly on this stern old rock, within the -very heave and dash of the waves, as ever in -Arcadia, or in any neat little elegant bower where -the goddess of such things presides—or does not. -The sullen sea itself might smile to watch its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181"></a>[Pg 181]</span> -pretty children thus at play, and to me it seemed -that it did.</p> - -<p><i>Guarding the nest and affairs of honour.</i>—When -both birds are at home, the one that stands on the -rock, by or near the nest, is ready to guard it from -all intrusion. Should another bird fly on to the -rock and alight, in his opinion, too near it, he immediately -advances towards him, shaking his wings, -and uttering a low, grunting note which is full of -intention. Finding itself in a false position, the -intruding bird flies off; but it sometimes happens -that when two nests are not far apart, the sentinels -belonging to each are in too close a proximity, and -begin to cast jealous glances upon one another. In -such a case, neither bird can retreat without some -loss of dignity, and, as a result, there is a fight. I -have witnessed a drama of this nature. As in the -case of the herring-gulls, the two locked their beaks -together, and the one which seemed to be the stronger -endeavoured with all his might to pull the other -towards him, which the weaker bird, on his part, -resisted as desperately, using his wings both as -opposing props, and also to push back with. This -lasted for some while, but the pulling bird was unable -to drag the other up the steeply-sloping rock, and -finally lost his hold. Instead of trying to regain it, -he turned and shuffled excitedly to the nest, and -when he reached it the bird sitting there stretched -out her neck towards him, and opened and shut her -beak several times in quick succession. It was as if -he had said to her, "I hope you observed my prowess. -Was it well done?" and she had replied, "I should -think I <i>did</i> observe it. It was <i>indeed</i> well done." On<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182"></a>[Pg 182]</span> -the worsted bird's ascending the rock to get to <i>his</i> -nest, the victorious one ran, or rather waddled, at him, -putting him to a short flight up to it. But, though -defeated, this bird was cordially received by his own -partner, who threw up her head and opened her bill -at him in the same way, as though sympathising, -and saying, "Don't mind him; he's rude." In such -affairs, either bird is safe as soon as he gets within -close distance of his own nest, for it would be against -all precedent, and something monstrous, that he -should be followed beyond a certain charmed line -drawn around it.</p> - -<p>Nothing is more interesting than to look down -from the summit of some precipice on to a ledge at -no great distance below, which is quite crowded with -guillemots. Roughly speaking, the birds form two -long rows, but these rows are very irregular in depth -and formation, and swell here and there into little -knots and clusters, besides often merging into or -becoming mixed with each other, so that the idea of -symmetry conveyed is of a very modified kind, and -may be sometimes broken down altogether. In the -first row, a certain number of the birds sit close -against and directly fronting the wall of the precipice, -into the angle of which with the ledge they -often squeeze themselves. Several will be closely -pressed together so that the head of one is often -resting against the neck or shoulder of another, which -other will also be making a pillow of a third, and so -on. Others stand here and there behind the seated -ones, each being, as a rule, close to his or her partner. -There is another irregular row about the centre of the -ledge, and equally here it is to be remarked that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183"></a>[Pg 183]</span> -sitting birds have their beaks pointed towards the -cliff, whilst the standing ones are turned indifferently. -There are generally several birds on the edge of -the parapet, and at intervals one will come pressing -to it through the crowd in order to fly down to -the sea, whilst from time to time, also, others fly -up and alight upon it, often with sand-eels in -their beaks. On a ledge of, perhaps, some dozen -or so paces in length, there may be from sixty to -eighty guillemots, and as often as they are counted -the number will be found to be approximately -the same.</p> - -<p>Most of the sitting birds are either incubating or -have young ones under them, which, as long as they -are little, they seem to treat very much as though -they were eggs. Others, however, when they stand -up are seen to have nothing underneath them, for as -with other sea-birds, so far as I have been able to -observe, there seems to be a great disparity in the -time at which different individuals begin to lay. In -the case of the puffin, for instance, some birds may be -seen collecting grass and taking it to their burrows, -whilst others are bringing in a regular supply of fish -to their young. Much affection is shown between the -paired birds. One that is sitting either on her egg -or young one—for no difference in the attitude can be -discovered—will often be very much cosseted by the -partner who stands close behind or beside her. With -the tip of his long, pointed beak he, as it were, nibbles -the feathers (or perhaps, rather, scratches and tickles -the skin between them) of her head, neck, and throat, -whilst she, with her eyes half closed, and an expression -as of submitting to an enjoyment—a "Well, I suppose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184"></a>[Pg 184]</span> -I must" look—bends her head backwards, or screws -it round sideways towards him, occasionally nibbling -with her bill, also, amidst the feathers of his throat, or -the thick white plumage of his breast. Presently, -she stands up, revealing the small, hairy-looking -chick, whose head has from time to time been visible, -just peeping out from under its mother's wing. Upon -this the other bird bends its head down and cossets in the -same way—but very gently, and with the extreme tip -of the bill—the little tender young one. The mother -does so too, and then both birds, standing together -side by side over the chick, pay it divided attentions, -seeming as though they could not make enough either -of their child or each other. It is a pretty picture, -and here is another one. "A bird—we will think her -the female, as she performs the most mother-like part—has -just flown in with a fish—a sand-eel—in her bill. -She makes her way with it to the partner, who rises -and shifts the chick that he has been brooding over -from himself to her. This is done quite invisibly, as -far as the chick is concerned, but you can see that it -is being done.</p> - -<p>"The bird with the fish, to whom the chick has been -shifted, now takes it in hand. Stooping forward her -body, and drooping down her wings, so as to make -a kind of little tent or awning of them, she sinks her -bill with the fish in it towards the rock, then raises it -again, and does this several times before either letting -the fish drop or placing it in the chick's bill—for -which it is I cannot quite see. It is only now that -the chick becomes visible, its back turned to the bird -standing over it, and its bill and throat moving as -though swallowing something down. Then the bird<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185"></a>[Pg 185]</span> -that has fed it shifts it again to the other, who receives -it with equal care, and bending down over it, appears—for -it is now again invisible—to help or assist it in -some way. It would be no wonder if the chick had -wanted assistance, for the fish was a very big one for -so small a thing, and it would seem as if he swallowed -it bodily. After this the chick is again treated as -an egg by the bird that has before had charge of him—that -is to say, he is sat upon, apparently, just as -though he were to be incubated—or suppressed, like -the guinea-pigs in 'Alice in Wonderland.'"</p> - -<p>On account of the closeness with which the chick -is guarded by the parent birds, and the way in which -they both stand over it, it is difficult to make out -exactly how it is fed; but I think the fish is either -dropped at once on the rock or dangled a little, for it -to seize hold of. It is in the bringing up and looking -after of the chick that one begins to see the meaning -of the sitting guillemots being always turned towards -the cliff, for from the moment that the egg is hatched, -one or other of the parent birds interposes between -the chick and the edge of the parapet. Of course I -cannot say that the rule is universal, but I never saw -a guillemot incubating with its face turned towards -the sea, nor did I ever see a chick on the seaward side -of the parent bird who was with it. It seems probable -that the relative positions of the sitting bird and the -egg would be continued from use after the latter had -become the young one; and if we suppose that in a -certain number of cases where these positions were -reversed the chick perished from running suddenly -out from under the parent and falling over the edge -of the rock, we can understand natural selection<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186"></a>[Pg 186]</span> -having gradually eliminated the source of this danger. -But natural selection may have acted in another -direction, which would have been still more conducive -to the safety of the chick. I observed that the latter—even -when, as I judged by its tininess, it had only -been quite recently hatched—was as alert and as well -able to move about as a young chicken or partridge; -but whilst possessing all the power, it appeared to -have little will to do so. Its lethargy—as shown by -the way in which, even when a good deal older, it -would sit for hours without moving from under the -mother—struck me as excessive; and it would -certainly seem that on a bare narrow ledge, to fall -from which would be certain death, chicks of a -lethargic disposition would have an advantage over -others who were fonder of running about. If we -suppose that a certain number of chicks perished -even amongst those whose parents always stood -between them and the sheer edge, we can understand -both the one and the other step towards security -having been brought about, either successively or -side by side with each other.</p> - -<p>From the foregoing it would appear that the young -guillemot is fed with fish which are brought straight -from the sea in the parent's bill, and not—as in the -case of the gulls—disgorged for them after having -been first swallowed. It is, however, a curious fact -that the fish when thus brought in is, sometimes at -any rate, headless. The reason of this I do not know, -but with the aid of the glasses I have made quite -certain of it, and each time it appeared as though the -head had been cleanly cut off. Moreover, on alighting -on the ledge the bird always has the fish (a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187"></a>[Pg 187]</span> -sand-eel, whenever I saw it) held lengthways in the -beak, with the tail drooping out to one side of it, -and the head part more or less within the throat—a -position which seems to suggest that it may have been -swallowed or partially swallowed—whereas puffins -and razorbills carry the fish they catch crosswise, -with head and tail depending on either side.</p> - -<p>I have also once or twice thought that I saw a -bird which just before had had no fish in its bill, all -at once carrying one. But I may well have been -mistaken; and it does not seem at all likely that the -birds should usually carry their fish, and thus, as will -appear shortly, subject themselves to persecution, if -they could disgorge it without inconvenience. With -regard to the occasional absence of the head, perhaps -this is sometimes cut off in catching the fish, or before -it is swallowed, which may also have been the case -with the herrings brought by the great skuas to their -young. However, I can but give the facts, as far as I -was able to observe them.</p> - -<p>Married birds sometimes behave in a pretty manner -with the fish that they bring to each other, and if -coquetry be not the right word to apply to it, I know -of none better. The following is my note made at -the time:—</p> - -<p>"A bird flies in with a fine sand-eel in his bill, and -having run the gauntlet of the whole ledge with it, -at last succeeds in bringing it to his partner. For a -long time now, these two coquet together with the -fish. The one that has brought it keeps biting and -nibbling at it, moving his head about with it from side -to side, bringing it down upon the ledge between his -feet, then raising it again, seeming to rejoice in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188"></a>[Pg 188]</span> -having it. The other one seems all the while to admire -it too, and often makes as though to take it from him—prettily -and softly—but he refuses it to her, something -as a dog prettily refuses to give up a stick to -his master. At last, however, he lets her take it—which, -it is apparent, he has meant to do all the time—and -when she has it she behaves in much the same -manner with it, whilst he would seem to beg it back of -her, and thus they go on together for such a time that -at last I weary of watching them. There is a wonderful -making much of the fish between the two birds, yet it -is not eaten by either of them, and there is no chick, -here, in the case. It is quite apparent that the fish -is only something for coquetry and affection to gather -about—it is a focus, a <i>point d'appui</i>, a peg to hang love -upon. Yet the birds—and this is what I constantly -notice—seem only to have a kind of half consciousness -of what they mean." This particular fish, I may say, -was minus the head, which had the appearance of -having been neatly and cleanly cut off.</p> - -<p>Yet there are harsher notes amidst all this tenderness, -and the state of a bird's appetite will sometimes -make a vast difference in its conduct under the same -or similar circumstances. "A bird," for instance, "that -has just come with a fish in its bill for the young one, -is violently attacked—and this several times in succession—by -the other parent, who is in actual charge of -the chick. This one—we will suppose it to be the -father, though, I half think, unjustly—makes the -greediest dart at the fish, trying to seize it out of his -wife's bill, and also pecks her very violently. Once -he seizes her by the neck and holds her thus for some -seconds, yet all the while in the couched attitude and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189"></a>[Pg 189]</span> -with the chick underneath him. The poor mother -yields each time to the storm, scuttles out of the way, -seems perplexed and startled, but keeps firm hold of -the fish. Driven away over and over again, she always -comes back, and at length, by dint of perseverance and -right feeling, weathers the storm, insinuates herself into -the place of the greedy bird and begins to feed the -chick. A new chord of feeling is now struck, and the -bird that has been so greedy and ill-tempered co-operates -in the most tender and interested manner -with the wife whom he has outraged. The 'scene' of -a moment ago is forgotten, and there is now a widely -different and more accustomed one of family concord, -tenderness, and peace."</p> - -<p>I cannot think that such conduct as the above is -common, and even on this one occasion when I saw it, -it is possible (though it does not seem very likely) that -the ill-behaving bird did not try to get the fish for its -own sake, but only to feed the chick with. But however -this may have been, fish are the constant cause of -disturbance amongst the birds generally, and the guillemot -that flies in with one has to avoid the snaps -made at it by all those near to where he alights, and -must sometimes run the gauntlet of most of the birds -on the ledge before he can get with it to his own -domicile. Sometimes he loses the fish, which is then -often lost again by the successful bird, and so passed -from one to another.</p> - -<p>Or it may be tugged at for a long time by two birds -that have a firm hold of the head and tail part respectively, -and pull it backwards and forwards, not -infrequently across the neck of a third bird standing -between them. Birds incubating or brooding over<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190"></a>[Pg 190]</span> -their young ones are equally ready with those standing, -to try and snatch away a fish from another, but -in the great majority of cases the bird who has flown -in with his booty and has a very firm hold of it, gets it -safely through the crowd. Such episodes as these are -rather of the nature of assault and robbery than regular -fighting, for the bird attacked, though often severely -pecked, never does anything but dodge and pull, for -he cannot well thrust back again whilst holding a fish -in his bill, and his whole endeavour is to avoid losing -this. Combats, however, are very frequent amongst -guillemots, much more so than I should have thought -the condition of living packed closely together on a -narrow ledge in the rock would have allowed, for surely -one might have expected that this necessity would -have been a power making for peace and concord. -That it has been so to some extent, I make no doubt, -and it may also have played a part in forming the -character of the fighting, which is—or, at least, it -struck me as being—somewhat peculiar. Though -often violent, it is not, as a rule, vindictive, and as -it seems to break out for no particular reason, so it -generally ceases suddenly by one of the two birds -stopping, as it were, in mid-thrust, and commencing -to preen itself, after which it may be resumed once or -twice before ceasing finally in the same way. The -other bird seems only too happy to be left in peace, -and instead of pressing the assault whilst his adversary -is thus engaged and at a momentary disadvantage, -generally stands unconcerned or begins to preen himself -also. This sudden passing from the sublime to -the ridiculous, from war to the toilette, has a curious -and half comic effect.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191"></a>[Pg 191]</span></p> - -<p>Such preening under such circumstances must, one -would think, spring from a powerful incentive, and -it is, I believe, chiefly when annoyed by insects that -the birds preen themselves, though whether their -efforts are actually to free themselves of these, or -only to allay the irritation by scratching, I am not -quite sure. But I noticed that a bird would often -bend down its head, and with the extreme tip of its -finely-pointed bill appear minutely to explore the -surface of its webbed feet—and further, that when -the partner of a bird doing this was beside him, it -would become most interested, and do its best to -assist him in the matter. One may suppose that -the ledge—which is, of course, coated with a layer -of guano—is covered with these pests, and that they -often crawl over the bird's feet, and so ascend on to -the body. If the skin of the feet were sensitive, their -owner would at once know when this was the case, -and with its keen eyesight and stiletto bill might -guard itself fairly well, as long as it only stood. As, -however, all the birds constantly sit flat on the rock, -even when not incubating, the searching of the feet -can be of little or no real importance to them. It -is very interesting and has a very human appearance -(not so much in regard to the particular act as the -careful look and manner and the attitudes assumed) -to see two birds thus helping to clean each other's -feet, as I think must here be the case. When they -nibble and preen each other they may, as a rule, -I think, be rightly said to cosset and caress, the -expression and pose of the bird receiving the benefit -being often beatific, and the enjoyment being, no -doubt, of the nature of that which a parrot receives<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192"></a>[Pg 192]</span> -by having its poll scratched; though, with regard to -this, we must not forget the look of supreme satisfaction -which a monkey often has whilst a friend is -doing his best to make him clean and respectable. -With the foot-cleaning there is no such attitude and -expression. The bird helped is at the same time an -active agent, and both of them are careful, earnest, -and investigatory. It struck me, however, that the -chick was cosseted in a somewhat more business-like -manner, as though, if not actually to clean it, at least -to make it spruce and tidy. It seems probable, -indeed, that the conferring a practical benefit of the -kind indicated may be one origin of the caress -throughout nature; but others may be imagined.</p> - -<a name="Illus_192" id="Illus_192"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page192.png" width="600" height="408" alt="On a Guillemot Ledge." /> -<div class="caption"><i>On a Guillemot Ledge.</i></div> -</div> - -<p>The usual cause of guillemots fighting would seem -to be one of them moving to a sufficient degree to -attract the attention of the one nearest to it, who -then—as though the circumstances permitted of no -other course—delivers a vigorous thrust with its long, -spear-like bill. This is the usual way of fighting, -so that a combat has something the appearance of -a fencing-match. The two birds stand upright with -their bodies turned more sideways towards each other, -than actually fronting, so that their heads, which alone -do so, are twisted a little round. They stand at such -a distance apart, that when the neck is held straight -up, with the head flying out at a right angle, the tips -of their two long lances just touch, so that the birds -form a natural archway. In this position they make -quick, repeated thrusts at each other, usually directed -at the face or neck, by a motion of which, rather than -by parrying with the beak, each endeavours to avoid -the lunge of its adversary. But besides</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193"></a>[Pg 193]</span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse indent24">"Tilting,</div> -<div class="verse">Point to point at one another's breasts,"</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>they are ready to seize hold of each other should the -opportunity occur, and when the fight is fierce, and -the birds in their eagerness press in upon each other, -they then strike smartly with their wings. Sometimes, -too, each tries to seize the other's beak, but -this is not usual, as I imagine it to be with herring-gulls -and cormorants. These single combats rarely -become <i>mêlées</i>, though, if one bird is forced to retreat, -those amongst whom he pushes will be ready to peck -at him and at each other. Of course, a bird, if really -in distress, can always fly down from the ledge into -the sea, and this it is often forced to do if it has been -standing near the edge when the combat broke out. -The better-placed bird seems then to recognise its -advantage, and presses boldly forward upon the other. -There is a short retreat, a recognition of the danger -and vigorous rally, another forced step backwards, an -ineffectual whirring of wings on the extreme brink, -and, turning in the moment of falling, the discomfited -one renounces all further effort and plunges -into the abyss. And, no doubt, the little lice who -crawl about upon the ledge and see such mighty -doings, would, were they poets, write long epics telling -of the wars and falls of angels. But only combats -on the brink have such dramatic terminations, and -farther inland a fight must be of an exceptionally -violent kind to make the birds not think of preening -themselves, and thus bring it to an end.</p> - -<p>Birds that are incubating will fight as well as the -others, and no respect seems to be paid to them on -this account. Often one thus occupied may be seen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194"></a>[Pg 194]</span> -thrusting up at a standing bird, who, in turn, thrusts -down at it, or two recumbent ones will spar vigorously -at each other. One wonders that under these circumstances -the eggs are not sometimes broken, as may -possibly be the case; but with regard to this, I will -here quote the following note which I made on the -management of the egg during incubation:—</p> - -<p>"It appears to me that the guillemot sits with the -egg not only between its legs, but resting on the -two webbed feet, and pressed slightly by them against -the breast. At any rate, I have just distinctly seen -the bird rise up, take the egg carefully in this way -between its two feet, sliding them underneath it, and -then sink gently down upon it again. I believe that -the egg was so placed when the bird rose, and that -it rose for the purpose of improving its position. It -seems likely that if the egg rests upon the bird's feet -instead of on the bare rock, it must be less liable -to fracture, and could be pressed slightly up by the -bird amongst its feathers, so that the two opposed -pressures could be combined to advantage, or either -of them relaxed when it was to the bird's convenience.</p> - -<p>"Have just seen another sitting bird rise, and, in -settling down again, she certainly seemed to place -her feet under the egg, assisting at the same time -to place it with the bill. When she rose the partner -bird came forward to her, and, lowering his head, -looked at the egg with the tenderest interest, then -cosseted her as she stood, and again when she had -resettled.</p> - -<p>"Another bird has half risen, showing the egg quite -plainly. It is certainly resting on the feet."</p> - -<p>Guillemots, as is well known, lay their single egg<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195"></a>[Pg 195]</span> -on the bare rock, but sometimes they will pick up -and play with a feather, and I have seen one carry -some fibres of grass or root, which had perhaps fallen -or been blown from a kittiwake's nest, to its partner, -and lay them down as if showing her. In such acts -we may perhaps see a lingering trace of a lost nest-building -instinct. They walk, as a rule, with the -whole shank, as well as the actual foot resting on -the surface of the rock, but sometimes they will draw -themselves up so that they stand upon the foot, or -rather the toes, alone, just in the way in which a -penguin does, and in this attitude they can both walk -and run. Anatomically speaking, the shank is, I -believe, a part of the foot, corresponding to our own -heel, and functionally it is so, too, in the guillemot, -as well as in the razorbill and puffin. It is interesting, -therefore, to see the occasional assumption of an -attitude which in the penguins has become habitual. -Their ordinary walking attitude is with the head held -erect, but they often sink it to or below the breast, -at the same time craning the neck right forward, -which gives them a grotesque and uncanny appearance, -like one of the evil creatures in Retche's outlines -of Faust. Again, one of them will sometimes throw -the head and neck slightly forward, and at the same -time jerking the wings sharply behind the back, will, -after remaining with them thus "set" for a moment, -run briskly forward, giving them a vigorous shaking. -But in spite of wings and beaks, and a few other -dissimilarities, it is of men that one has to think when -watching these erect, white-waistcoated, funny little -bodies. Indeed, they are much like us, for they fight, -love, breed, eat, and stand upright, which is most of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196"></a>[Pg 196]</span> -what we do, though we make so much more pother -about it. But it has a funny effect to see it all going -on—like a "picture in little"—on a ledge of the -bare rock.</p> - -<p>If guillemots are watched closely, one may be -noticed now and again to scrape with its beak for -some time at the ledge where it is lying, opening and -closing its mandibles upon it. Every now and then—as -I make it out—it encloses a small object between -them, which must, I think, be a piece of the rock, and -with a quick jerk of the head sideways and upwards, -swallows this. This, then, is how guillemots procure -the small stones which are, no doubt, necessary to -them for digestive purposes. The great mass of the -rock forming the island is sedimentary, and in a more -or less crumbling state, much of it, indeed, quite rotten -and dangerous to trust to.</p> - -<p>I will conclude this slight picture of life on a ledge -with a few lines from my notes, as taken during that -short period which, in summer, best answers to the -coming on of night and dawn of morning here in -England.</p> - -<p>"10.40 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> Some dozen birds out of about thirty -that I can see appear to be roosting. The kittiwakes -are more silent than in broad day, though there is -a burst of clamour now and again.</p> - -<p>"10.56. There is less activity now, but few birds -seem thoroughly asleep. Many stand, and some -occasionally walk about and flap their wings. One -has just flown off the ledge, but no others are doing -so, nor are any arriving upon it. The general scene -is much quieter, and so with the kittiwakes. The -ledge now, at past eleven, is very quiet, though the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197"></a>[Pg 197]</span> -majority of the birds still stand, and some preen -themselves. The glasses have become inferior to the -naked eye, though one can read anything with perfect -ease. The birds, it is evident, judge of night -by the light. They do not make a factitious night -according to the duration of time. They sleep, -indeed, in patches, but, on the whole, would seem to -do so very little in the twenty-four hours.</p> - -<p>"11.17. The majority of the birds are now roosting, -perhaps almost all. I can see no puffins. They must, -therefore, it seems, lie roosting too, in holes or crevices -of the rocks.</p> - -<p>"11.30. All quiet at Shipka.</p> - -<p>"11.35. A bird flies in duskily from the sea, and -now no fighting ensues. All is quiet at Shipka.</p> - -<p>"11.50. All quiet at Shipka—a little more so -perhaps.</p> - -<p>"11.55. As before.</p> - -<p>"12 o'clock. Much as before, but two birds are, -I think, cosseting. Though one can read and write -with ease, and see all objects—even birds sitting or -flying a long way off—still it is all gloom and yellow -murkiness. Light seems gone, though there be light. -It is 'darkness visible,' indeed, neither true night nor -true day, but more like night than day. The great -shapes of cliff and hill seem drawn in gloom clearly, -the sea gleams dimly and duskily, all is weird, strange, -and portentous. It is the marriage of opposite kingdoms, -or rather, the monstrous child of light and -darkness.</p> - -<p>"12.15. All roosting, I think.</p> - -<p>"12.30. Quiet now. All quiet at Shipka.</p> - -<p>"12.43. Much as before. On the steep side of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198"></a>[Pg 198]</span> -one of the great 'stacks' opposite, kittiwakes are -roosting in the most extraordinary numbers, and so -close together that they look not like birds, but -some outcrop on the surface of the rock. They -consist, no doubt, of the partners of all the sitting -birds on the ledges.</p> - -<p>"1.5 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> The ledge is now stirring into life again, -and so, too, the great block of kittiwakes on the -'stack,' from which birds keep dashing out, whirling -and circling, settling again or visiting their sitting -partners on the nests, before flying back to it. But -the clamour of voices is, as yet, slight.</p> - -<p>"Now, at 1.25, it is beginning to be greater.</p> - -<p>"1.50. A general preening amongst the guillemots, -though a good many still lie asleep. But soon they -wake, too, and begin, for now it is light, bright, and -morning."</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page198.png" width="300" height="382" alt="Owl eyeing and insect." /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199"></a>[Pg 199]</span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page199.png" width="600" height="367" alt="Birds at a Straw Stack." /> -</div> - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h2> - -<p class="sub-title">Watching Birds at a Straw-Stack</p> - - -<p>One of the most interesting ways of watching birds -at very close quarters is to conceal oneself in one of -the corn-stacks or wheat-ricks that in the autumn -begin to spring up like mushrooms all over the -country-side. This is a winter pastime, and the -harder the weather the greater will be the results -yielded. To have chaffinches, greenfinches, bramblings, -tree-sparrows, buntings, yellow-hammers, -blue-tits, starlings, perhaps a blackbird or two, -pheasants and partridges, all about one and quite -near, one should choose a bitterly cold day with a -biting wind driving the snowflakes before it, and the -snow itself whitening the landscape, but not so deeply -as to cover things beyond a bird's power of scratching. -Rising early, one gets to the stack whilst it is still dark. -At one side there is always a great heap of refuse -material of the stack, threshed ears of corn, chopped -and winnowed straw, as well as—at least where picturesque -farming prevails (and may it long prevail)—a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200"></a>[Pg 200]</span> -vast quantity of thistle-heads, poppy-pods, campion, -columbine, and all sorts of other plants and flowers -that have been garnered in with the harvest. Small -birds come down on this in flocks, and where the slope -of the heap on one side joins the stack, one should -make in the latter, by a process of pulling out and -pressing in, a nice cosy cavern just big enough to -squeeze into. On the floor of this one should lay -a shawl or plaid, and then, enveloping oneself in -another, enter it backwards, and, kicking one's legs -farther into the body of the stack so as to be out of the -way, pull down the straw over the aperture, arranging -it thinly just in front of one's face so as to have a good -outlook. Even on the coldest morning one is warm -and comfortable under such circumstances, and the -snow without and frosted stalks that one's near breath -is thawing, make one feel all the warmer. It is for -warmth, indeed, that such an ensconcement is principally -needed, for on days like this small birds, at any -rate, will come within a few paces of one, if only one -sits still. Even when one walks up to the stack in -broad daylight, they only fly round to another side of -it, and one has scarcely settled oneself before they -begin to come again. But hidden thus before "black -night" has ceased to "steal the colours from things," -one may have stragglers from the main crowd within -the length of one's arm, and I have even tried catching -one—for the bizarrerie of the thing—by gliding my -hand stealthily through the loose straw underneath -it. The attempt failed, but I believe such a feat would -be quite possible.</p> - -<p>As the light begins to creep upon the darkness and -the world to grow more and more white, the arrivals<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201"></a>[Pg 201]</span> -commence. First a few greenfinches—principally -hens—fly down upon the heap, then chaffinches, both -cocks and hens, but hens predominating, with a few -yellow-hammers, mostly of immature plumage, and a -hedge-sparrow or two. These birds come and go -independently for some little time, and it is not till -the morning has grown lighter that they begin to -form a band, in the sense not of their numbers only, -but also of their actions. It is only gradually, for -instance, that their habit of all flying away together -into the neighbouring trees and returning quickly -again in the same way becomes at all marked. They -are at first independent units, but as the day -brightens and the numbers increase they become -more and more interdependent. Now, too, there is -more equality in the numbers of the sexes. The -females still predominate, but one would not always -think that this was the case, for as they all whirr -into a large oak tree that is beginning now to be -gilded by the beams of the tardily-rising sun, its bare -boughs and twigs, as well as the surrounding bushes, -are made suddenly lovely with bright, soft green and -mauvy-purplish red. A glorious winter foliage this, -that might make an old tree feel young again!</p> - -<p>All the time the birds are down on the heap they -are busily feeding, seeming to put their whole soul -into each peck (like the single jest at the Mermaid) -and all in a kind of sociable, yet but half friendly, competition -with each other. Gradually they spread out -a little from the heap, half-a-dozen greenfinches are -amongst the straw that one has oneself pulled out -from the stack, and one of them is feeding positively -within three feet. To see them so near, and to think<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202"></a>[Pg 202]</span> -that they think you anywhere rather than where you -are! It is like eavesdropping, it hardly seems right. -Now the nearest greenfinch picks out an ear of the -corn and, as if to show you just how he does it, comes -even a thought nearer. He turns it till it is crosswise -in his beak, snips off the stalk, rapidly divests it of -what remains of the outer huskiness—in doing which -you see him work his mandibles in a delicate, tactile -manner—and swallows the inner essence. Throughout -he does not help himself with his claws at all. It -is pleasant to see this, but still more so to have so -many little dicky birds just within a pace or two, all -free and unconstrained and knowing nothing whatever -about it. It is as if you had somehow got into a -bird-cage without alarming the inmates, but even as -this occurs to you you recognise the poverty of the -simile, and rejoice to be in nature's aviary—at least -one may say this of the birds if not of the straw-stack.</p> - -<p>There is now, besides chaffinches and greenfinches, -which form the great bulk of the numbers, quite a -little crowd of bramblings—twenty or more—their -beautiful gold-russet plumage gleaming out in an -easy pre-eminence of colour; for they are, indeed, much -handsomer than the handsomest cock chaffinch or -greenfinch, and as both the sexes are alike, nothing -of them is lost, there are no dead-weights. Even the -yellow-hammers when at their yellowest cannot compete -with these chestnut beauties, and the pretty little -blue-tits who feed softly—two or three together—on -the poppy seeds are beaten, whether they confess it or -not. A hedge-sparrow or two hopping very quietly -and unobtrusively about on the outskirts of the great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203"></a>[Pg 203]</span> -central crowd have, of course, no pretensions to anything -like distinguished beauty, but there is one bird—one, -unfortunately, not only as a species but individually—that -may, perhaps, stand up in rivalry even -with the brambling.</p> - -<p>This is a solitary male goldfinch who, as though -knowing the sad and waning state of his clan, feeds -all by himself and—as one seems to fancy—in a -melancholy manner. Be this as it may, his mode of -feeding is quite different to that of the other birds. -Whilst all, or nearly all, of these are pecking odds -and ends from amongst the straw and draff of the -heap, using their beaks only and seeming to swallow -something at each little peck, like chickens with -grain, he makes successive little excursions to the -stack itself, from which he extracts a blade of corn, -a campion, or a thistle-head, and then, standing with -the claws of both his feet grasping it (like a crow -with a piece of carrion), picks it to pieces and devours -it, or the seeds it contains, in a leisurely, almost a -phlegmatic, way. This is quite different from the -greenfinch, which—as just seen—in extracting the -grain from an ear of corn, uses only its bill, standing -the while in an ordinary upright attitude, and not -pick-axeing down upon it as it lies along the ground. -Perhaps the goldfinch can do this too, but as this -particular one did not on any morning employ a -different method to that which I have described, it -must, I should think, be the usual one; nor did I -ever see it pecking up anything from the ground in -a careless haphazard fashion, like the other birds.</p> - -<p>One can feed the birds with bread if one likes, and, -when found and tasted, this is appreciated. But the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204"></a>[Pg 204]</span> -pieces that one throws are not noticed, as they lie -amongst the straw, so readily as one would have supposed, -and often birds will pass quite near to, or even -almost touch them, without seeing them or, at least, -discovering what they are. A whole Osborne biscuit, -upon one occasion, was an object of suspicion. Several -chaffinches came up as though to peck at it, but their -courage failed them at the last moment, and it was -never touched the whole time I was there. Of course, -when larger and more wary birds come to the stack, -one must keep quite still and not play any tricks like -these, if one wishes them to stay. A hen blackbird -is now feeding on the outskirts of the heap. She will -not permit any small birds to be near her, but drives -them all off if they come within a certain distance, so -that she is soon in the centre of a little space which -she has all to herself. Into this a starling flies down -and seems at first inclined to meet the blackbird on -equal terms, for, of course, the two instantly recognise -each other as rivals, and cross swords as by mutual -desire. But even in the first encounter the starling -has to give way, and then beats a series of retreats -before the other's sprightly little rushes, till at length, -being left no peace, he has to fly away. Later, some -half-dozen starlings come down together almost on -the top of the heap, and feed in just the same way -as the small birds they alight amongst. Soon there -is a combat between two of these. Both keep springing -from the ground, going up again the instant they -alight, and each trying, as it seems, to jump above -the other, whether to avoid pecks delivered or the -better to deliver them. They never jump quite at -the same time, but always one goes up as the other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205"></a>[Pg 205]</span> -comes down, which has a funny effect. They never -close or grapple, they do not even <i>seem</i> to do much -pecking, and when it is all over, neither of them -"seems one penny the worse." The great thing, -evidently, is to jump, and as long as a bird can do -it he has no cause to be dissatisfied. It is delightful -to watch them from so close. One can see the gleam -of each feather, catch their very expressions, and -sympathise with every spring. They look very thin -and elegant, and their plumage is all gloss and sheen. -All the while they keep uttering a sort of squealing -note which it is quite enchanting to hear.</p> - -<p>A few partridges now come down over the thin -snow towards the stack, at first fast, with a pause -between each run, during which they draw themselves -up and throw the head and neck a little back. -Then they seem to waver in their intention; and, -whilst one pecks at the body of a frosted swede, -another bends above it and sips with a delicate bill -a little of the rime upon its leaves. Then they come -on again, but, as they near the stack, with slower and -more hesitating steps, and no longer uttering their -curious, grating cry "ker-wee, ker-wee." Instead, one -hears now—for now they are in close proximity—all -sorts of pretty, little, soft, croodling sounds, seeming -to express contentment and happiness with a quiet -under-current of affection. Then they feed quietly -on the frontiers of their winter oasis.</p> - -<p>All at once something gorgeous and burnished -steals and then flashes into sight. It is a pheasant. -He has come invisibly from another direction, and -ascending the opposite slope of the great chaff-heap, -rises over it like a second sun. Surely such<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206"></a>[Pg 206]</span> -splendour should come striding in majesty, but he is -very nervous, full of apprehension, open to the very -smallest ground of fear or suspicion. Often he stops -and looks anxiously about, half crouches, then makes -a little start forward with the body as though on the -point of running, but checks himself each time and -begins to peck instead. Sometimes he draws himself -up to his full height, and looks all round as from -a watch-tower, but after each fit of fear he decides -that all is well and goes on feeding again. And -now another sun rises and immediately afterwards -three—no, four ("dazzle my eyes, or do I see <i>four</i> -suns?") advance together over the crest of the hill -which, though of straw and all inflammable materials, -does not—a miracle!—take fire and burn. But the -snow and the dampness must be taken into consideration. -All of them are now feeding quietly, but -not all together or in view. Two have set again, but -three and the tail of another, in partial eclipse from -behind, is a sight of sufficient magnificence. Looking -at them, at their splendid body-plumage of -burnished orange gold, gleaming even in the dull -morning without any sun but themselves—for the -great one is now "over-canopied"—at their glossy -blue heads, rich scarlet wattles, and long graceful -tails, one cannot help wondering <i>how</i> beautiful a -bird would have to be before compunction would -be felt in killing it. Would the golden or Amherst -pheasant produce the sensation? Idle thought! -Peacocks are shot in India, trogons in Mexico, humming-birds -both there and in the Brazils, and birds -of paradise in the islands of the east. Of paradise——. -Then are there birds in heaven, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207"></a>[Pg 207]</span> -do our sainted women wear <i>their</i> feathers? But -such speculations are beyond the province of this -work.</p> - -<p>Now the feeding goes on apace. All the splendid -birds keep scratching backwards in the chaff-heap -as do fowls, sending up clouds of it into the air. -Like the partridges, too, they utter, from time to -time, a variety of curious, low notes, which, unless -one were quite near, one would never hear, and -once they make a quick little piping sound, all -together, standing and lifting up their heads to do -it, as though filled with mutual satisfaction and a -friendly feeling. The low sounds are of a croodling -or clucking character. They are not quite so soft -as those of the partridges, and, low as they are, one -still catches in them that quality of tone whereof -the loud, trumpety notes are made.</p> - -<p>I have spoken of the extreme nervousness of the -first pheasant. The later arrivals, just as would be -the case with men, were not nearly so nervous, -though all were wary and circumspect. But now -it is most interesting to watch them, and to remark -how, in these cautious birds, timidity—or say, rather, -a proper and most necessary prudence—is tempered -with judgment, and modified by individual character -or temperament. They are capable of withstanding -the first sudden impulse to flight, and of subjecting -it to reason and a more prolonged observation. Thus, -when the small birds fly, suddenly, off in a cloud, as -they do every few minutes, and with a great whirr of -wings, the pheasants all stop feeding, look about, -pause a little, seeming to consider, and then recommence, -as though they had decided that such panic<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208"></a>[Pg 208]</span> -fear was uncalled for, and that there was no rational -ground for alarm. An hour or two later three out -of the four birds—for two have got gradually to -the other side of the stack—see enough of me in -the straw to make them suspicious, and go off at -half pace. The fourth bird notes their retreat, -looks all about, can see nothing to account for it, -and instead of following them, as might have been -expected, goes on feeding. This, though it may -seem to show a defect in the reasoning power (the -power itself it certainly does show), at least argues -strength of character and independence of judgment. -A certain line of conduct is suggested by the action -of a bird's three companions, but this suggestion—this -powerful stimulus, one would think—is resisted -by the one bird, put to the test of its own powers -of observation, and the line of conduct dictated by -it, rejected. This self-reliant quality and power of not -being swayed by others, I have constantly observed -in birds.</p> - -<p>As will have been gathered, these six pheasants -that came and fed together at the stack were all -males, and this has been my usual experience. Under -such circumstances I have always found them agree -together perfectly well, but there is generally some -fighting to be seen amongst the small birds, though, -perhaps, not much, if one takes their numbers into -consideration. Chaffinches are the most pugnacious, -though, here again, a similar allowance must be made, -for they largely predominate, even over greenfinches, -whilst, compared to these two, the others—excepting -sometimes bramblings—are only scantily represented. -Chaffinches fight by springing up from the ground<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209"></a>[Pg 209]</span> -against each other, breast to breast (as do so many -birds), and they may rise thus to a considerable height, -each trying to get above the other, and claw or peck -down upon it—at least, it would seem so. Their -position in the air is thus perpendicular, and as they -mutually impede each other, they are more fluttering -than flying. Sometimes, however—generally after -they have got to a little height—they will disengage, -and then there will be between them a series of -alternate little flights up and above, and swoops down -upon each other, very inspiriting to see. Sometimes -they will commence the fight with these swoopings, -but it is more common for them to flutter perpendicularly -up as described, and then down again. -Often, too, they will rise beak to beak only, the -position being then between perpendicular and horizontal, -but more the latter, the tail part of them -giving constant little flirts upwards—as when a volatile -Italian in an umbrella shop leans his whole -weight on the stick of one of the umbrellas and leaps, -or, rather, swings himself from the ground, kicking -his heels into the air, to demonstrate its strength. -Imagine two volatile Italians thus testing two -umbrellas whose handles touch, continually throwing -up their heels, rising a little as they do so, never -coming quite down again, and so getting a little -higher each time, and you have the two chaffinches. -Or there will be a series of alternate flying jumps -from the ground like the starling's, but more aerial. -These are the more usual ways, but if one bird can, -whilst on the ground, suddenly seize another by the -nape of the neck, and then, getting on his back, twist -his beak about in the skin and feathers, it is all the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210"></a>[Pg 210]</span> -better—for that one. Such fights as these are usually -between two male birds, but hen chaffinches sometimes -fight, whilst scuffles between a cock and a hen -over food may also be witnessed.</p> - -<p>Greenfinches fight in much the same manner, but -they are more stoutly built, and their motions are -not quite so brisk and airy, though chaffinches themselves -are but clumsy birds in this respect compared -to many others—larks, for example. They, too, fight -tenaciously. After a brisk <i>partie</i> in the air, I have -seen one, on their falling together, seize the other -by the nape and be dragged about by it over the -snow.</p> - -<p>But what has interested me more than anything -else in my frequent watchings of small birds congregated -together at the stacks, is the way in which -every few minutes or so—sometimes at longer, and -sometimes at shorter intervals—they take instant -and simultaneous flight, rising all together<a name="FNanchor_15_15" id="FNanchor_15_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a> with a -sudden whirr of wings, and flurrying away to some -near tree or trees, or into the hedgerow, to return -in a much more scattered and gradual manner very -soon—sometimes almost directly afterwards. These -sudden spontaneous flights, where one and the same -thought seems suddenly to take possession of a whole -assembly of beings, I had before, and have often -afterwards, observed in rooks, starlings, wood-pigeons, -etc., and I have been equally puzzled to account for -it in all of them. I do not remember that this habit, -which is, indeed, common in a greater or less degree -to a very great number of birds, has ever been brought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211"></a>[Pg 211]</span> -forward as something difficult of explanation, and -many, perhaps, will doubt there being any such -difficulty in regard to a thing so ordinary and -commonplace. As to this, I can only say that I -have arrived at a different conclusion.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_15_15" id="Footnote_15_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_15_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a> This is the effect produced, but for greater accuracy see p. <a href="#Page_245">245</a>.</p></div> - -<p>What would be the ordinary way of accounting for -such sudden and simultaneous taking to flight of a -number of birds? One may suppose, in the first -place, that a particular note is uttered by one or -more of them on the espial of danger, and that this -acts as a <i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: sauve qui peut">sauve-qui-peut</span></i> to the rest. This seems a -satisfactory explanation, but as against it, no such note -is, as a rule, uttered, and even if it were, it would not -account for all the facts as I have often observed them.</p> - -<p>Day after day, and for hours at a time, I have -watched these crowds of little birds under the circumstances -described, and only on one single occasion -was the sudden rising into the air in flight preceded -by any note at all, nor did I observe anything—I do -not believe there was anything to be observed—which -could have frightened them.</p> - -<p>In the one case referred to, which was different, -"the flight was certainly preceded by a note—a very -peculiar one, single, long, and remarkably loud, taking -the size of the birds into consideration. It suggested -somewhat the sudden blowing of a horn—though, of -course, a small one. I could not tell which bird uttered -it, but feel sure, from the quality of the tone, that it -was a greenfinch. To the best of my observation, the -note was uttered before the flight commenced, and the -flight followed before it had ceased. Almost immediately -afterwards I heard, for the first time, the caw -of rooks, and my theory is (or was) that one of these,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212"></a>[Pg 212]</span> -appearing suddenly in the air from the back of the -hay-stack, had been mistaken for a hawk, and that the -bird so mistaking it had immediately uttered the -appropriate warning note. Unfortunately for my little -mouse" ("theories," says Voltaire, "are like mice; -they run through nineteen holes, but are stopped by -the twentieth"), "only the other day, when I was at -the same place and equally near, a genuine hawk (a -sparrow one) had flown by, when, instead of a warning -note, there had been a sudden hush and silence, followed -by a flight which, as it seemed to me, was not -so close and compact as usual. Difficulties of this sort -are always occurring in observation—at least in my -observation—and show how cautious one should be -in translating the particular into the general. For -instance, with moor-hens, I have noted that in one or -two of their many timorous flights to the river a -peculiar cry was uttered by a single bird, which had -all the appearance and seemed to have all the probability -of being a warning note; but this was not the -case on other occasions." Even here, then, there is -some difficulty in accepting the theory of a danger-signal -uttered by one bird, and causing the simultaneous -flight of all, whilst in all other instances (I -am speaking now of small birds at the stacks) either -no note at all or none distinguishable from a general -chirping was uttered. Manifestly,<a name="FNanchor_16_16" id="FNanchor_16_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a> then, this explanation -will not serve. But it may be said, either that -there is a leader whose movements all the birds follow, -or that when one bird flies, for whatever reason, the -rest take alarm and fly also. But where different -species of birds are all banded together, it seems very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213"></a>[Pg 213]</span> -unlikely that there should be a leader, and both this -and the other explanation, which at first sight seems -satisfactory, are destroyed by the salient fact that in -hardly any case do <i>all</i> the birds rise and fly away -together, but only the great majority. Almost invariably -a certain number of them, though sometimes only -half-a-dozen or so, or even less, remain, nor has this -anything to do with the particular species of bird. -Moreover, the flying up of any bird from the crowd -does not, of itself, communicate alarm to the others, -for first one and then another and often several at a -time may constantly be doing so, whilst the rest feed -quietly and take no notice. It may be said that it is -only when a bird flies off in alarm that its flight communicates -alarm to its companions. That it does so -necessarily, even in such a case, I, from general observation, -very much doubt, and also, if the facts as I -have given them be a little considered, it will be seen -that the difficulties are not met by this view of the -case.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_16_16" id="Footnote_16_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_16_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a> My very close proximity must be taken into account.</p></div> - -<p>The theory of a leader seems more applicable to -birds like rooks, which are gregarious, and may be constantly -watched in large numbers together, without the -intermixture of any other species. The same difficulties, -however, apply here, and even to a greater extent, -for the movements of rooks are more complicated, -whilst alarm or any such primary impulse as the origin -(I do not say the explanation) of them, is in most cases -quite out of the question. An instance or two of these -sudden and quite simultaneous movements of bodies -of rooks I have noted down directly after observing -them. They would be much in place here, but as I -have two chapters devoted to these birds, and, more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214"></a>[Pg 214]</span>over, -as they but make a part in general scenes and -pictures, I will not separate them from their context -nor any bird from its companions.</p> - -<p>Starlings, again, furnish striking examples of the -same phenomenon. Their aerial evolutions before -roosting are sufficiently remarkable, but, perhaps, still -more so from this point of view is the manner in which -they leave the roosting-place in the morning. This -is not in one great body, as might have been expected, -but in successive flights at intervals of some three or -four to ten or twelve minutes, each flight comprising, -sometimes, hundreds of thousands of birds—the numbers, -of course, will vary in different localities—and -the whole exodus occupying about half-an-hour. -Each of these great flights or uprushes from the dense -brake of bush and undergrowth where the birds are -congregated, takes place with startling suddenness, and -it seems as though every individual bird composing -it were linked to every other by some invisible material, -as are knots on the meshes of a net by the visible -twine connecting them. There is no preliminary,<a name="FNanchor_17_17" id="FNanchor_17_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a> -nor does it seem as though a certain number of more -restless individuals gradually affected others, but at -once a huge mass roars up from the still more immense -multitude, as does a wave from the sea, or as a -sudden cloud of dust is puffed by the wind from a -dust-heap. I am speaking here of the great main -flights, which are, in most cases, of this character. The -fact that quite small bands of birds will sometimes fly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215"></a>[Pg 215]</span> -off between the intervals of these, does not detract -from the more striking phenomenon or lessen the -difficulty of explaining it. For, surely, there <i>is</i> a difficulty -in explaining how the example of one vast body -of birds, soaring forth on the morning flight, should -not affect every individual of the still vaster body of -which they form a part—the whole occupying, it must -be remembered, a small and densely packed area—and -why the impulse of the flying birds to fly should, -apparently, become uncontrollable in each individual -of them at the same instant of time. If we saw soldiers -issuing in this manner from an encampment, or performing -all sorts of collective movements and evolutions -before entering it in the evening (as do the starlings -before descending on their roosting place), and -yet satisfied ourselves that there were neither captains -nor officers, signals nor words of command amongst -them, we should probably wonder, and might think the -phenomenon sufficiently curious to make it worth study -and investigation.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_17_17" id="Footnote_17_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_17_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a> As far, at least, as observable from just outside the plantation, and to -judge from the sound. But previous movements within the plantation—unless -we assume a quite human organisation—would not explain what -is here assumed to require explanation.</p></div> - -<p>I will take one more example from my notes on -wood-pigeons before returning to the flocks of small -birds at the stacks.</p> - -<p>"A number of wood-pigeons" (this was early on a -very cold winter's morning) "have now settled on the -elms near me. I am quite still, and they have sat -there quietly for some little time. All at once the -whole band fly out, to all appearance at one and the -same moment, and in a peculiar way, with sudden -sweeps and rushes through the air in a downward -direction, shooting and zig-zagging across each other -with a whizzing whirr of the wings, in much the same -manner as do rooks. On account of this peculiar<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216"></a>[Pg 216]</span> -flight, which seems to be joyous and sportive, I do -not believe they have seen me. But whether they -have or not, the absolutely simultaneous flight of the -whole body is, to me, equally hard to account for. -Supposing—what would be most likely—that only -one bird has seen me, how has this knowledge been -communicated, instantaneously, to all the rest? There -was no note uttered of any kind. I must have heard -it, I think, if it had been, so near as I was, nor are -pigeons supposed to have an alarm-note. It may be -said that the sudden abrupt flight of one alarmed the -rest, but all cannot have been looking at this one at -the same time, and it is difficult to suppose that there -was anything to discriminate in the actual sound of the -wings—for one or more than one bird may, at any time, -fly eagerly off without affecting the others. Moreover, -if this were the explanation, there would have been -an appreciable interval of time between the flight of -the alarmed bird and the others, which, to my sense, -there was not. But, as I say, I do not believe that -the birds saw me, and, if not, the collective, instantaneous -impulse of flight seems still harder to account -for on ordinary known principles. It is, of course, -easy to give a plausible explanation of a thing and -take for granted that all the facts are in accordance. -But the facts, when one watches them, are apt to -discredit the theory. Observation and difficulties -begin, often, at the same time."</p> - -<p>Returning now to the little winter collections of -chaffinches, greenfinches, bramblings, etc., which come -and feed at the corn-stacks during the winter, in -general they whirr up every three or four minutes, -but the intervals vary, and may be much longer.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217"></a>[Pg 217]</span> -Sometimes only about half the flock flies off, the rest -not appearing to care much about it; usually a much -greater number does, and this often appears to be -the whole number, but almost always—unless, of -course, on the approach of a man or some other such -alarming occurrence—some few, at least, remain. As -with the starlings, these flights seem often to be absolutely -instantaneous, the birds all rising together in -a solid block, but this is not always the case, and the -cloud may be preceded by a little half-hopping, half-chasséeing -about of three or four individuals, whilst -sometimes there is, for a second or two, a very quick -following of one another. If this were always so, -and if one bird could not fly off without others -following it, there would be little or nothing to explain, -but, as we have seen, this is very far from being the -case. In nine cases out of ten the birds begin to -come back almost as soon as they are gone; but, in -spite of this, I came to the conclusion that the cause -of flight was almost always a nervous apprehension, -such as actuates schoolboys when they are doing -something of a forbidden nature and half expect to see -the master appear at any moment round the corner. -Though there might be no discernible ground for -apprehension, yet after some three or four minutes it -seemed to strike the assembly that it <i>could</i> not be -quite safe to remain any longer, and presto! they -were gone. Afterwards it was recognised that there -had been no real reason for alarm, and they came -back, but this seemed to strike them individually -rather than collectively. Now it was by stacks in -the open fields under no more cover, as a rule, -than the neighbouring hedgerow, that I had noticed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218"></a>[Pg 218]</span> -these phenomena, and, coming one day upon such a -heap of chaff or draff—though without any stack—in -the centre of a small plantation of fir and pine -trees, I determined to watch here, a number of small -birds having flown up as I approached. I was able -to conceal myself very well amidst some bushes that -grew quite near, and very shortly the birds—chaffinches, -bramblings, hedge and tree-sparrows, etc., -but not greenfinches—were down again. I stayed a -considerable while, but, except once or twice when -I moved a little so as to alarm them, they remained -feeding all or most of the time. Sometimes, indeed, -some or other of them would fly into the surrounding -trees or bushes, but this they did at their leisure, -without alarm or hurry, and only as desiring a change. -The simultaneousness was wanting—there were none -of those nervous flights at short intervals that I had -observed when watching at the open corn-stacks. -Here, amongst the pines, and protected on every side, -the birds felt, apparently, quite secure, though whether -it was altogether a rational security may be questioned. -This observation strengthened me in my -conclusion as to these flights being caused by a feeling -of nervous apprehension or alarm, but I am bound -to add (another case of the mouse) that I subsequently -watched by stacks in the open, where, also, -a considerable sense of security seemed to prevail. -Temperature may perhaps have something to do -with the explanation, but I have as yet taken no -steps to test this theory.</p> - -<p>But whatever may be the motive (which, of course, -may vary) of such sudden flights—and here I am -thinking of all the examples which I have brought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219"></a>[Pg 219]</span> -forward, as well as others, in fact, the whole range -of the phenomena—how are we to account for their -simultaneousness, and the other special features -belonging to them?</p> - -<p>It would seem as though either one and the same -idea were flashed suddenly into the minds of a -number of birds in close proximity to each other at -one and the same instant of time, or that this same -idea, having originated or attained a certain degree -of vehemence, at some one point or points—representing -some individual bird or birds—spread from -thence, as from one or more centres, with inconceivable -rapidity, so as to embrace either the whole -group or a portion of it, according to the strength -of the original outleap. In other words, I suppose -(or, at least, I suggest it) that birds when gathered -together in large numbers think and act, not individually, -but collectively; or, rather, that they do -both the one and the other, for that individual birds -are capable of withstanding the collective influence -of the flock of which they form a part, I have ample -evidence. The old Athenians—though slave-holders, -wherein they may be compared to the Americans -at one period—were a very democratic people, and -lived a more public life than any other civilised -community either before or after them, of which we -have any record. They were also of a very emotional -temperament, and it is curious to find amongst -them the idea (at any rate) of the φημη—a sudden -wave or current of thought which swept through -an assembly, causing it to think and act as one -man.<a name="FNanchor_18_18" id="FNanchor_18_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_18_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a> When watching numbers of birds together, this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220"></a>[Pg 220]</span> -φημη idea has constantly been brought to my mind, -nor do I see how the whole of the facts are to be -explained except upon some such hypothesis. If we -suppose that the sudden flurryings away of a band -of small birds from the chaff-heap where they have -been quietly feeding, are caused by the apprehension -of danger, we may well credit the birds with having -sharper senses than our own, though that they are -often mistaken is shown by their almost immediate -return, and also by as many of them (sometimes) -remaining as fly away. But it is impossible to -imagine that every individual bird of a large number, -crowded together and busily feeding, can at the same -instant of time see the same object, or even hear the -same sound of alarm, unless very loud or conspicuous, -nor can it be supposed that the same thought, producing -the same action, can flash independently into -all their minds at once, by mere chance. But if we -suppose thought to be like a wind, sweeping amongst -them and producing, each time that it rises to a -certain degree of strength, its appropriate act, then -we can understand fifty, seventy, or a hundred birds -rising in this thought-wind, like leaves or straws -blown up in a sudden gust, and, in the same way -as when a blizzard or tornado bursts on a town, -some frail objects in a room through which it has -torn may be left standing, whilst everything else is -strewed about in ruin, so may the thought-wave (to -use the more familiar term) moving with inconceivable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221"></a>[Pg 221]</span> -rapidity amidst the flock, miss out some individuals, -though right in the midst of those that are affected, -in a manner which is hard to account for. Again, -if we suppose two centres from which two opposite -thought-waves or impulses spread, we can understand -two groups of birds, which, together, have -made one band, acting in different ways or going in -different directions (as one may constantly see with -rooks and starlings), whilst, by supposing that the -wave, or energy, tends to exhaust itself after spreading -to a certain distance around any point or centre -where it may have originated or become focussed, -we account for such facts as many thousands of -starlings, say, rising from, perhaps, a million without -the others being affected. But, no doubt, even in an -Athenian assembly there were some men capable of -withstanding the force of the φημη, and if we give -to birds, even when thus assembled together, a power -of individual as well as collective action, varying in -each unit so that the one power is now more and -now less under the control of the other—but with, on -the whole, a preponderance in favour of the latter—we -then, as it appears to me, come near to explaining -what I must regard as the often very puzzling -problem of the movements of such assembled bodies.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_18_18" id="Footnote_18_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_18_18"><span class="label">[18]</span></a> In the wilderness of Grote's twelve volumes I cannot, now, find the -passage which I seem to remember so well, nor can anyone (including -the whole of the Psychical Research Society) help me to. My Greek -word, I am told, too, is wrong. But let it stand till someone can give -me the right one.</p></div> - -<p>This, of course, is the theory of thought-transference, -and if this power does really exist in the -case of any one species we might expect it to exist -also in the case of others. With the evidence of its -existence amongst ourselves I am not unacquainted, -but I need say nothing of this or of my humble -opinion concerning it, here. I have suggested it as -a possible explanation of some of the actions of birds,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222"></a>[Pg 222]</span> -because I have found it difficult to account for them -in any other way. If it could be made out that -animals did really, in some degree, possess this -power, it might throw a new light upon many things, -and, possibly, explain some difficulties of a larger -kind than those which I have called it in to do. To -me, at least, it has always seemed a little curious that -language of a more perfect kind than animals use has -been so late in developing itself; but animals would -feel less the want of a language if thought-transference -existed amongst them to any appreciable extent.</p> - -<p>Assuming its existence, it is amongst gregarious -animals that we might expect to find it most developed, -and gregariousness has, probably, preceded -any great mental advance. Therefore, before an -animal reached a grade of intelligence such as -might render the growth of a language possible, -it would have become gregarious; and, assuming -it then to have a certain power of feeling, and -being influenced by the thought of its fellows, -without the aid of sound or gesture, it is obvious -that here would be a power tending to dull -and weaken that struggle to express thought by -sound, which may be supposed to have slowly and -unconsciously led to the formation of a language. -Here, then, would be a retarding influence. Still, as -ideas communicated in this way would probably be of -a general and simple kind, corresponding, perhaps, -more to emotions and sensations than definite ideas, -the need for more precise impartment would gradually, -as mental power became more and more -developed, become more and more felt. Then would -come language (as spoken), and spoken language,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223"></a>[Pg 223]</span> -once established, would tend to weaken the old primitive -power, as an improvement on which it had arisen. -Thus if thought-transference exist in man, it may, -perhaps, represent a reversion to a more primitive and -generalised means of mental intercommunion, or the -older power may exist, and still occasionally act, or -even do so habitually to some extent; in fact, it -may not yet have entirely died out. Possibly, also, -it might tend to survive, and even to some extent -increase, as being, in certain ways and directions, -superior to the more precise medium. But if so, it -would become—unless specially cultivated—more and -more limited to these directions. Certain it is that -people seem often to approach each other mentally -much more by feeling than by words, and in a -wonderfully short space of time. We call this insight, -intuitive perception, affinity, etc.,—but such words do -not explain the process.</p> - -<p>Is it not possible that birds living habitually -together, as part of a crowd, may have acquired the -faculty of thinking and acting all together, or in masses, -each one's mind being a part of the general mind of the -whole band, but each possessing, also, its individual -mind and will, by virtue of which it is enabled to suspend -its general crowd-acting, and act individually?</p> - -<p>Perhaps a careful observation of gregarious animals -in a wild state, or even (if a more special definition be -wanted) of large crowds or masses of men, might -throw some light upon this subject, and it would, at -any rate, be approaching it upon a broader basis, and -by methods less tainted with our silly prejudices, -than has hitherto been done.</p> - -<p>But when I speak of gregarious animals in a wild<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224"></a>[Pg 224]</span> -state, I am forgetting that such hardly any longer -exist. The great herds of bisons, zebras, antelopes, -giraffes, etc., that once roamed over places now given -over to humanity (and inhumanity) have disappeared, -and what have we learnt from them? Who has -watched them—at least very carefully or patiently—with -thoughts other than of their slaughter? I know -of no careful record of their movements, taken from -hour to hour and from day to day. A few generalities, -conveying some of the more obvious and striking -facts—or what seemed to be so—will alone survive -their extinction. Enlightened curiosity has been -drowned in bloodthirstiness, and the coarse pleasure -of killing has over-ridden in us the higher ones of -observation and inference. We have studied animals -only to kill them, or killed them in order to study -them. Our "zoologists" have been <i>thanatologists</i>. -Thus the knowledge gleaned even by the sportsman-naturalist -has been scant and bare, for—besides that -the proportions of the mixture are generally as -Falstaff and Falstaff's page—there is little to be seen -between the sighting of the quarry and the crack of -the rifle. Observation has commonly left off just -where it should have begun.</p> - -<p>Had we as often stalked animals in order to observe -them, as we have in order to kill them, how much -richer might be our knowledge!</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225"></a>[Pg 225]</span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page225.png" width="600" height="534" alt="The Greenwoods." /> -</div> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX</h2> - -<p class="sub-title">Watching Birds in the -Greenwoods</p> - - -<p>I have called attention in the last chapter to that -independent or self-reliant quality which so many -birds possess, and by virtue of which they often act -differently to their fellows, even when there is a strong -inducement to them to act as they do. This seems -to me an important point, for it must be as the -foundation-stone upon which change of habit would -be built, and change of habit points out a certain -path along which change of structure, were it to -occur, would be preserved, and a new species be -thus formed.</p> - -<p>One might think that the most timid birds would, -under ordinary circumstances, be the ones least liable -to change their habits, for such change would often -mean a penetrating into "fresh fields and pastures<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226"></a>[Pg 226]</span> -new," where they might be expected to fear and -distrust in a higher degree than amidst surroundings -with which they were familiar. This, perhaps, may -be the case, but one must distinguish between -timidity and a wary caution or prudence, which -may be combined with an independent, perhaps -one may even say a bold, spirit.</p> - -<p>The moor-hen is an example of such a combination. -I have watched these birds for hours browsing -over some meadow-land, bordering a small and very -quiet stream, near where I live. Sometimes there -would be a dozen or twenty scattered over a wide -space, and every now and again, when something -had alarmed them, the whole troop, one taking the -cue from another, would run or fly pell-mell to the -water, most of them swimming across and taking -refuge in a belt of reeds skirting the opposite bank, -whilst some few would remain floating in mid-stream, -ready to follow their companions if necessary. -In two or three minutes, or sometimes less, -they would all be back browsing again, and so -continue till, all at once, there was another panic -rush and flight. The cause of these stampedes was -generally undiscoverable; but sometimes, when the -birds stayed some time down on the water, the -figure of a rustic would at length appear, walking -behind a hedge, along a path bounding the -little meadow. Of such a figure rooks and many -other birds would have taken no notice, even when -considerably nearer. One cause of alarm I frequently -noted, and this was where another moor-hen -would come flying over the meadow, either to -alight amongst those upon it, or making for a more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227"></a>[Pg 227]</span> -distant point of the stream. Such birds, though not -alarmed themselves—for I frequently saw the commencement -and spontaneous nature of their flights—yet -always brought alarm to the others: a fact which -seems to me interesting, for it cannot be supposed -that these would have been disquieted at the mere -sight of one of their kind, and if they judged from -the flying bird's manner that it was seeking safety, -then they judged wrongly. This, again, does not -seem likely, and the only remaining explanation is -that they drew an inference—"This bird <i>may</i> be flying -from danger"—which, I think, must have been the -case. At any rate, each time it was a <i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: sauve qui peut">sauve-qui-peut</span></i>, -one of themselves sent them all in a race to the -water, just as a dog or a man would have done. But -I must qualify the word "all." Often—perhaps each -time—one or two birds might be seen (like the -pheasant) to glance warily about, as though to assure -themselves whether there was danger or not, standing, -the while, in a hesitating attitude, and ready, on the -slightest indication, to follow their companions. Then, -having satisfied themselves, they would continue -quietly to browse—for moor-hens browse the grass -of meadows as do geese.</p> - -<p>Coming, now, to the opposite side of the bird's -character—its boldness and enterprise—I remember -one afternoon, when I had been watching the stone -curlews, seeing, just as evening was falling, a moor-hen -walking along the piece of wire netting which -skirted a wheat-field, or rather an arid waste of sand -where some wheat was feebly attempting to grow. -The whole country around was the chosen haunt of -the former birds, as opposed, therefore, to anything<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228"></a>[Pg 228]</span> -damp, moist, or marshy, as can well be imagined. -The moor-hen went steadily on, with a composed and -mind-made-up step, never deviating from the straight -line of the netting till, upon coming to where this was -continued at a right angle in another direction, it -found its way through, and proceeded to cross a -green road skirted with fir-trees into another Sahara-like -waste, where I lost it, at least a quarter of a mile -from the nearest little pond or pool. Possibly it was -walking from one of these to another, but quite as -probably—in my experience—it was leaving its -ordinary haunts for some inland part it had discovered, -where it could get food to its liking. For -the moor-hens living in the little creek or stream -that I used to watch would range over the adjacent -meadow-land, and a few of them, having come to -the limit of this, would climb up a steep bank and -through a hedge at its top, down again into a little -bush and bramble-grown patch on the other side. -One bird, indeed, that I startled, actually climbed -this bank and scrambled through the hedge into -the patch, instead of flying to the water; which -is as though a lady were to take up Shakespeare -rather than a novel, or a servant-maid to act by -reason instead of by rote. Again, I have startled a -moor-hen out of a large tree standing in a thicket, -and a good way back from the ditch surrounding -it—such a tree as one might have expected to -see a wood-pigeon fly out of, but certainly not a -moor-hen.</p> - -<p>Such variations of habit are to me more interesting -than those of structure, for they represent the mind, -as do the latter—which they have probably in most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229"></a>[Pg 229]</span> -cases preceded—the body. Changes of structure, -too, if slight, are not easy to see, and as soon as -they become observable the varying animal is dubbed -another species, or, at least, a variety of the old -one, so that one is not allowed, as it were, to -see the actual passage from form to form;—one -is always either at one end of the bridge or the -other end. But changed habits may be marked <i>in -transitu</i>, and there is hardly, perhaps, a bird or a -beast which, if closely watched, will not be seen to -act sometimes in a manner which, if persisted in to -the neglect of its more usual circle of activities, would -make it, in effect, a new being, though dressed in an -old suit of clothes. Thus, in such a bird as the robin, -which is associated—and rightly—in the popular -mind with the cottage, the little rustic garden, and -with woodlands wild—such scenes and surroundings, -in fact, as are represented, or used to be, on Christmas -cards—one may get a hint of some future little red-breasted, -water-loving bird, at first no more aquatic -than the water-wagtail, but becoming, perhaps, as -time goes on, as accomplished a diver and clinger -to stones at the bottom of running streams as is the -water-ouzel—a bird as to which, Darwin says, "the -acutest observer by examining its dead body would -never have suspected its sub-aquatic habits."</p> - -<p>To illustrate this, I take from my notes the following:—"A -robin"—it is in December—"flies on to -the trunk of a fallen tree spanning the little stream, -from thence on to some weedy scum lying against -it on the water, from which he picks something off -and returns again to the trunk. Two or three times -again he flies down and hops about on the weeds,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230"></a>[Pg 230]</span> -and sometimes, whilst doing so, pecks at the great -black trunk. Now he is standing on them contentedly, -with the water touching his crimson breast-feathers. -He is in his first or more primitive -figure, for the robin has two. Either he is a little -round globe with a sunset in him—his rotundity -being broken only by a beak and a tail—or else -very elegant, dapper, and well set up. In the first -he is fluffy, for he has ruffled out his feathers, but -in the last he has pressed them down and is smooth -and glossy—has almost a polish on him." Again, -whilst walking by the river in the early morning, -the water being very low, "a robin hops down -over the exposed shingle, to near the water's edge, -then flies across to the opposite more muddy surface, -and hops along it, pecking here and there. -He again flies across and proceeds in the same way, -always going up the stream, crosses again, and so on. -Each time he is farther away from me, and now I -lose sight of him; but this is evidently his system. -How out of character he seems amidst the mud and -ooze of the dank river-bed on this chill winter's -morning, how little like the robin of poetry and -Christmas-card, how much more in the style of some -little mud-loving, stilt-walking bird: for this is often -their manner of zig-zagging from shore to shore up -or down the stream. I have noticed it but now in the -redshank. Yet the old associations are with him, -for this is home, and the thatched cottage peeps over -the familiar hedge."</p> - -<p>And here I will chronicle an experience—my own, -if it be not that of others. Provided there be shrubbery -about, there are but few places here in England<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231"></a>[Pg 231]</span> -where one can sit quietly for very long, without a -robin stealing softly out and, as it were, sliding himself -into the landscape. Then—however bleak or -chill it may be—his presence seems to bring home -comforts with it. But this is only when one is near -home and home comforts—not when one is far, far -away from them. I remember in the great pine-forests -of Norway—so lovely yet so stern in their -loveliness—the robin seemed to have lost all his -character. He did not suggest home and all its -pleasures when home was no longer near. It was -not (or perhaps it was) that by suggestion he made -these seem farther off, but that his character seemed -gone. Surely, things are to us as a part of what they -move in with us, and, out of this, seem changed and -to be something else.</p> - -<p>I am not quite sure if the following represents any -change of habits in regard to food, induced by the -presence of a foreign tree, in any of the three birds -that it concerns. I have occasionally watched the -great-tit in our own fir-plantations, but have not yet -seen him attacking the cones, though the coal-tit, as I -believe, does so. For the greenfinch I can only say -that I should not have thought it of him, nor is he -often to be seen in such places. The nut-hatch is not -common where I live.</p> - -<p>"Standing this Christmas Eve under a large exotic -conifer on the lawn of the garden here in Gloucestershire, -I became aware that various birds were busy -amongst its branches, and I kept hearing a curious -grating noise with a strong vibration in it, which -seemed to be made by them with the beak upon the -large fir-cones, but as the branches were very close<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232"></a>[Pg 232]</span> -together, and the birds high up, I could not observe -the manner of it—the sound (as I said before) being -very peculiar. I therefore climbed the tree (which was -easy), and the birds being now often quite near—though -the branches and great clusters of needle-tufts -were much in the way—I ascertained that it was the -greenfinch alone which was producing the peculiar, -vibratory noise, but how, exactly, he did it I could -not make out. He appeared to be tearing at the -woody sheaths or clubs (which stood wide apart) of -the large fir-cones, and it seemed as though, to give the -vibration in the sound, either the mandibles must work -against each other with extraordinary swiftness, or the -clubs of the cone itself vibrate in some manner against -the beak, thus causing the sound in question to mingle -with the scratching made by the latter against the -hard surface.</p> - -<p>"The great-tit and the nut-hatch are also busy at -the cones. The former strikes them repeatedly with -his bill, making a quick 'rat-tat-tat.' He attacks them -either from the branch or twigs from which they hang, -striking downwards, or clinging to the side of one and -striking sideway-downwards, or even hanging at their -tips, in which case he hammers up at them. Whilst -hammering, or rather pick-axeing, he often bends his -head very sharply from the body—almost at a right -angle—towards the point at which his blow is aimed, -and he then becomes, as it were, a natural, live pickaxe, -of which his body is the handle and his head -and beak the pick. After hammering a little on -one of two cones that hang together, he perches -on the other one, and, in the intervals of hammering -it, shifts his head to the first and gives it, as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233"></a>[Pg 233]</span> -it seems, a sharp investigatory glance. He then -flies away.</p> - -<p>"A nut-hatch, also, I twice see hammering at the -cones, in much the same manner as the tit, and, having -loosened a thin brown flake from one of them, he flies -off with it in his beak. I have not yet seen the tit do -this, nor did I ever see him get an insect. If he got -anything at all, it must have been in one of the actual -blows, become a peck, as when he hammers at a -cocoa-nut hung in the garden. The greenfinches -never hammered, but only bit and tugged at the clubs -of the cones. Brown flakes often fell down from them, -but I never saw the birds fly off with these, as the nut-hatch -has done. I had seen one with a flake in his -bill which, however, he soon let fall to the ground.</p> - -<p>"One of the greenfinches is again attacking the -cones, and I can now see the way he does it more -plainly. He places his beak between the clubs of the -cones at their tips (I mean their outer ends), and then -moves his head and beak rapidly, seeming, as it were, -to flutter with his head, and as he does this you hear -the grating, vibratory sound. All the time, he is clinging -head downwards to the side of the cone, quite a -feat for so large, at least for such a stout-built bird. -I will not, however, be quite sure that it is to the cone -itself that he clings. The fir-needles hang in bunches -near them, and his claws may be fixed amongst these, -though I do not think so, or, at least, not always. -Besides this sound made with the beak on the fir-cones, -there is another, which one often hears, and -which is usually, I think, made by the greenfinch. To -get at the cones, he often flies up underneath them, -and hangs a little, thus, before clinging, on fluttering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234"></a>[Pg 234]</span> -wings. When the tips of these strike amongst the -bunches of needles, a sharp, thin, vibratory rattle is -produced—also a very noticeable sound.</p> - -<p>"The nut-hatch—or another one—now flies in again, -uttering, as he arrives, a curious, high, sharp note—'zitch, -zitch, zitch'—and again flies away with a thin -brown flake in his bill, a very woody morsel it would -seem. And now, later in the afternoon, I see a great-tit -probing the cones with his bill, and he also pulls -out a brown flake and flies away with it. Another -does the same, hanging from the tip of a cone, on -which he afterwards perches for a moment, before -flying with it to another tree. Whilst standing, all -this time, in the tree, I had noticed little hard brown -seeds about the size of apple-pips, and which had all -been cracked, lying in the forks formed by the junction -of the branches with the trunk. There was hardly -one such resting-place in which there were not a few -of these cracked seeds. Pulling off a fir-cone, I began -to pull it to pieces, and at once saw, at the base of -every club where it had joined and helped to form the -central pillar, the double indentation, one on either -side of the median line—or mid-rib as it would be -called in a true leaf—in which the two seeds had been -lying. Soon I came upon a seed itself, and, attached -to the outer end of it—that farthest from the base of -the club—I at once recognised the little brown flaky -leaf that I had seen in the bills of all three birds, but -which none of them seemed to eat.</p> - -<p>"Here, then, the whole mystery—for to my ignorance -it had been such—was explained. The birds were -picking out the seeds from the cone, and the way to -do this was to seize the thin brown flake to which the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235"></a>[Pg 235]</span> -seed was attached, and which lay all along inside each -club or leaf of the cone, whereas the seed itself was -right at the base, and the beak of the birds could not, -perhaps (or not so easily), be pushed up so far between -the stiff clubs, the hard edges of which would catch -their foreheads uncomfortably. At least with the tit -and greenfinch, whose bills are not long, this would -seem to be likely. When the birds—as was evidently -often the case—pulled out only the thin flake-leaf -which had become detached from the seed, they -let it fall negligently, thus conveying the impression -that they had been taking trouble to no end. When, -however, they flew away with it, it is to be presumed -the seed was attached.</p> - -<p>"Here, then, are three quite different birds, all busily -occupied in extracting the seeds from the large cones -of an exotic species of fir, but whilst two of them—the -great-tit and the nut-hatch—effect this by first -hammering on the cone, so as to loosen the seeds, or, -rather, the woody flake to which they are attached, -from the basal part of the club (if we may assume -this to be the object) before pulling them out, the -greenfinch procures them without any previous -hammering, which is an action, perhaps, to which it -is not accustomed. One should not, however, assume -too hastily that the latter bird has no plan of his own -for first loosening the seeds. Remembering the rapid, -almost fluttering, motion—not at all like pecking or -hammering—which he communicates to his head and -bill, with the curious, vibratory sound—which again -does not suggest an ordinary blow—that accompanies -it, and how often when I could get a fairly good view -of him, he seemed to be repeatedly seizing and letting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236"></a>[Pg 236]</span> -his bill slip over the outer edges of the fir-clubs, I am -inclined to think that he was making the stiff clubs -vibrate on their stalks—their hinges, so to speak—in -a manner that would tend to loosen the seeds as -effectually, perhaps, as would tapping them.</p> - -<p>"Judging by these limited observations, I should say -that the nut-hatch was the most skilful of the three in -extracting the seeds, as, on the two occasions when I -saw him plainly, he flew away with a flake, soon (once -almost immediately) after he had come. He looked -more like a connoisseur, too, and his bill is much -longer. He alone, as I should think, might possibly -be able to drive it right down, so as to seize the -actual seed. Yet he tapped the cone in the same -quick manner as did the tit, nor did he appear to me -to be probing it at such times. Moreover, I never -observed him—any more than the others—to extract -the seed independently of the flake."</p> - -<p>Birds that are not tree-creepers will often behave -very much as if they were so, and show different -degrees of expertness in the art. It seems quite -natural that a small bird, which habitually frequents -trees, should sometimes cling to the trunk; but what -surprises me is, that with so much raw material to -have worked upon, nature should not have developed -some of our small perching birds into actual tree-creepers. -My observations on the blue-tit and the -wren show, at least, that should anything occur to -make it difficult for them to procure food in other -ways, or should they (and this is easier to imagine) -develop a partiality for some particular kind of insect -or other creatures living in the chinks or under the -bark of trees—say spiders, for instance, which are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237"></a>[Pg 237]</span> -often to be found there in colonies—they would be -all ready to become specialised experts. At least it -appears to me so, and I think it the more curious -because they do not seem often to practise what they -can do so well. Here is my note, taken in October, -when, perhaps, there would be a little more scarcity -of the ordinary food of such birds, than in the spring -and summer of the year.</p> - -<p>"In a grove of Scotch firs this morning I noted, -first a blue-tit, clinging to the trunk of one in the -same manner as a nut-hatch or tree-creeper. Hardly -had he flown off it when a wren flew to and commenced -to ascend perpendicularly the trunk of a -tree quite near me, flying thence to another which -it also ascended, and so on from tree to tree. Afterwards, -however, I was able to watch blue-tits acting -in this manner for some little time, as well as quite -closely, and I decided that they were the greater -adepts of the two. They climbed the perpendicular -or overhanging trunk with ease and swiftness, clinging -to the roughnesses of the bark, at which they -pecked from time to time, I imagine for insects. -Usually they went straight upwards, but sometimes -more or less slantingly. I also noted—and this I -had not been able to do for certain in the wren—that -they descended as well as ascended the trunks -of the trees; but here the manner of progressing -was not quite so scansorial, for it was with a little -flutter. Whether they used the feet as well as the -wings in the descent I could not actually see, but -they kept quite near enough to the trunk to have -done so. These little fluttering drops or drop-runs -interested me very much. The bird never made<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238"></a>[Pg 238]</span> -them except whilst hanging on the trunk of the tree -perpendicularly and head downwards, and when he -stopped and clung to it again he was in precisely -the same position. The drop each time might have -been from four to six or seven inches. It never -appeared to me to be more. Both the blue-tit, therefore, -and the wren have acquired the habit of creeping -about the trunks of trees, in search, presumably, of -insects or spiders, as do the tree-creepers, wood-peckers, -and nut-hatch. The former of them can -descend the trunk, but not, it would appear, without -the aid of its wings, either wholly or in part. For -the wren, I saw him descend once, as I think, in a -quick side-eye-shot; but some nettles intervened, -and I cannot be sure."</p> - -<p>"On the next morning I am at the same grove, -and, about seven, a good many blue-tits fly into it, -one of which is soon busily occupied on the trunk -of a fir-tree. I now observe that this bird uses his -wings even in ascending the trunk, for though he -certainly crawls up it, yet he accompanies each fresh -advance, after a pause, with a little flutter, and -advance and flutter end commonly together, taking -him but a very little way. A tree-creeper on the -same tree, who moves deftly about, pressed much -flatter to the trunk and never using his wings, gives -a good opportunity of comparing the two birds—the -professional and the amateur. Now, both according -to my memory and my notes, the tits I saw -yesterday did not flutter at all while ascending the -tree—at any rate, that one which I saw quite close -both ascending and descending, on which my note -was principally based, did not; for though I saw<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239"></a>[Pg 239]</span> -others, this one gave me the best and longest view, -and the only one of the descent. Had he fluttered -in the ascent also, I must certainly have noted it, -and I should not, then, have placed the two in such -contradistinction. If an inference may be drawn -from such limited observation, it, perhaps, is that this -bird is in process of acquiring, or, at any rate, of -perfecting, a habit, and that, therefore, all the individuals -do not excel in it to an equal degree. The -fact that I often watched and waited to see them -practising the art again, but without success, may -lend some colour to this. There was clinging sometimes, -but not climbing."</p> - -<p>In this competition, therefore, between the wren -and the tit as tree-creepers, the tit bears off the bell; -but later I had a better opportunity of observing the -prowess of the latter bird, and, though I did not see -it descend, yet in ease and deftness, length of time -during which the part was assumed, and general -fidelity of the understudy to the original, it must, -I think, be pronounced the superior. It was early -on a cold, rainy, cheerless morning towards the end -of February, that I was so lucky as not to be in bed. -I say—"Have, this morning, watched closely, and -from quite near, a wren behaving just like a professional -tree-creeper. It ascended the trunk of an alder, -quickly and easily, and sometimes to a considerable -height—twenty or thirty feet perhaps—beginning from -the roots, and then flew down to the roots or base -of the next one, and so on along a whole line of them. -Up the sloping roots, or anywhere at all horizontal, -it hopped along in the usual manner, but, when the -trunk became perpendicular, it crept or crawled, just<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240"></a>[Pg 240]</span> -like a true tree-creeper.<a name="FNanchor_19_19" id="FNanchor_19_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_19_19" class="fnanchor">[19]</a> I was, as I say, quite close, -and watched it most attentively. It certainly—as far -as good looking can settle it—did not assist itself -with the wings. They remained close against the -sides, or, if they moved at all, it was imperceptible -to my eyes (which, by the way, are non-pareils). -Nevertheless, at a later period—for I followed along -the trees—when I watched it at only a few paces off, -it as certainly appeared that it did use the wings, -advancing up the trunk by flutterings, but these were -so small and slight, and raised the bird so imperceptibly -from the surface of the trunk, that it had all -the while the appearance of creeping. As I was still -closer to the bird during the latter part of my watching, -it may be thought that this alone represents the -actual fact; but, for my part, I cannot help thinking -that my eyesight served me upon each occasion. If -so, then here is more 'richness,' from a Darwinian -point of view. The tits, it will be remembered, -differed individually, but in this wren there was a -<i>personal</i> variation. He could creep, in ascending, -without using his wings, and generally did so; still -he sometimes broke into a little flutter, which, in a -more pronounced form, had been prevalent in his -youth. His father always did it in this way, and -there were very old wrens still living who only -<i>flew</i> up a trunk. But this was thought very old-fashioned."</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_19_19" id="Footnote_19_19"></a><a href="#FNanchor_19_19"><span class="label">[19]</span></a> I allude to the <i>apparent</i> motion. The tree-creeper itself, I believe, -really hops.</p></div> - -<p>It will not be forgotten how this bird flew from the -point which it had reached on one tree, right down -to the roots of another, and ascended from these.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241"></a>[Pg 241]</span> -The tree-creeper, when it flits from tree to tree, generally -does so in a downward direction. If trees were -of a uniform height, and if the bird usually ascended to -the top, or nearly to the top, of each one in succession, -one could see the <i>rationale</i>, or even the necessity, of -this practice, for the tree-creeper does not—at least not -usually—descend the trunk. But in a wood, the top of -one tree may not represent half the height of another, -and, moreover, a tree will often be abandoned by the -bird when it has reached only a moderate height, or -is still quite near to the ground; and it is not so easy -to see how, under these circumstances, the above-mentioned -habit should have arisen. But, now, if the -forerunners of the tree-creeper had been birds accustomed -to hop about on the ground, and to peer and -pry amongst the projecting roots of trees, and if they -had, from these, gradually ascended the trunk, getting -back to them at first quite soon, but making longer -and longer and more and more accustomed excursions, -then we can understand how this habit might have -become—as one may say—rooted, so as to continue -after there was no longer any particular advantage -in it. Now, however, it is beginning to weaken. I -have on several occasions—which I duly noted down -at the time—seen a tree-creeper fly from one tree -to another, upon which it clung, in an upward direction. -I have little doubt that what is now still a -habit will come to be a preference merely, and that, -in time, even this will cease to be discernible, and -the bird be guided simply by circumstances.</p> - -<p>It is said that the tree-creeper never descends the -tree it is on, and, also, that it generally proceeds in -a spiral direction, by which, I suppose, is meant that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242"></a>[Pg 242]</span> -the line of its course winds round and around the -trunk of the tree. This last, however, has not been -quite my experience. I have watched the bird often -and carefully, and I should say that a true spiral -ascent by it is decidedly exceptional. Often one -has alighted upon the tall stem of a Scotch fir, on -the side away from me, and never come round into -view at all. On other occasions, after some time, I -have seen its tiny form outlined against the sky on -one or other side of the trunk, considerably higher -up, and then, again, it has disappeared back, or flown -to another tree. This can hardly be called a spiral -ascent, and I have seen no nearer approach to one. -Often, too, I have seen it mount quite perpendicularly -for a considerable distance. To me it appears that -the tree-creeper recollects, occasionally, that he <i>ought</i> -to ascend a tree spirally, and begins to do so, but -the next moment he forgets this tradition in his -family, and creeps individually. One might expect, -indeed, that insects or likely chinks for them would -act as so many deflections from the path of spiral -progress, which, as it seems likely, may have been -originally adopted for the same reason and upon the -same principle that a road is made to wind round a -mountain instead of being carried up the face of it. -But how is it, then, that the wren and the blue-tit -ascend tree-trunks perpendicularly? for one would -have thought that the less <i>au fait</i> a bird was, the -more would the advantages of an easy gradient have -forced themselves upon it. But these birds are still—sometimes, -at any rate—aided by their wings, so that -it would seem as though their tree-creeping had been -developed, or was being developed, as an adjunct to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243"></a>[Pg 243]</span> -tree-fluttering. Now, as it appears to me, though it -might be easier for a bird to creep up a tree by -going round it, it could more easily flutter up it perpendicularly,<a name="FNanchor_20_20" id="FNanchor_20_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_20_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a> -in the way I have described, and, if -so, we can understand a bird that is only in process -of becoming a tree-creeper, commencing, as it were, -at the most advanced end. For it would first have -fluttered up perpendicularly, then have both crept -and fluttered so, and finally, when it could creep -without fluttering, it would do so at first on the old -fluttering lines. Then it might begin to adopt the -spiral method, but as the effort required became less -and less, and structural modification—as seen, for -example, in the shape and stiffness of the tail-feathers -of the tree-creeper—came to its assistance, this would -cease to be a help, and become a habit merely, and -when once a habit has lost its <i>rationale</i>, it is in the -way of being broken, even in good society. Thus -the perpendicular ascents of the tree-creeper may be -the final stage in a long process, and the return in -ease to what was before done in toil.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_20_20" id="Footnote_20_20"></a><a href="#FNanchor_20_20"><span class="label">[20]</span></a> Or rather no particular difficulty would be experienced, so that the -shortest course would be the best one.</p></div> - -<p>The tree-creeper is assisted in its climbing by the -stiff, pointed feathers of the tail, which act as a prop, -and also by its small size, which may possibly have -been partly gained by natural selection. The great -green woodpecker is possessed of the first of these -advantages, but not of the second, and it is, I believe, -the case that he much more adheres to the spiral -mode of ascent than does the tree-creeper, who, as it -seems to me, has almost discarded it. It would be -interesting, therefore, to observe if the smaller spotted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244"></a>[Pg 244]</span> -woodpecker shows a greater tendency to deviate in this -direction; but I have had no opportunity of doing this.</p> - -<p>With regard to the other assertion—namely, that -the tree-creeper never descends the trunk of the -tree—this is at least not true without qualification, for -I have seen it do so backwards, with a curious and, as -it seemed to me, a quite special motion. It was quick -and sudden, carrying the bird an inch or so down the -trunk, when it ceased and was not repeated: a jerk, in -fact, but of a much more pronounced character, made -thus backwards, than any of the little forward jerks, in -a toned—one might almost sometimes say a gliding—succession, -of which the ordinary "creeping" consists. -The first time I saw this action (to dwell upon) -it constituted a perpendicular descent, but my eye -was not full on the bird at the moment, so that I -only observed it imperfectly. On the second occasion -I saw it quite plainly, and this time the bird jerked -itself sideways as well as downwards, stopping in -the same abrupt manner, though whether it made two -short quick jerks or only one, I could not be quite -sure of. I think it was two, but that only the last -one gave the jerky effect. It would thus seem that -the tree-creeper might really progress in this way, -for some little while, if it wished to. The tail must -almost of necessity be raised, or the stiff, pointed -feathers would catch in the roughnesses of the bark; -but, either from the quickness of the action, or the -slight extent to which it was lifted, I did not notice -this.</p> - -<p>I have also seen the great green woodpecker make -exactly this same motion, downwards and backwards, -on the trunk to which he was clinging, so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245"></a>[Pg 245]</span> -perhaps all true tree-creeping birds may be able to -descend in this fashion, should they wish it, though -to do so head first may be beyond the power, or rather -the habit, of most of them. This, certainly, I have -never seen the tree-creeper do, but I should not be -at all surprised were I to, some day, and in describing -the habits of any bird, "never"—excepting in -extreme cases—is, in my opinion, a word that should -never be used.</p> - -<p>The tit, however, though only an amateur tree-creeper, -does, as we have seen, descend the trunk -head downwards, showing, to this extent at least, -a superiority over a much greater master of the art. -But here we have the flutter, whether helped out -by the use of the feet or not, and we can imagine -that, as the bird became more and more a true -creeper, and used the wings less and less, he might -cease to descend, and only creep upwards. It must, -however, be remembered that all the tits are accustomed -to hang head downwards from twigs and -branches in an uncommon degree, so that a member -of the family, developing along these lines, might -find it easier to descend the trunk, or make greater -efforts to overcome the difficulty of doing so, than -a bird whose habits in this respect were less pronounced. -Tits perch more generally amongst the -higher branches of trees, and have no particular habit -of hopping about the ground or creeping over and -about the tangle of a tree's projecting roots, which -I have often watched wrens doing. Those which -I saw tree-creeping did not fly—or at any rate I did -not notice that they did—from the tree they were on, -so as to alight upon another at a lower elevation,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246"></a>[Pg 246]</span> -but they were hardly systematic enough to let one -judge properly as to this. The wren, however, -both in this respect and in its general <i>façons d'agir</i>, -had a striking resemblance to the tree-creeper, -with which bird—if I read the systematic tangle (I -mean in print) aright—he is more closely related -than are the tits.</p> - -<p>"Howsoever these things be"—I fear I have dwelt -too long upon them, but whole books are written upon -a war or even a battle—the little tree-creeper is a -very delightful bird to watch. Sometimes, on inclement -winter days, one can come very near him, -very near indeed, and almost forget the cold, the -rain, the sleet, in his active busy little comfort. To -see him then creeping like a feathered mouse over -some stunted tree-trunk, and insinuating his slender, -delicately-curved little bill into every chink and -crevice of the bark—so busy, so happy, so daintily -and innocently destructive! His head, which is as -the sentient handle to a very delicate instrument, is -moved with such science, such <i>dentistry</i>, that one -feels and appreciates each turn of it, and, by sympathy, -seems working oneself with a little probing -sickle that is seen even when invisible, as is the fine -wire or revolving horror in one's tooth, whilst sitting -in the dreadful chair. After watching him thus—almost, -sometimes, bending over him—I have broken -off some pieces of bark, to form an idea of what he -might be getting. A minute spider and a small -chrysalis or two would be revealed, but there were, -generally, many cocoon-webs of larger hybernating -spiders, whilst empty pupa shells and other such -debris suggested "pasture" sufficient to "lard" many<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247"></a>[Pg 247]</span> -"rother's sides." And again I wonder why there are -not more professional tree-creepers, why countries so -rich and defenceless are not more invaded, in the -name of something or other high-sounding—evolution -will here serve the turn. But, in spite of this abundance, -the tree-creeper does not quite confine himself -to searching the bark of trees, for I have seen him, -on one occasion, dart suddenly out and catch a fly, -or other insect, in the air, returning immediately afterwards -to his tree again. To my surprise, I cannot -find this in my notes, but, as my memory is quite -clear upon the point, I mention it. This is another -method of procuring food, which, as an occasional -practice, is widely disseminated amongst our smaller -birds, and here again one wonders why it has only -become a fixed habit with the fly-catcher. However, -I have seen a male chaffinch dash from the bank of -a river and catch may-flies in mid-stream, sometimes -a little and sometimes only just above the surface of -the water, several times in succession, so that, in this -case also, we see the possible beginnings of another -species.</p> - -<p>I have forgotten to admire the tree-creeper—I -mean as a thing of beauty. To do so is a very -refined sensation, he is so neutral-tinted and half-shady. -One is an æsthete for the time, but the next -blue-tit dethrones one, for one has to admire him too, -and <i>he</i>, with his briskness and his Christian name of -Tom, is hardly æsthetic. The hardiness of these -little creatures—I am speaking here of the tits, but -to both it would apply—is wonderful—quite wonderful. -They are downy iron, soft little colour-flakes -of nature's very hardest material. It is now—for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248"></a>[Pg 248]</span> -I select a striking example—the most atrocious -weather, a howling wind, and sleet or sleety snow -that seems, as it falls, to thaw and freeze upon one's -hands, both at the same time. Later it becomes -almost a storm, with more snow. It is, indeed, a day -terrible to bird and beast in the general, as well as -to man, yet, through it all, these tiny little bits of -natural feather-work are feeding on the small February -buds of some elms that roar in the wind. -Wonderful it is to see them blown and swayed about, -with the snow-flakes whirling about them, as they -hang high up from the extremities of slender twigs, -playing their little life-part (as important in the sum -of things as Napoleon's) with absolute ease and well-being, -whilst one is almost frozen to look at them. -One must think of Shakespeare's lines about "the -wet shipboy in a night so rude," but what a poor -mollycoddle was he by comparison! Later they will -sleep—these robust little feathered Ariels—to the -tempest's lullaby, above a world all snow, and with -frozen snow the whole way up the trunk of every unprotected -tree, on the windward side. Now it is -dinner, with appetite and entire comfort "in the cauld -blast."</p> - -<p>What insects are in these tiny little new buds, or -are there insects in each one?—for these tits browse -from one to another and seem equally satisfied with -all. Yet it is authoritatively stated that they eat only -the insects in buds, and not the buds themselves. In -watching birds, however, as in other things, one -should be guided by a few simple rules, and one of -the most important of these is absolutely to ignore -all statements whatever, without the smallest regard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249"></a>[Pg 249]</span> -to authority. Everything should be new to you; -there should be no such thing as a fact till you have -discovered it. Note down everything as a discovery, -and never mind who knew it—or knew that it was -not so—before. You may be wrong, of course. So -may the authority. But what makes authority in a -matter of observation?</p> - -<p>To me it certainly seemed that these tits ate the -elm-buds. At any rate, I have broken a spray off a -low bough where I had seen one feeding, and taken -it home. On examining it I found many a little bare -stalk where buds had been, which suggests that they -had been eaten and not merely pecked at. I tried -several of these little buds (it was in February) myself, -and found them very nice and delicate. Later, in -April, I have noted down:</p> - -<p>"The buds being now larger, I can see the birds -pecking and tugging at them more plainly, and now -and then a minute bud-leaf flutters to the ground. I -certainly think it is the buds themselves they are -attacking, for their own sake." As blue-tits feed at -the stacks—certainly not on insects—and eat cocoa-nuts, -Brazil-nuts, horse-chestnuts (I believe), meat, -and, in fact, almost everything, it would be strange -indeed if they neglected such a rich pasture-ground as -the buds of trees would yield them, or if they did not -care about them. On such a day as I have described, -one can understand them feeding hour after hour, and -making themselves rotund on the tiny little buds themselves, -but hardly on insects contained in them.</p> - -<p>The bullfinch, at any rate, is known to be a bud-eater, -and he may often be seen feeding on the elms, -in company with the blue-tit, and, to all appearance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250"></a>[Pg 250]</span> -in just the same way. It is marvellous what slender -little twigs this bird will perch on, without their giving -way beneath his round burly form. Sometimes they -do give way, and then he swings about on them like -a ball at the end of a piece of string, nor does he get -off on to another one without a good deal of turmoil, -and some climbing, which cannot be called quite fairy-like. -In fact, he is awkward—but in the most graceful -manner imaginable. Harpagon, as we know, "<i>avait -grace a tousser</i>," and when a bird like the bullfinch -condescends, for a moment, to be awkward, his charm -is merely enhanced. Yet I cannot call him deft in -the procurement of buds, as the blue-tit is, with whom -he comes into competition, and whom he will drive -away. He does not hang nibbling at them head -downwards, as though to the manner born, and then -swing up again on a twig-trapeze. These things, if -not beyond him, are, at least, alien to his disposition, -which is straightforward, and to his deportment, -which has a certain sobriety. His plan, therefore, is -to advance along the twig as far as it seems to him -advisable to go, and then, stretching forward and -elongating his neck, take a sharp bite at the bud, -which, with his powerful bill, secures it at once—unless -he fails. In the same way, he will stretch out -from the twig he is on, to secure the bud on another, -but this he does still more cautiously. At the blue-tit, -when feeding on the same tree, he will sometimes -make little dashes, driving him away. He has, in fact, -just done so (only in this instance it was the hen bird) -three times in succession. And now a fourth time -has this hen bullfinch made a dash at the blue-tit. -The tit, each time, flutters away easily, and without<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251"></a>[Pg 251]</span> -making any fuss about it. He is insulted, but he does -not wish to make a scene. Besides, he is smaller.</p> - -<p>The catkins, too, are now hanging on the alders, -and on these also, or—if any one prefers it—on the -insects in them, the blue-tits feed. They, I think, -prefer the catkins, but I will not be sure.</p> - -<p>Whenever practicable they grasp a catkin with one -claw, and the twig from which it hangs, and which -is their main support, with the other. Often, however, -they grasp catkin and twig together with both -claws, and, standing thus, peck down upon them like -("parva si magnis licet comparare") a crow or hawk -upon some dead or living creature. Or, again, they -will hang head downwards from, and pecking at, a -bunch of the catkins, without any more substantial -support, or, with one claw grasping one twig, will, -with the other, hold a catkin belonging to another -twig up to the beak, like a parrot. The claws of tits -are evidently of high value as seizers and holders, if -not quite as "pickers and stealers." They are much -more than mere rivets for fixing themselves on a perch. -To see one of these little birds, whilst straddled in this -way, pull the catkin towards it, is most interesting and -very pretty. The little legs are so thin and delicate -that one must be very close or get a very steady look -through the glasses, both to see, and, at the same time, -distinguish them from the twigs.</p> - -<p>The coal-tit is even more parrot or, rather, squirrel-like, -and one can make out his actions better, for he -sits upright—one may almost say—on the ground -beneath a fir-tree, supporting himself with his tail and -one claw, whilst the other grasps a fir-cone at which -he pecks. At least I think it was a fir-cone, and I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252"></a>[Pg 252]</span> -afterwards picked up several which were marked with -little pits round the base, where it had joined the -stalk, difficult to attribute to squirrels, and suggesting -that the birds had severed them in this way, and -not yet proceeded farther.</p> - -<p>If the coal-tit does this, then it seems likely that -the great-tit does so also, in which case his extracting -the seeds from the larger cones of exotic firs -would be only what one might expect. The coal-tit, -too, ascends the trunks of trees—Scotch fir-trees -especially—in the same fluttering way as does the -blue-tit, but perhaps still more deftly, in search of -insects, and often, as one watches him, a flake of the -bark that he has detached comes fluttering down. -The golden-crested wren may do the same, but I -have been more struck by the way in which this -little bird flies about amidst the pine-trees, from one -needle-bunch to another. He hangs from them head -downwards, but often, before clinging amongst them, -flutters just above or, sometimes, just below them. -In the latter case it seems as though the needles -were flowers, and that he was probing them with -his bill, whilst hanging in the air like a humming-bird; -and this, amidst the dark pines and, especially, -on a gloomy winter's day, is odd to see. Often he -flits down from his pine-needles into the coarse, tufty -grass just bounding the plantation, bustles and fairy-fusses -there for a little, then is up again amongst his -needles, pecking the frost from them. For this is -what it looks like, that seems to be the meal he -is making, though, surely, it must really be something -more substantial—if "meal" and "substantial" -are words that can be properly used in respect of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253"></a>[Pg 253]</span> -being so tiny and delicate. However, he seems -busily examining the pine-needles, and this may be -either for minute insects upon them, or for the very -small buds which they bear. It is pleasant to watch -these little birds, and to hear their little needley note -of "tzee, tzee, tzee." Sometimes, however—but this -is more as spring comes on—they will fly excitedly -about amidst the trees and bushes, uttering quite a -loud, chattering note—far louder than one could have -expected from the size of the bird.</p> - -<p>Returning to our blue-tits on their alder-tree; they -have all flown into it—being a band of about twenty—from -a small hawthorn-tree a few paces off. Excepting -for some lichen here and there on its branches, -this hawthorn-tree is bare, and the birds seem far -more occupied in preening themselves, and in giving -every now and again the little birdy wipe of the bill -first on one side and then another of a twig or bough, -than in any serious "guttling." For this they fly to -the alder, where, at once, they are feeding busily. -But I notice that every now and again some few of -them fly back into the hawthorn, where they sit, a -little, preening themselves as before, before returning. -In fact, they use the hawthorn-tree as their tiring-room, -whilst the alder is the great banqueting-hall. -Once or twice—I think it was twice—I saw one dart -at another and drive it from its particular catkin. -As they had a whole large tree to themselves, this, -I think, was pretty good.</p> - -<a name="Illus_254" id="Illus_254"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page254.png" width="447" height="600" alt="Fairy Artillery: Willow-Warbler Pecking Catkins in Flight." /> -<div class="caption"><i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: Fairy Artillery.">Fairy Artillery: Willow-Warbler Pecking Catkins in Flight.</span></i></div> -</div> - -<p>But I have never seen the blue-tit behave so -prettily and airily with its catkins, as I have the -little willow-warbler in April. These little birds are -then constantly pursuing each other about through<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254"></a>[Pg 254]</span> -the trees, and especially the birch-trees, for which -they seem to have a decided preference, perhaps -because they make a fairy setting for their fairy -selves. They affect its catkins, and one of the most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255"></a>[Pg 255]</span> -pleasing of things is to see them shoot through the -yet thin veil of green, give a flying peck at one, and -become immediately enveloped in a little yellow -cloud of the pollen. It looks, indeed, as if the bird -had shaken it from its own feathers, for its intimate -actions are too quick and small to be followed, and -the pollen is all around it. But as the eye marks -the tiny explosion with delight, reason, quickly -following, as delightedly tells you the why of it, -and a plucked catkin illustrates.</p> - -<p>This is all in the early fresh morning, when the -earth is like a dew-bath and all the influences so -lovely that one wonders how sin and sorrow can -have entered into such a world. It seems as though -nature must be at her fairest for so fairy a thing to -be done. I, at least, have not seen it take place -later, and I cannot help hoping that no one else -will.</p> - -<p>But why do the little birds explode their catkins? -Do their sharp eyes, each time, see an insect upon -them, or do they really enjoy the thing for its own -sake? I can see no reason why this latter should -not be the case, or, even if it is not so to any great -degree now, why it should not come to be so in time. -It must be exciting, surely, this sudden little puff of -yellow pollen-smoke, and then there is the fairy-like -beauty of it. There was much laughter, naturally, -when Darwin propounded the theory that birds -could admire, and when he instanced the bower-birds, -and, particularly, one that makes itself an -attractive little flower-garden, removing the blossoms -as soon as they fade, and replacing them with fresh -ones, it was held that such cases as these were decisive<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256"></a>[Pg 256]</span> -against his views. Gradually, however, it began to -be seen that they pointed rather in the opposite -direction, and now it is recognised that Darwin was -right. This being so, it does not appear to me -absolutely necessary to suppose that when the little -wood-warbler flies at his catkin and produces one of -the prettiest little effects imaginable, he does so -always merely to get a fly or a gnat. There are -other possibilities, and I think that if our common -birds were minutely and patiently watched, we might -trace here and there in their actions the beginnings -of some of those more wonderful ones, which obtain -amongst birds far away.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page_xii.png" width="600" height="259" alt="Pheasants" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257"></a>[Pg 257]</span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page257.png" width="600" height="467" alt="Rooks" /> -</div> - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X</h2> - -<p class="sub-title">Watching Rooks</p> - - -<p>In this chapter I will give a few scenes from rook -life, as I have watched it from late autumn to early -spring, linking them together by a remark now and -again of a general nature, or, possibly, some theory -which my observations may have suggested to me, -and seemed to illustrate. Were I to put into general -terms what I have jotted down at all times and in -all places, in the darkness before morning when the -rookery slept about me, in the dim dawn whilst it -woke into life, to stream forth, later, on wings of joy -and sound, in the long day by field and moor and -waste, and at evening again, or night, when the birds -swept home and sank to sleep amidst their own -sinking lullaby, I might make a smoother narrative, -but the picture would be gone. I think it better, -therefore, to make a preliminary general apology for -all roughnesses and repetitions, triviality of matter,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258"></a>[Pg 258]</span> -minuteness of detail and so forth, in fact for all shortcomings, -and then to go on in faith, not in myself, -indeed, but in the rooks, believing that they <i>will</i> -be interesting, however much I may stand in their -way.</p> - -<p>When I speak of the rookery I do not mean the -trees where the birds build—unfortunately there are -none very near me—but those where they come to -roost during the autumn and winter—true rookeries -indeed if numbers count for anything. Here, their -chosen resting-place is a silent, lonely plantation of tall -funereal firs, standing shaggily tangled together, mournful -and sombre, making, when the snow has fallen -but lightly—before they are covered—a blotch of very -ink upon the surrounding white. Who could think, -seeing them during the daytime, so sad and abandoned, -so utterly still, tenanted only by a few silent-creeping -tits, or some squirrel, whose pertness amidst -their gloomy aisles and avenues seems almost an -affectation—who could think that each night they -were so clothed and mantled with life, that their -sadness was all covered up in joy, their silence made -a babel of sound? In every one of those dark, -swaying, sighing trees, there will be a very crowd -of black, noisy, joyous birds, and strange it is that -there should be more poetry in all this noise and -clamour and bustle than in their sad sombreness, -deeply as that speaks to one. The poetry of life is -beyond that of death, and when the rooks have gone -the dark plantation seems to want its soul. It is -Cupid and Psyche, but under dreary, northern skies. -Every evening the black, rushing wings come in love -and seem to kiss the dark branches, every morn<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259"></a>[Pg 259]</span>ing -they kiss and part, and, between whiles, the -poor longing grove stands lifeless, dreams and waits. -But how different would it seem if the rooks were -a crowd of men—nice, cheery, jovial, picturesque, -civilised men! Thank heaven, they are a crowd -of rooks!</p> - -<p>I will now quote from my journal:</p> - -<p>"Walking over some arable land that rises gently -into a slight hill, my attention is attracted by a number -of rooks hanging in the air, just above a small -clump of elm-trees on its crest. They keep alternately -rising and falling as they circle over the trees, -often perching amongst them, but soon gliding upwards -from them again. A very common action is for two to -hover, one above another, getting gradually quite close -together, when both sinking, one may almost say falling, -rapidly, the upper pursues the under one, striking -at it—either in jest or earnest, but probably the former—both -with beak and claws. The downward plunge -would end in a long swoop, first to right or left, and -then again upwards, during which the two would become -separated and mingled with the general troop. -This action, more or less defined and perfect, was continued -again and again, and there were generally one -or more pairs of birds engaged in it. The rest rose -and fell, many together, and obviously enjoying each -other's society, but without any special conjunction of -two or more in a joint manœuvre. Their descents -were often of a rushing nature, and accompanied with -such sudden twists and turns as, sometimes, seemed to -amount to a complete somersault in the air—though as -to this I will not be too certain. The whole seemed -the outcome of pure enjoyment, and seen in the clear<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260"></a>[Pg 260]</span> -blue sky of this fine bright October morning—the last -one of the month—had a charming effect.</p> - -<p>"A fortnight later I happened to be near some woods -to which rooks were flying from all directions, to roost, -as I thought then, but afterwards I found it was only -one of their halting places. They were in countless -numbers, one great troop after another flying up from -far away over the country. The air was full of their -voices, which were of a great variety and modulation, -the ordinary harsh (though pleasant) 'caw' being -perhaps the least noticeable of all. Each troop flew -high, and, on coming within a certain distance of -the wood—a fair-sized field away—they suddenly -began to swoop down upon it in long sweeping -curves or slants, at the same time uttering a very -peculiar burring note, which, though much deeper -and essentially rook-like in tone, at once reminded -me of the well-known sound made by the nightjar. -Imagine a rook trying to 'burr' or 'churr' like a -nightjar, and doing it like a rook, and you have it. -Whilst making these long downward-slanting swoops -the birds would often twist and turn in the air in -an astonishing manner, sometimes even, as it seemed -to me, turning right over as a peewit does, in fact, -exhibiting powers of flight far beyond what anyone -would imagine rooks to possess, who had only seen -or noticed them on ordinary occasions.</p> - -<p>"Whilst these birds sweep down into the trees others -of them settle on the adjoining meadow-land, but they -do not descend upon it in the same way, but more -steadily, though still with many a twist and turn and -whirring, whizzing evolution. Neither do they utter -the strange burring note to which I have called atten<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261"></a>[Pg 261]</span>tion, -and which is a very striking sound. Starlings -are mingled with these latter birds, flying amongst -them, yet in their own bands, and alighting with them -on the meadow, where they continue to form an <i>imperium -in imperio</i>. Both they and the rooks descend -at one point, in a black or brown patch, but soon -spread out over the whole meadow, from which they -often rise up in a cloud, and, after flying about over -it for a little, come down upon it again. At last a -vast flock of starlings—numbering, I should think, -many thousands—flies up, and, being joined by all -those that were on the field, the whole descend upon -the woods, through which they disseminate themselves. -Almost immediately afterwards, the rooks, as though -taking the starlings for their guide, rise too, and fly -all together to the woods. Now comes a troop of some -eighty rooks, and, shortly afterwards, another much -larger one—two or three hundred at the least—all -flying high, and going steadily onwards in one uniform -direction. They are all uttering a note which is difficult -to describe, and does not at all resemble the -ordinary 'caw.' It has more the character of a chirrup, -loud in proportion to the size of the bird, but still -a chirrup—or chirruppy. There is great flexibility in -the sound, which has a curious rise at the end. It -seems to express satisfaction and enjoyable social feeling, -and, if so, is very expressive. One feels, indeed, -that every note uttered by rooks is expressive, and if -one does not always quite know what it expresses that -is one's own fault, or, at any rate, not theirs.</p> - -<p>"Twenty more now pass, then twenty-seven, and, -finally, another large body of some two to three hundred—all -flying in the same direction. It is the last<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262"></a>[Pg 262]</span> -flight, and, shortly afterwards, the loud harsh trumpeting -of pheasants is heard in all the woods and coverts -around, as they prepare to fly up into their own roosting -trees. This dove-tailing of two accustomed things -in the daily life of rooks and pheasants I have often -noticed, but it must be mere coincidence, for pheasants -vary in their hours of retirement, whilst the leisurely -homeward journeying of rooks, with pauses longer or -shorter at one place or another, occupies, in winter, -most of the afternoon.</p> - -<p>"<i>November 27th.</i>—By the river, this afternoon, I -noticed two great assemblages of rooks down on the -meadow-land, whilst others, in large numbers, were -flying <i>en route</i> homewards. Of these, two would often -act in the way I have before described—that is to -say, whilst flying the one just over the other with very -little space between them, both would sink suddenly -and swiftly down, the upper following the under one, -and both keeping for some time the same relative -position. But besides this, two birds would often pursue -each other downwards in a different way, descending -with wide sideway sweeps through the air, -from one side to another, after the manner of a parachute, -the wings being all the while outstretched and -motionless. In either case the pursuit was never persisted -in for long, and obviously it was no more than -a sport or an evolution requiring the concurrence of -two birds.</p> - -<p>"Again, two will sweep along near together, at slightly -different altitudes, with the wings outspread in the same -way—that is to say, not flapping. Then first one and -afterwards the other gives a sharp wriggling twist, -seeming to lose its balance for a moment, rights itself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263"></a>[Pg 263]</span> -again, and continues to sweep on as before. Then -another wriggle, a further sweep, and so on."</p> - -<p>Since seeing the curious manner in which ravens -roll over in the air—as described by me—I have -watched the aerial gambols, as one may almost call -them, of rooks more closely. There is a certain -place, not far from where I live, where these birds -make an aerial pause in their homeward flight; for, -whilst many are to be seen settled in some lofty trees -of a fine open park, others sail round and round in -wide circles and high in the air, over a wide expanse -of water in the midst of it. After wheeling thus for -some time, first one and then another will descend -on spread wings, very swiftly, and with all sorts of -whizzes, half-turns or tumbles, and parachute-like -motions. When watched closely through the glasses, -however, it may be seen that, very often, these rushing -descents have their origin in an action, or, rather, an -attempted action, very much like that of the raven. -The idea of the latter bird is to roll over, so as to be -on its back in the air, and, by closing its wings, it is -able to achieve this without, or with hardly, any drop -from the elevation at which it has been flying. The -rooks seem to try to do this too, but instead of -closing the wings, they keep them spread, as open, -or almost so, as before. Consequently, instead of just -rolling over, their turn or roll to either side sends them -skimming sideways, down through the air, like a kite—a -paper one, I mean. Peewits close the wings and roll -over in much the same way as does the raven, but this -is generally either preceded, or followed, by a tremendous -drop through the air, with wings more or less -extended, so that the whole has quite a different effect.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264"></a>[Pg 264]</span></p> - -<p>"Of the two assemblies on the ground, one is in -perpetual motion, birds constantly rising—either -singly, in twos or threes, or in small parties—from -where they were, flying a little way just above the -heads of their fellows, and re-settling amongst them -again. Thus no individual bird, as it seems to me, -remains where it was for long, though those in the -air, at any given moment, form but a small minority, -compared with the main body on the ground.</p> - -<p>"But the birds composing the other great assemblage -keep their places, or, if some few rise to change -them, these are not enough to give character to the -whole, or even to attract attention. It is curious to -see two such great bodies of birds close to each other, -and on the same uniform pasture-land, yet behaving -so differently, the one so still, the other in such constant -activity.</p> - -<p>"About 4 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> a great number of rooks rise from -some trees in a small covert near by, and fly towards -those on the ground. As they approach the first -great body—which is the lively one—the birds composing -it rise up, as with one accord, and fly, not to -meet them, as one might have expected, but in the -same direction as they are flying. So nicely timed, -however, is the movement, that the rising body -become, in a moment, the vanguard of the now combined -troop.</p> - -<p>"All these birds then fly together to the other -assembly, and whilst about half of their number -sweep down to reinforce it, the other half continue -to fly on. The flying rooks, however, are not joined -by any of those on the ground. How curious it is -that, in the first instance, the one whole body of birds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265"></a>[Pg 265]</span> -does the same thing instantaneously, and as by a -common impulse, whilst in the second, half acts in -one way, and half in another, each appearing to have -no doubt or hesitation as to what it ought to do! -Again, how different is the conduct of the two field-assemblages. -One rises, as with one thought, to join -the flying birds. The other, as with one thought, -remains standing. Unless, in each case, some signal -of command has been given, then what a strange -community of feeling in opposite directions is here -shown. Where is the individuality that one would -expect, and what is the power that binds all the -units together?</p> - -<p>"<i>Are</i> rooks led by an old and experienced bird?—which -is, I believe, the popular impression, as -embodied in a famous line of Tennyson, for which -one feels inclined to fight. At first sight, the rising -of a whole body of rooks (or any other birds) simultaneously, -either from the ground or a tree, might -seem to be most easily explained on the theory of -one bird, recognised as the chief of the band, having -in some manner—either by a cry or by its own flight—given -a signal, which was instantly obeyed by the -rest. But how—in the case of rooks—can any one -note be heard by all amidst such a babel as there -often is, and how can every bird in a band of some -hundreds (or even some scores) have its eyes constantly -fixed on some particular one amongst them, -that ought, indeed, on ordinary physical and -mechanical principles, to be invisible to the greater -number? If, however, to meet this latter difficulty, -we suppose that only a certain number of birds, who -are in close proximity to the leader, see and obey the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266"></a>[Pg 266]</span> -signal, and that these are followed by those nearest -to them, and so on till the whole are in motion, then -two other difficulties arise, neither of which seems -easy to get over. For, in the first place, the birds do -not, in many cases, appear to rise in this manner, -but, as in the instances here given, simultaneously, -or, at least, with a nearer approach to it than any -process of spreading, such as here supposed, would -seem to admit of; and secondly, it is difficult to -understand how, if this were the case, any bird—or, -at least, any few birds—could fly up without putting -all the others in motion. Yet, as I have mentioned, -birds in twos or threes, or in small parties, were constantly -rising and flying from one place to another -in the assemblage of which they formed a part, whilst -the vast majority remained where they were, on the -ground. This fact offers an equal or a still greater -difficulty, if, dismissing the idea of there being a -recognised leader, we suppose that any bird may, for -the moment, become one by taking the initiative -of flight, or otherwise. And even if we assume that -any of these explanations is the correct one, in the -case of a whole body of rooks taking sudden flight, -or directing their flight to any particular place, or -with any special purpose, what are we to think when -half, or a certain number of the band does one thing, -and the other half another, each, apparently, with -equal spontaneity? We are met here with the same -difficulties—and perhaps in a still higher degree—as -in the case of the flocks of small birds at the stacks -in winter.</p> - -<p>"If rooks follow and obey a leader, one might -expect them to do so habitually, at least in their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267"></a>[Pg 267]</span> -more important matters. The flight out from the -roosting-trees in the morning, and the flight into -them again at night are—when it is not the breeding-season—the -two daily 'events' of a rook's life. Here, -then, are two subjects for special observation.</p> - -<p>"<i>November 30th.</i>—At 3 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> I take up my position -on the edge of a little fir-plantation, a short distance -from where I watched yesterday and the last few days. -My object is to watch the flights of rooks as they -pass, and try to settle if each band has a recognised -leader or not. Of course it is obvious that no one -bird can lead the various bands, for these come from -over a large tract of country, whilst even those that -seem most to make one general army, fly, often at -considerable intervals of time, and quite out of sight -of each other.</p> - -<p>"A good many are already flying in the accustomed -direction, but singly, or wide apart. Each bird seems -to be entirely independent.</p> - -<p>"The first band now approaches. One rook is -much in advance for some distance. He then deviates, -and is passed by the greater number of the others, who -continue on their way without regard to him.</p> - -<p>"Another great, irregular, straggling body in which -I can discern no sign whatever of leadership. Then -comes another, more compact. A rook that at first -leads by a long interval is passed by first one and -then another, so that he becomes one of the general -body.</p> - -<p>"A large band, flying very high. Two birds fly -nearly parallel, at some distance ahead.</p> - -<p>"Two large bands, also very high. In each, one -bird is a good way ahead. The apparent leader of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268"></a>[Pg 268]</span> -the second band increases his distance, curves a good -deal out of the line originally pursued, nor do the -others alter their course in accordance.</p> - -<p>"Two other bands. In each the leader theory seems -untenable. The birds have a broadly extended front, -and fly at different elevations. There is nothing that -suggests concerted movement, but, on the contrary, -great irregularity.</p> - -<p>"In another band the apparent leader swoops down -to the ground, and, whilst only half-a-dozen or so -follow him, the main body proceeds on its way.</p> - -<p>"Hitherto there has been a good deal of the familiar -cawing noise, but, now, a number of birds fly joyously -up, hang floating in the air, make twists and tumbles, -perform antics and evolutions, and descend upon the -ground with wide parachute-like swoops from side to -side, the wings outspread and without a flap. I am -first made aware of their approach by the complete -change of note. It is now the flexible, croodling, -upturned note—rising at the end, I mean—that I -know not how to describe, totally different from the -'caw,' nor do I hear a 'caw' from any of these -descending birds. It is the note of joy and sport, -of joyous sport in the air, of antics there as they -sweep joyously down through it, that I now hear. -The birds that caw are flying steadily and soberly -by. The 'caw' is the steady jog-trot note of the -day's daily toil and business—'Jog on, jog on, the -footpath way.'</p> - -<p>"Another great band, of such length and straggling -formation that the birds in the latter part of it could -not possibly see the leader if there were one—or -indeed, I should think, the vanguard at all. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269"></a>[Pg 269]</span> -first bird is passed by two others, then passes one -of these again, and remains the second as long as I -can see them.</p> - -<p>"Another long flight that seems leaderless. With -the 'caw' comes a note like 'chug-a, chug-a, chug-a' -(but the <i>u</i> more as in Spanish), and others that I -cannot transcribe. This flight goes on almost continuously—I -mean without a distinct gap dividing it -from another band—for about ten minutes, when another -great multitude appears, flying at an immense -height and all abreast, as it were—that is to say, -a hundred or so in a long line of only a few birds -deep. This, perhaps, would be the formation best -adapted for observing and following one bird that -flew well in front, but I can see no such one. All -these birds are sailing calmly and serenely along, -giving only now and again an occasional stroke or -two with the wings. Now comes a further great -assembly, in loose order, all flying in the same direction. -A characteristic of these large flights of rooks -is that their van will often pause in the air and -then wheel back, circling out to either side. The -rearguard is thus checked in its advance, the birds -of either section streaming through each other, till -the whole body, after circling and hanging in the -air for a little, like a black eddying snowstorm (all -at a great height), wend on again in the same direction, -towards their distant roosting-place. With the -air full of the voice of the birds, there is no caw—only -the flexible, croodling, chirruppy note that has -a good deal of music in it, as well as of expression. -This note, I think, is what I have put down as -'chug-a, chug-a, chug-a.'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270"></a>[Pg 270]</span></p> - -<p>"There is now a continuous straggling stream, forming -ever so many little troops. The first bird of one -troop tends to become the last of the one preceding -it, and the last one the leader of the troop following. -Then come numbers, flying in a very irregular and -widely disseminated formation, yet together in a -certain sense. There is much of rising and sinking -and again floating upwards, of twists and twirls -and sudden, dashing swoops downwards, from side -to side, like the car of a falling balloon; two birds -often pursuing each other in this way.</p> - -<p>"And now come two great bands, one flying all -abreast, as before described, the other forming a great, -irregular, quasi-circular rook-storm. Leadership in -the latter case would be an impossibility; in the -former I see no sign of it. All these birds, though -at a fair height, are flapping steadily along in the -usual prosaical manner; through them, and far above—at -a very great height indeed, the highest I have -yet seen, and far beyond anything I should have -imagined—I see another band gliding smoothly, -majestically on, with scarce an occasional stroke of -the eagle-spread pinions. The one black band of -birds seen through the others, far, far above them, -has a curious, an inspiring effect."</p> - -<p>Rooks, when in continued progress, either fly with -a constant, steady flapping of the wings, in a somewhat -laboured way, though often fairly fast, or they -sail along with wings outspread, and flapping only -from time to time—this last, however, only when -they are at a considerable height. A crowd of rooks, -indeed, in the higher regions of air present a very -different appearance to what they do when they fly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271"></a>[Pg 271]</span> -about the fields, even though at a fair height above -the trees; their powers of flight in each case seem -of a very different kind. They can also soar to -some extent, rising higher and higher on outspread -wings as they sweep round and round in irregular -circles—like gulls, but far less perfectly, and they -have to flap the wings more often. Add to this -their downward-rushing swoops, their twists, turns, -tumbles, zig-zaggings, and all manner of erratic aerial -evolutions, and it must be conceded that the powers -of flight which they possess are beyond those with -which we generally associate them in our mind.</p> - -<p>Seen thus, trooping homewards, in all their many -moods and veins,</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">"Whether they take Cervantes' serious air,</div> -<div class="verse">Or laugh and shake in Rabelais' easy-chair,"</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>their flight, combined with their multitude, is full of -effects. To-day their widely extended bands were -often, like so many black snowstorms filling a great -part of the sky. But at no time did I see anything -resembling leadership. "The many wintered crow -that leads the clanging rookery home" is—a lovely -line. On no other occasion could I make out that -rooks obeyed or followed any recognised leader, and -I came to a similar negative conclusion in regard to -the question of their employment of sentinels. It -is asserted in various works—for instance, in the -latest edition of Chambers's "Encyclopedia"—that -they do post sentinels. I will give two instances of -their not doing so—as I concluded—and my experience -was the same on other occasions, which I did -not think it worth while to note.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272"></a>[Pg 272]</span></p> - -<p>"<i>December 22nd.</i>—To-day, I saw a number of rooks -blackening a heap of straw by a stack, whilst some -were on the stack itself. Many were sitting in some -elms near about, but they did not appear to me to be -acting the part of sentinels. When I tried to get up -to the hedge in order to watch the rooks at the stack, -through it, they flew off, a good deal later than their -friends in the trees must have seen me, and not till I was -quite near. If these had really been sentinels, they -should have warned the rest, either the instant they -saw me, or at any rate, when I was obviously approaching, -but this they did not do. They were, therefore, -either not sentinels or inefficient ones." The second -case, however, is more conclusive.</p> - -<p>"<i>January 8th.</i>—To-day, on my way down to the -roosting-place, I pass a number of rooks feeding in a -field, and not far from the road. They are all more -or less together, there are no outposts, though of -course there is, of necessity, an outer edge to the flock. -But neither on the hedge or in any of the trees near, -are there any birds to be seen. On the other side of -the field, however, and a very considerable way off, a -few are sitting in some trees. It hardly seems possible -that these can act the part of sentinels at such a -distance, and even if they were much nearer, the feeding -rooks would have either to be looking at them, to -see when they flew, or else, the alarm must be given by -a very loud warning note. Bearing this in mind, I -alight from my cycle, and walk along the road. The -rooks, without any dependence on sentinels far or near, -note the fact, bear a wary eye, but continue feeding. -I then stop—always an alarming measure with birds. -The feeding rooks fly off to a safer distance, the ones<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273"></a>[Pg 273]</span> -in the trees remain there as silent as ever, nor is there -any special note uttered by any one bird of the flock, -nor anything else whatever to suggest that any particular -bird or birds is acting the part of sentinel." -There is certainly no sentinel in this case, and in -matters directly affecting their safety one might -suppose that rooks, as well as other birds and beasts, -would act in a uniform manner. This, however, we -can clearly see, that when there happen to be trees, -near where they are feeding, some of them will usually, -and quite naturally, be perched in them, and average -human observation and inference may have done the -rest.</p> - -<p>Rooks, I am inclined to think, are not birds that -give their conscience into keeping. Each one of them -is his own sentinel.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page034.png" width="350" height="289" alt="Mouse" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274"></a>[Pg 274]</span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page274.png" width="600" height="357" alt="More rooks." /> -</div> - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI</h2> - -<p class="sub-title">Watching Rooks—continued</p> - - -<p>Continuing my journal, I will now give extracts -which illustrate, principally, the return home of the -rooks at night and their flying forth in the morning—those -two aspects of their daily winter life which are -the most full, perhaps, both of interest and of poetry.</p> - -<p>"<i>December 9th.</i>—This afternoon at about 3.30 I find -vast numbers of rooks gathered together on a wide -sweep of land, close to their roosting-place.</p> - -<p>"Even now—and they are being constantly reinforced—they -must amount to very many thousands, -and cover several acres, in some parts standing thickly -together, in others being more spread out. There is -an extraordinary babble of sound, a chattering note -and the flexible, croodling one being conspicuous. -Combats are frequent—any two birds seem ready to -enter into one at any moment—and they commence -either, apparently, by sudden mutual desire, or else by -one bird fixing a quarrel on another, which he does by -walking aggressively up to him and daring him, so to -speak. In fighting they stand front to front, and then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275"></a>[Pg 275]</span> -spring up at each other—like pheasants, but grappling -and pecking in the air as do blackbirds and small birds -generally. Sometimes one bird will be worsted in the -tussle, and you instantly see it on its back, striking up -with claws and beak at the other, who now bestrides it. -It is easier to see this result than to be sure as to the -process by which it is arrived at—whether, for instance, -the overmatched bird falls, willy-nilly, on its back, or -purposely throws itself into that position, so as to -strike up like a hawk or owl. I think that this last -may sometimes be the case, from the very accustomed -way in which rooks fight under such circumstances; -but, no doubt, it would only be done as a last resource. -The rooks, however, do not seem vindictive, and their -quarrels, though spirited, are usually soon over. They -may end either by the weaker or the less <i>acharné</i> bird -retiring, in which case the pursuit is not very sustained -or vigorous, or else by both birds, after a short and not -very rancorous bout, pausing, appearing to wonder -what they could have been thinking about, and so -walking away with mutual indifference, real or -assumed. Often one bird will decline the combat, -and in this case, as far as I can see, it is not molested -by the challenger, however bullying and aggressive -this one's manner may have been. A rook coming -up to another with the curious sideway swing of -the body and a general manner which seems to -indicate that he thinks himself the stronger of the -two, looks a true bully.</p> - -<p>"One rook has just found something, and, whilst -standing with it in his bill, another comes forward -to dispute it with him, but the attack is half-hearted, -and seems more like a mere matter of form. After<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276"></a>[Pg 276]</span>wards, -when the same bird has the morsel on the -ground in good pick-axeing position, a second rook -advances upon him with a quick, sideway hop, looking -cunning, sardonic, diabolic, and much for which words -seem totally wanting. But this attack, though swift -and vigorous, is not more successful than the former -one. The lucky rook gets off with his booty, and -has soon swallowed it. Amongst rooks, the finding -of anything by any one of them is a recognised cause -of attack by any other. This is taken as a matter of -course by the bird attacked, and if he holds (and -swallows) his own, which, as he has a clear advantage, -he generally does, no resentment is manifested by -him—there is not even a slight coolness after the -incident is over. If, however, the attack should be -successful, then it is very different. The annoyance -is too great for the robbed bird, and he becomes very -warm indeed. He makes persistent violent rushes -after the robber, is most pertinacious, and clearly -shows that kind of exasperation which would be felt -by a man under similar circumstances. It seems not -so much his own loss, as the success and triumphant -bearing of the other bird, that upsets him. He has -failed where he ought to have been successful, and of -this he seems conscious.</p> - -<p>"When one rook makes his spring into the air -at another, this one will sometimes duck down instead -of also springing. The springer, then, like -'vaulting ambition,' 'o'erleaps himself and falls on -the other side.' I have just seen this. The rook -that bobbed seemed to have scored a point, and -to know it, which the other one confessed shame-facedly—no, -indescribably, a rook <i>cannot</i> look shame-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277"></a>[Pg 277]</span>faced. -The advantage was not followed up by the -successful bird, but the combat ceased, I think, in -consequence.</p> - -<p>"I now notice a hare a little on the outside of the -phalanx of rooks, at the part of it nearest to myself. -All at once he makes a little run towards them as if -charging them, and sits down, making one of their -first line, and almost, as it seems, touching two or -three. After sitting here for some while the hare -makes another little run, this time right in amongst -the rooks, several of which he puts up as though on -purpose—each of the birds giving a little jump into -the air with raised wings, and coming down again. -He then sits down as before, but this time all amongst -them. This he repeats several times, making little -erratic gallops through the black crowd, in curves to -one side and another, and appearing to enjoy the -fun of causing rook after rook to jump up from -the ground. Half-a-dozen times he runs right at a -rook that he might easily have avoided, and sits -down amongst them two or three times, again. At -last, in a final gallop, he pierces the squadron and -continues on, over the land. This certainly appeared -to me to show a sense of fun, if not of humour, on -the hare's part, and as—with a few noted exceptions—it -is the rarest thing to see one species of animal -take any notice of another, I was proportionately -interested.</p> - -<p>"It is now half-past four, and for about an hour the -great assemblage has been increased by a perpetual -stream of rooks, that sail up and descend into it with -joyous wheels and sweeps. For some time, too, flocks -of the birds have been flying from the ground into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278"></a>[Pg 278]</span> -trees near. They fly by relays, and from the farthest -part of the troop—that is to say, from that part which -is farthest distant from the woods where they are to -roost. First one band of birds and then another rises -from the outer extremity, flies over the rest, ascending -gradually, and wings its way to the trees. By these -successive flights the assemblage is a good deal -shrunk, and does not cover nearly so much ground, -when the remainder—still an enormous number—rise -like a black snowdrift whirled by the wind into the -air, and circle in a dark cloud, now hardly visible in -the darkening sky, above the roosting-trees, with a -wonderful babel of cries and noise of wings.</p> - -<p>"At 4.40 this deep musical sound of innumerable -crying, cawing, clamouring throats is still continuing, -and once, I think, the birds rise from the trees into -which they have sunk, and circle round them again. -Now they are in the trees once more, but the lovely -cawing murmur—the hum, as though rooks were -rooky bees—still goes on.</p> - -<p>"4.47.—It is sinking now. Much more subdued and -slumberous, deliciously soothing, a rook lullaby.</p> - -<p>"<i>December 11th.</i>—A stern winter's day, the earth -lightly snow-covered, but bright and fine in the -morning. At 3 <span class="smcap">P.M.</span> I am where the rooks roost, a -plantation of fir-trees—larches—dark, gloomy and -sombre, with a path, piercing them like a shaft of -light, over-arched with their boughs, silvered now -with light snow-wreaths. Just in this gloomy patch -they sleep, but with a light belt of smaller firs opposite, -or with adjoining woods of oak and beech they will -have nothing to do, leaving these latter to the wood-pigeons.</p> - -<a name="Illus_279" id="Illus_279"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page278.png" width="600" height="406" alt="Rooks: A Winter Scene." /> -<div class="caption"><i>Rooks: A Winter Scene.</i></div> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280"></a>[Pg 280]</span></p> - -<p>"At 4.30 I leave the woods and find the rooks -gathered in the same place as yesterday, but in far -less numbers. Shortly, a large band flies up and -swoops down with all sorts of turns and twists, and -turns right over in the air—a striking sight, the air -full of the rushing sound of their wings—a bird-storm, -a black descending whirlwind. At 4.35 the -rooks all fly from the ground into a small clump -of fir-trees near. Great numbers of other ones -are flying up and settling in a plantation of -small firs, fringing another part of the field, quite -filling it. The snow seems to drive them from -the ground, their conclave to-day must be held in -the trees.</p> - -<p>"They are gathering, now, from all parts, filling the -trees round about the ploughed land—now all white—flying -in flocks about them, then descending into them -again.</p> - -<p>"Still coming and coming out of the sunset, specks -growing into birds. The stern, snow-covered landscape, -the red glow of the sunset, and the black, -labouring pinions against it make a fine winter -scene.</p> - -<p>"4.37.—Back at the larches, and only just in time -to stand concealed within them, before the rooks are -there. All seem coming, a black, flying multitude. -They have reached the larches and fly about over -them in wide, sedate circles, coming in relays, as -last night. Joyous voices—innumerable multitudes—a -torrent of wings! All in a broad, rapid, streaming -flight to the larches. They sweep, dash, circle and -eddy over them, black flashes in the deepening gloom. -They sweep into them, and the snow, swept by their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281"></a>[Pg 281]</span> -wings, falls in a drizzle from the branches. Joyous, -excited cries, 'chu, chu, chac, chac.' The whole dark -grove is a cry, a music. Still other bands, they burden -the air. Band after band—now with a pause between -each. They fly swiftly and steadily up, at a not much -greater height than the trees, not descending into -them out of the sky.</p> - -<p>"A longer pause, followed by another hurrying -band. And now the moon is shining through the -larches, and the black, ceaseless pinions go hurrying -across its face. Groans, moans, shrieks almost, <i>yells</i> -amongst the larches, all mingled and blending—but -sinking now. A marvellous medley, a wonderful -hoarse harmony! Here are shoutings of triumph, -chatterings of joy, deep trills of contentment, hoarse -yells of derision, deep guttural indignations, moanings, -groanings, tauntings, remonstrances, clicks, squeaks, -sobs, cachinnations, and the whole a most musical -murmur. Loud, but a murmur, a wild, noisy, -clamorous murmur; but sinking now, softening—a -lullaby.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse indent22">'I never heard</div> -<div class="verse">So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.'"</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>When the rooks sweep down, thus, into their -roosting-trees they frequently do so with a peculiar -whirring or whizzing noise of the wings, but although -this sound is in perfect consonance with the motion -which it accompanies—insomuch that one has to use -the same words to describe each—yet it does not -seem to be produced by it. At least, it bears no -relation to the height from which the birds swoop, -nor—as would seem to follow from this—with the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282"></a>[Pg 282]</span> -impetus of the descent. It may be a matter of -impetus, but to me it has often seemed more as though -the sound gave the idea of impetus, or added to it, -and that the sweeps were, sometimes, just as impetuous, -or even more so, when made without it. As I observed, -the birds flew to their trees at a very moderate -height—not very much, indeed, above the trees themselves—and, -whilst many made the whizzing sound, -the great majority swooped down without it. It -seems, therefore, to be a special sound produced by -the rooks at pleasure, and always accompanying an -excited frame of mind. First one bird and then -another gets excited, and dashes suddenly down with -the whirring or whizzing noise, so that, as the sound -is not vocal, and is only heard upon such occasions, -it has all the appearance of being caused by the quick, -sudden motions of the wings. But it is possible that -some particular way of holding the quill-feathers of -the wing or even tail is required to produce it, in -combination with the general movements, and this -would account for its being sometimes heard and -sometimes not heard, when these latter are identical.<a name="FNanchor_21_21" id="FNanchor_21_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_21_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a> -The curious burring note is likewise, but far less frequently, -an accompaniment of these wild excited -sweepings, and this is most often the case when they -are from a considerable height. Here, again, the note -bears a clear relation to the bird's mental state, so -that it would appear that the degrees of pleasurable -excitement cannot be estimated by the motions alone.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283"></a>[Pg 283]</span> -The "burr," in my opinion, when well and loudly -uttered—for here, again, there is much variety—marks -the maximum of a rook's content, at any rate in a -certain direction.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_21_21" id="Footnote_21_21"></a><a href="#FNanchor_21_21"><span class="label">[21]</span></a> With regard to the above, however, I am now no longer so sure. -<i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: Je me'en doute.">Je m'en doute.</span></i> When the rooks descend from a height, the sound -made is often most remarkable, being that of a mighty rushing wind -filling the air.</p></div> - -<p>"<i>December 15th.</i>—At 7 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> I am at the point of the -road nearest to the rookery, and I hear the sweet -jangle, 'the musical confusion,' already beginning. -Not much, however—subdued and occasional—influenced, -perhaps, by the heavy morning mist that -hangs over trees and earth. After a time I walk to -an oak just outside the plantation, and sit listening to -the rising hubbub—now rising, now falling. A sad, -mist-hung morning, the earth lightly snow-decked; -raw and chill, but not so frostily, bitingly cold as -yesterday and before. The general intonation of the -rook voice is pleasing and musical—how much more -so than the roar of an at-home as the door is flung -open, even though one has not to go through that -door! There is very great modulation and flexibility—more -expression, more of a real voice than other -birds. One feels that beings producing such sounds -must be intelligent and have amiable qualities. One -of the prettiest babbles in nature!</p> - -<p>"One catches 'qnook, qnook,' 'chuggerrer,' 'choo-oo-oo.' -At intervals the single, sudden squawk, or -continued trumpeting, of a pheasant, breaks abruptly -into the sea of sound, then mingles with it. Every -now and again, too, there is a sudden increase of -sound, which again sinks.</p> - -<p>"At 7.50 the rooks are still in bed, but a pheasant—a -fine cavalier—comes running towards me over -the snow. He makes a long and very fast run for -some fifty yards or so, then stops and draws himself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284"></a>[Pg 284]</span> -bolt upright, seeming to stand on tip-toe. More than -upright he is—bent back, <i>trying</i> to look like a soldier, -but <i>obliged</i> to be graceful and elegant. Standing thus, -he seems on the very point of trumpeting, yet does -not, and then runs on again. He repeats this, several -times, each time thinking of trumpeting, but desisting -and going on.</p> - -<p>"At 7.58 the flight out commences. Two or three -birds are a little in front, none very prominently so, -and others are catching them up and seem just on -the point of passing them when they are lost to me -in the mist. There is nothing suggesting a leader. -If they were led it was not by one of themselves, for -with them and in their very fore-front two little birds -were flying, who passed with them out of sight. They -were tits, I think, and in another flight out, after one -of the pauses—for the rooks fly out by relays, like -the starlings—I noticed one other, all three, I believe, -being <i>parus cæruleus</i>. There are quite a number of -tits in the plantation and woods adjoining, but why -just three should leave it and go flying with the rooks -through the mist, over the open country, if not for -the mere joy and fun of the thing, I know not. All -at once a number of the out-flying birds turn in their -flight, and swoop back, with a great rush of wings, -to the plantation. Afterwards, at intervals, there are -other such returns, little bands of the birds seeming to -say, 'Oh, let's go back to bed. It's much nicer,' and -doing so. This, too, is exactly what the starlings do. -The birds, as they fly, are all vociferous, and the air is -laden with a pleasant burden of 'chug-chow, chug-chow, -chug-chow. Chugger-chugger-chow. How-chow, -how-chow.' The rooks talk a kind of Chinese.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285"></a>[Pg 285]</span></p> - -<p>"At 8.20 the principal flight is over, but still there -is a stream of birds issuing out, and most of these are -now going down on to the land. All at once, these—that -is to say, all the rooks on the ground—rise and -fly to the trees, the birds who have been sitting in -them join them in the air, they all fly about together -over the trees, and then go off in two or more bodies, -and in different directions. There has been no sign -of a leader, or of leadership, in any of the flights -out, or in any of the birds' actions.</p> - -<p>"At 8.45, when no more rooks are to be seen, -either flying or on the ground, I walk through the -larches, and put up a good many birds who have -remained sitting in them, instead of going out with -the rest. I, then, walk all round the plantation, and -find numbers of rooks sitting in the beech-trees that -edge it on one side. Though the numbers seem -small, after watching the innumerable flights out, -they may yet amount to some hundreds. Thus, -some small bodies of birds, and even some individuals, -have not been influenced by the action of the vast -majority, but have sat still whilst the rest flew forth—unless, -indeed, all of them have first flown out, and -then back again; but this I do not think is the case. -Two great leading principles seem to govern all the -actions of rooks—independence and interdependence. -All are influenced by all, yet all can, on any and -every occasion, withstand that influence, and think -and act for themselves.</p> - -<p>"Sometimes the sweepsback of the birds into the -trees are very curious, seeming to indicate some -unknown force at work. There is a sort of commotion—a -turmoil of some sort—causing a cessation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286"></a>[Pg 286]</span> -of the regular, orderly flight, the voice varies, there -is a rush of wings, and out of this trouble, as it were, -the backward swoop is born. Then the wavering -stream—or rather a certain wavering eddy in it—flies -on, and again the voice becomes the musical -'har-char, har-char' (a better rendering than 'how-chow'), -which characterises the flight out.</p> - -<p>"It is as though a sudden surge of thought said -'Back!' and swept some back, but a deeper, -stronger surge said 'On!' and on the greater -number streamed.</p> - -<p>"Again, the stream of flight will sometimes be -interrupted by a sort of sweeping or drifting together -of a number of the birds, making an eddy in it, as -it were—an interruption and perturbation in the -current, difficult to describe, and over before one can -fix the proper words to it; but indicating some sort -of emotion in the birds, a rush of feeling of some -kind, something tiresome to note, but which ought -to be noted. Once, too, I have seen a single rook -flying straight back against the general current of -the stream, meeting and passing all the rest on his -way to the trees, seeming the very emblem of a -fixed intent.</p> - -<p>"These curious, pausing, and hesitating movements, -in which an idea that seems at first vague becomes, -all at once, definite, seem to me to have their origin -in what may be termed collective thinking—for this -gives a better idea of the appearance of the thing -than does the term thought-transference, though that -may more correctly indicate the process. The birds -do not appear to be influenced by the actions—the -external signs of thought—of each other, but numbers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287"></a>[Pg 287]</span> -of them seem similarly influenced at or about the -same moment of time. In fact, they often act as -though an actual wind had swept them in this or -that direction—when this cannot have been the case, -I hasten to add.</p> - -<p>"<i>February 10th.</i>—A hard black frost, bitterly, bitingly -cold. At 5.30 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> I steal into the dark -plantation, and silently take my place at the foot of -one of the tall, sighing trees. Softly as I try to move, -I disturb some of the sleeping birds, who make heavy -plunges amongst the trees, or beat about, for a little, -through 'the palpable obscure' above them. But, -leaning against the trunk, I am now rock-still, and -soon they settle down again, though 'talking'—some -nervous inquiry—continues a little, breaking -out first here and then there, around where I sit. I -soon notice, however, that these outbursts have no -relation to my whereabouts, but take place over the -whole plantation, and I come to the conclusion that -they have nothing to do with the late disturbance, -which is now, evidently, forgotten. The night, in fact, -is passing, and the rooks are beginning to be rooks. -Such noises in the utter darkness, amidst the shroud-black -firs, sound ghostly, and may, perhaps, have -given rise to the idea of the night-raven. In the -winter, it must be remembered, it is night, practically, -for some time after the peasantry of any country are -up and about; nor can I conceive of any sounds more -calculated to give rise to superstitious ideas than -some of those I hear about me. In the real night, -too, a belated peasant might easily get a note or -two from some awakening rook, and, both by virtue -of time and place, and the actual quality of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288"></a>[Pg 288]</span> -sound—as I can testify—it would sound very different -to what he was accustomed to in the daytime. It is -probable that, in a country where ravens were known, -and inspired those superstitious feelings which they -always have inspired, such sounds, issuing out of the -darkness, would be ascribed to them, rather than to -the homely rook; and here we should have the night-raven—a -bird 'frequently met with in fiction, but, -apparently, nowhere else.' Possibly, however, the -raven itself may sometimes utter its boding croak -through the darkness, and ravens have been, and, in -some parts, still are, numerous.</p> - -<p>"Gradually the plantation becomes quite a wonderful -study of sounds, there being an extraordinary variety, -and some of them most remarkable. One, that seems -deep down in the throat, suggests castanets being -played there, but castanets of a very liquid kind, -water-castanets, if such there could be, but, if not, it -gives the idea. This curious sound is only uttered -occasionally by some particular rook, and it recalls—perhaps -is—the well-known burring note that I -have heard under such different circumstances. If -so, it can only be as a recollection that the bird -utters it. I have not the space to reason this, but, -assuming it to be so, may we not see, here, one of -the alleys leading up to language? A certain sound -is uttered during the doing of a certain thing. It -becomes associated in the mind with that thing, with -the doing of it, and with the state of mind under the -influence of which it is done. At first, perhaps, unconsciously, -then consciously, it is uttered when such -action is recalled, and the utterance recalls it, also, -to the mind of whoever hears. Here, then, is a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289"></a>[Pg 289]</span> -certain well-understood sound conveying a certain -idea or ideas—as, first, 'burr,' a particular kind of -joyous flight: then, 'burr,' something as joyous as -such flight, and so, joy: and lastly, 'burr,' the actual -joyous flying, the root, therefore, of the verb 'burr,' -to fly joyously, and, so, to fly. Darwin supposes -language to owe its origin 'to the imitation and -modification of various natural sounds, the voices of -other animals and man's own instinctive cries, aided -by signs and gestures.' To repeat a certain sound, -that had been at first the mere mechanical adjunct -of a certain act or state, when one recalled that act -or state, would be, as it seems to me, an extremely -early—perhaps the earliest—step, passing imperceptibly -from feeling into thought, and leading on to imitation. -Such speculations may be permitted one, in a dark -fir-plantation, surrounded by rooks and waiting for -the morning.</p> - -<p>"One thing, however, I record as a fact, which appears -to me somewhat curious. Though the plantation is -continuous, without any break other than the narrow -path that runs through its centre, and though it is -simply crowded with rooks, every tree holding a great -many, yet I notice that an outbreak of sound in any -particular part of it does not spread over the whole, -as one might have supposed that it would, but dies -gradually out, as it radiates from the point where it -arose. Thus, there are zones of sound, isolated from -each other by intervening areas of silence. Just at -this moment, after I have sat, for some time, silent, -and all alarm has subsided, there is a great clamorous -outburst some little way off. It must have some -special cause which I cannot divine, but this com<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290"></a>[Pg 290]</span>motion -does not, any more than the lesser ones, -spread itself through the packed community, but is -strictly isolated. How strange this seems! A -parliament (though I heard no nonsense talked) of -lively, eminently gregarious birds, all of which are -noisy at one time or another, and from the thick of -them a storm of clamour bursts: would not one -think that the birds sitting cheek by jowl with the -stormers would storm too, and so 'pass it on'? -Why should there be a periphery, and what should -limit the chorus except the bound of the plantation -itself? Do crowds shout in patches? That the -clamour should cease, after a time, is, of course, natural, -but why, though it died along the road by which it -travelled, should it not keep travelling on, through -all the black, serried ranks? If rooks were influenced -only by the outward manifestations of each other's -emotions, one might, surely, expect this. But now, -if they were influenced more by the thought itself, -rapidly transmitted from one to another of them, then, -whenever this factor ceased, for whatever reason, to -act, the birds beyond the limits of its action might be -unaffected by the cries of those who had felt its influence, -for they would have been accustomed to look -for a sign from within, and not from without. They -might then hear, on some occasions, without being -<i>impelled</i>, though on other occasions they might <i>choose</i>, -to join. It may be difficult to realise such a psychical -state, but that does not, of itself, make the state impossible. -Its possibility would depend upon the -reality or not of collective thinking, or thought-transference, -and observation is (or should be) our only -means of deciding as to this.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291"></a>[Pg 291]</span></p> - -<p>"As light struggles out of the darkness, the silence -is broken more and more frequently, at some point -or other of the plantation, so that the sound is disseminated -over a larger and larger space, till, for some -little while before the flight, the whole rookery seems -to be talking at one and the same time. In reality, -however, there is a constant cessation and renewal on -the part of each individual bird.</p> - -<p>"At 6.30 the sounds take a deeper and more emphatic -tone. There is more solemnity, more meaning, -and the meaning grows plainer and plainer as the -asseveration becomes more and more emphatic, that -'it is, yes is, is really, positively is, is, is, is, <i>is</i> the -morning.'</p> - -<p>"At 6.35 there is the light, joyous 'chug-a, chug-a, -chug-a,' besides which one catches—if one has a good -ear—'hook, chook,—hook, took—hook-a-hoo-loo—chuck, -chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck,—polyglot, -polyglot.'</p> - -<p>"Then there is a question—a serious and solemnly -propounded question—'Quow-yow?' The answer—from -another rook—is immediate and undoubted—'Yow-quow.'</p> - -<p>"There are sounds which just miss being articulate -and just evade one's efforts to write them down. It is -significant that I have to use the word 'talking' to -describe the rook's utterances. It is the one word; -another would sound forced and strained.</p> - -<p>"Throughout the babel, there is a tendency for it -to sink and rise in sudden accentuations and diminishments. -Now there is a diminishment, and a bird -in the tree next to mine gives a sleepy stretch out -of one wing, which has all the appearance of a yawn.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292"></a>[Pg 292]</span> -But I see no other bird yawning, nor do I notice -any toilette, any preening of the feathers.</p> - -<p>"Now, at close on 7, the flight out is preceded by a -flight of the birds inside the plantation, from one tree -to another, and this passes, gradually, into the full -forth-streaming. Just above the trees, now, they pass -in endless flakes of a black and living snowstorm. -Their flight is swift, hurrying, joyous. They flap, -but there are, often, long sweeps on outspread wings, -between the flaps. And ever, as they fly, they greet -the cold, stern morning with their joy-song of 'chow-how, -a-chuck, a-chuck, a-chuck, a-chuck, a-chuck-a.'</p> - -<p>"Nearly a month later, a smaller, but still numerous, -body of the birds had chosen a new roosting-place—a -clump of Scotch firs on a lonely heath, which had stood -vacant all the winter, a point interesting in itself, but -which—for the old reason—I am unable to discuss.</p> - -<p>"<i>March 4th.</i>—I got to the plantation towards the -end of the afternoon, and resolved to wait there, in -order to see wood-pigeons fly into it in the evening. -Not many came, but at six o'clock I saw what I -thought was a large band of them fly into an oak-tree -which I had noticed just outside the plantation, where -they remained for a minute or two. They then flew -on to the plantation, sweeping over it once or twice -before settling, and I saw that they were rooks. As -will be seen from this, they had hitherto been silent. -When they had settled in the trees there was some -talking, but strangely little, I thought, for rooks, and -very soon afterwards there was hardly a sound. They -remained thus, for some little time. All at once, with -extraordinary suddenness, with a sound of wings so -compact and instantaneous that it was almost like the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293"></a>[Pg 293]</span> -report of a gun, the whole troop burst suddenly out -of the trees, which were on the outer edge of the -plantation, flew a little way over the heath (I caught -them against the fading red of the sky), wheeled round, -returned, and shot into them again. There was a little -cawing as they got back, but this soon sank, and again -there was silence. Then, in a moment, there was the -same sudden rush of wings, and the whole black cloud -shot, like one bird, into the open sky, wheeled again, -and shot back, as before. This occurred nine times in -succession, at intervals of not longer, I should think, -than three or four minutes. In the later rushes the -birds circled several times—flying out again, each time, -over the moor—before resettling in the trees. After -the last time they settled in a different part of the -plantation. Immediately before two of the rushes out, -I heard a loud 'caw,' in rather a high-pitched tone, -from a single rook, which seemed to be the signal -for the exodus, whilst, almost immediately afterwards, -there was another single note of quite a different -character—deeper and more guttural—from either the -same or another bird still in the trees, which seemed to -call the rest back again. A well understood signal-note -indeed, would be the easiest way of accounting -for these sudden and extraordinarily simultaneous -flights and returns, but it was only twice out of the -nine times, that this explanation seemed tenable. On -other occasions, the caw, at starting, seemed only one -of many, or did not correspond so exactly, in point of -time, with the sudden flight out, as the theory seemed -to require, whilst the deep 'quaw,' which seemed to -be made by one particular rook, who always stayed -behind, and which I had at first thought called the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294"></a>[Pg 294]</span> -others back, would be heard directly after they had -flown, as well as after they had returned. Several -times, too, the black cloud and thunder-storm of wings -seemed to burst out of silence itself. I came to the -conclusion that a signal-note was not the explanation. -All I can say is, that—from what cause or actuated -by what impulse, I know not—some fifty to a hundred -rooks shot, as though they shared one soul, nine times -in succession, from those dark pines, circled a little -over the dusky moor, and then shot back into them -again. No one, except myself, was near. It was one -of those very lonely places where, at almost any time, -one can count upon seeing no one, and, altogether, it -struck me as an extraordinary phenomenon.</p> - -<p>"Once more, the old Greek idea of the φημη—a -sudden thought, sweeping through a crowd as a wind -sweeps through a grove of trees—seemed to me to -be the only view which met the facts. But what, -then, is the φημη, and whence, or why, the impulse?</p> - -<p>"All this time, I should say, though quite near, I -was perfectly concealed, standing against a tall pine-tree, -around the trunk of which I had helped to make -a wigwam—already partly formed—of some of its -own fallen and bending branches. This, with the -gloom of the plantation itself, and the falling night, -was a perfect concealment, even at a foot's pace, as -will shortly appear.</p> - -<p>"It was just after the last return of the out-shooting -birds that, looking up, I saw what I at first supposed -was they, but soon found to be another, and a very -much more numerous, band of rooks, who, as they -came up, were joined by the other ones, in the air. -Now, for the first time—for the cloud came up in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295"></a>[Pg 295]</span> -silence, and, since the last flight out, there had been -silence in the plantation too—there was a tremendous -clamour of voices, filling the whole place, and -then a black, whirling snowstorm of rooks began to -shoot, whirr and whizz about, over, into, through, and -amongst the fir-trees, in a most extraordinary manner. -The rapidity with which they shot about, their hurtlings, -their sideway-rushing sweeps and swoops, their -quick, smooth turns and gliding zig-zags, avoiding, -by miracle, each other and the trunks of trees, was -most extraordinary, whilst the whishing noise of their -wings through the air was almost frightening. The -plantation seemed to be a huge disturbed bee-hive, -with great black bees dashing angrily about it. It -was a snowstorm with the flakes gone mad; but -black, a black, living bird-storm, and it produced in -me a feeling of excitement, a peculiar, almost a new, -sensation, analogous, perhaps, to what the birds themselves -were feeling. What struck me and made it -more interesting, was that it was a special exhibition, -a 'set thing,' something indulged in by the birds -with a peculiar pleasure in the indulgence, something -appertaining to the home-coming—the '<i>heimkehr</i>'—emanating -from and requiring a particular, psychical -state. This is by far the finest display of the kind -I have yet seen, and I was in the very midst of it. -Considering the number of birds—there must, I think, -have been several hundreds—the speed at which they -dashed about and the smallness of the space in which -so many were moving with such violence, and so -erratically, it seems wonderful that they never came -into collision, either with one another or the trunks -or branches of the fir-trees. In the plantation, when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296"></a>[Pg 296]</span> -I came into it, two dead rooks were lying, and I had -also picked up a dead one in the larger roosting-place. -The keeper said it had been 'turned out,' -which was vague, and then, more definitely, that rooks -sometimes died of old age. It seems not impossible, -or even improbable, that in these violent whizzings -of a great number of rooks together, amongst closely -growing trees, and in the gloom of evening fading -slowly into night, accidents may, sometimes, occur. -The rooks, I should say, in their violent whizzing -darts and dashes, shot down, sometimes, to about -half the height of the trees, and were, in general, -right in amongst them. This wonderful scene of -bird excitement, lasted, I should think, about ten -minutes, in full action, but grew fainter as the trees -became more and more packed with birds, till, at -length, all were settled. Every tree held several. -On two slender ones—not pines but birches—just in -front of me, and but a step or two off, there must -have been more than twenty. The noise and clamour, -during the whole time, was tremendous."</p> - -<p>It is not always that rooks dash thus madly to -rest. Here—on the very next evening and at the -same place—is another type of the home-coming.</p> - -<p>"<i>March 5th.</i>—A little after 5.30, a hooded crow -flies into the clump of pines. Whether it stays there -for the night, with the rooks, I cannot tell, but it does -not seem to me improbable. I have seen single birds -of the former species flying amidst large bands of -the latter, and they are constantly together in the -fields, where they behave, in regard to each other, -very much as though they were of the same species.</p> - -<p>"At 6.10, which is later than the first batch of rooks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297"></a>[Pg 297]</span> -came yesterday, five birds fly over the plantation but -do not go down into it.</p> - -<p>"At 6.15 a large, united flock of, perhaps, six or -seven hundred fly up from over the ploughed land -skirting the moor. They utter the 'chug-a, chug-a' -note, characteristic of the homeward flight, but quietly; -there is very little noise. Just before reaching the -plantation they make a sort of circling eddy in the -air—becoming, as it were, two streams that drift -through each other—then sail on together and circle -some three or four times exactly over it, before descending -into its midst. This they do without any -of the excited sweeping about of yesterday, and -though, of course, the voice of so many birds is considerable, -yet, comparatively, it is very subdued, and -in a very short time—about five minutes—they all -seem settled. Before long, however, some of them, -but quite an inconsiderable number, rise and fly about -over the trees again, but soon resettle, and there is, -now, a deepening silence. No one could imagine that -that little lonely clump of trees held all that great -army of birds. All, to-night, has been wonderfully -decorous. There was something majestic in the way -the rooks flew up—slow-seeming yet swiftly-moving. -Their flight round, over the trees, before sinking, like -night and with the night, upon them, was a fine -sombre scene—the thickening light ('light thickens -and the crow ——'), the silent, lonely-spreading moor, -the gloomy trees, and, above them, slow-circling -in the dusky air, that inky cloud of life. It -was gloomy, the effect—saddening, yet with the joy -of nature's sadness. The spirit of Macbeth was -in it—'Here on this blasted heath'—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298"></a>[Pg 298]</span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">'Good things of day begin to droop and drowse,</div> -<div class="verse">Whilst night's black agents to their prey do rouse.'</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>"But they sank peacefully down, and all of evil -seemed to go, with their sweet, joyous, innocent, and -well-loved voices."</p> - -<p>Here is one last picture, and I would point out -that, on all these three occasions, when the rooks slept -in changed quarters, at a later time of the year, the -way in which they approached or entered the trees, -and the height at which they flew, varied, in a greater -or less degree, from what it had been before.</p> - -<p>"<i>March 11th.</i>—At 6.20 a small band of rooks comes -flapping along in the usual jog-trot way, and enters -the plantation. Some five minutes afterwards a very -large number sail up, flying at a great height, and -gather like a storm-cloud above it. They hang over -it, then drift, circling, a little, descending gradually on -outspread wings, till, when at a moderate height above -the tree-tops, they begin to shoot down into them in -the rapid, whizzing manner before described. But -they do not all do this at the same time. It is a -slow and gradual—in its first stages almost a solemn—entry, -and the shooting down itself becomes, -gradually, less rapid. How grand is this to witness! -It is a living storm-cloud discharging its black winged -rain—a simile, indeed, which can hardly fail to suggest -itself, so apparent is the resemblance. At a distance, -I think, the two might be really confounded. The -gradual sinking of the birds, by fine gradations and -almost imperceptibly, from their vast height, is more -like an atmospheric than an organic phenomenon. -The effect is heightened by the loneliness and utter -silence, by the deepening shadows. Night sinks as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299"></a>[Pg 299]</span> -they sink, but the moon is now becoming luminous, -and the swish and 'coo-ee, hook-a-coo-ee' of peewits -is about one on one's way back, over the heath."</p> - -<p>I will conclude this fragment of my rook diary by -giving a list of some of the distinct notes or sounds -which I have, at different times, heard the birds utter. -It is but a small page out of their vocabulary, but it -may, perhaps, serve to draw attention to the great -powers of modulation and inflexion which these birds -possess. I must confess that the way in which the -voice of the rook is usually spoken of makes me -wonder. To me it has often seemed as though these -birds were really in process of evolving a language. -In only a few cases, however, have I been able—or -have I thought myself able—to connect a note with -any particular act or state of mind. Here is the -list:</p> - -<ul id="sounds"> - -<li>Caw (the ordinary "caw" more or less).</li> - -<li>Chĭ-choo, chĭ-choo, chĭ-choo.</li> - -<li>Cha.</li> - -<li>Chug-a, chug-a, chug-a.</li> - -<li>Chug-chaw.</li> - -<li>Chack-a, chack-a.</li> - -<li>Choo (very prolonged).</li> - -<li>Chuck (loud, clear, and distinct).</li> - -<li>Chee-ow (very lengthened).</li> - -<li>Hă-chă ("a" as in "hat").</li> - -<li>Har-char.</li> - -<li>How-chow, or chow-how.</li> - -<li>Hoo, hoo.</li> - -<li>Hook-a-hoo.</li> - -<li>Hook-a-hoo-loo.</li> - -<li><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300"></a>[Pg 300]</span></li> - -<li>Kwubba-wubba.</li> - -<li>Ow (prolonged, a peculiar musical piping note).</li> - -<li>Polyglot (or something remarkably like it).</li> - -<li>Quar-r-r-r.</li> - -<li>Quor-r-r-r-r-r (very prolonged, and deep, as in -remonstrance).</li> - -<li>Quow-yow, or yow-quow.</li> - -<li>Shook, shook, shook (soft and quickly repeated. -Have heard it uttered by rooks when flying -home belated, after the great majority had -settled in the roosting-trees).</li> - -<li>Tchar.</li> - -<li>Tchar-r-r (with a little roll in it).</li> - -<li>Tchu or tew.</li> - -<li>Tchoo-oo (very deep and guttural).</li> - -<li>The peculiar "burring" note (uttered, but by no -means always, when the birds swoop down -on to trees, especially the roosting-trees. It -is not heard very frequently).</li> - -<li>A peculiar sound like a kind of bleat, with a very -complaining tone in it.</li> - -<li>A short, sharp, single note, much higher than the -ordinary caw.</li> - -<li>A kind of grating scream, much higher than the -usual tone.</li> - -<li>A hoarse "mew," or "miaul" almost, as though a -rook were trying to imitate a cat, or a cat -a rook.</li> - -<li>The liquid castanet-note in the throat, suggesting -the "burr," but not quite it.</li> - -<li>Various other curious little sounds in the throat, -some of them clicks.</li> - -</ul> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301"></a>[Pg 301]</span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page301.png" width="600" height="281" alt="Blackbirds, Nightingales, Sand-martins, etc." /> -</div> - - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII</h2> - -<p class="sub-title">Watching Blackbirds, Nightingales, -Sand-martins, etc.</p> - - -<p>Birds are never more charming to watch than when -they are building their nests, and, of all our British -nest-builders, few, perhaps, build more charmingly than -the blackbird. It is the hen alone that collects and -shapes the materials, but the male bird accompanies -her in every excursion either to or from the nest. -When she is busied in its construction he sits in a -tree or a bush near by, and, on her leaving it for fresh -leaves or moss, follows her in a series of flights from -tree to tree, and, finally, down on to the ground, where -the two hop about, closely in each other's company. -It is seldom that the hen flies at once to where she -means to collect her materials, though time after time -it may be at the same place. Usually she flies past -the tree—all beautiful in spring and early morning—where -the cock sits, and perches in another at some -little distance beyond it. There you may lose sight -of her, but as soon as you see her handsome gold-billed -mate leave his bower and fly to hers, you know<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302"></a>[Pg 302]</span> -that she has flown on, and is now perched somewhere -else. Thus you may see them glancing through the -greenwood, she usually leading, but sometimes each -alternately passing the other. Coming to the collecting -ground—for there is usually some spot more -liked by the birds than any other—the hen flies down -and begins to hop about, making, at intervals, little -dives forward with her bill, till she has collected some -moss, dry grass, or quite a little bundle of dead brown -leaves. The male bird follows her all about, hopping -where she hops, prying where she pries, and seeming -to make a point of doing all that she does except -actually collect material for the nest, and this, in my -experience, he never does do. Then, the one laden, -the other empty-billed, they both fly back in just the -same way, and the cock will sit again, often in the same -tree, whilst the hen adds her store to the growing bulk -of the nest. I have watched a pair make thirty-one -excursions to and from the nest between five and eight -o'clock in the morning. By half-past eight or nine -the building would cease, nor would it be commenced -again during the rest of the day.<a name="FNanchor_22_22" id="FNanchor_22_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_22_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a></p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_22_22" id="Footnote_22_22"></a><a href="#FNanchor_22_22"><span class="label">[22]</span></a> As far as I could ascertain this by coming a few times at intervals.</p></div> - -<p>Anything lovelier than the picture presented by -the two birds thus busied together in the early, dewy -morning, it would be difficult to imagine. It would -arouse the enthusiasm of all except very dull people, -and is even a prettier thing to see, I think, than when -both male and female work jointly. In the latter -case the straightforward business element predominates, -but here, the attendance of the male bird upon -the female, and his evident pleasure in such attendance, -his anxious interest in what she is doing, and -joy in seeing her do it, throws a more romantic<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303"></a>[Pg 303]</span> -element into the picture. It is that which makes me -extend the word "busy" to both the birds, for the -cock is as busy in escorting and observing the hen -as she is in collecting the materials for and building -the nest; whilst that she loves him and is cheered -by his society, his presence making "the labour she -delights in" still more a joy, is also apparent. These -are sweet and lovely things to see, and the joy -of them is the greater that the emotions concerned -are so direct and simple, without those windings and -ambiguities, those side-issues and counter-currents -which, with us, lead direct to grey hairs, and novels -not by Scott or Jane Austen. Here are no troublesome -entanglements, no tiresome perplexities, no conscientious -sacrificings of the best beloved to every -other possible person and consideration. All is sweet -simplicity and giving up to—not giving up. These -blackbirds love each other and carry it through. -They do not think of twenty other blackbirds and -fail or come in draggle-tail at the end—as in the -novels. Nor are they bothered with "questions." -It is refreshing—most refreshing—to see them—like a -sparkle of Gilbert after some very "serious" dulness.</p> - -<p>Roughly speaking, there are three stages in the -building of a blackbird's nest. The first or foundation -stage consists of moss, sticks, and leaves; the -second is the mud stage; and the third, that of dry -grass and fibre, with which the interior is finally lined. -The nest of the blackbird differs, in this respect, from -that of the thrush. The latter bird, as is well known, -lays its eggs in a smooth plastered cup formed, not -of mud, as one would think, but of rotten wood and -cow-dung. The blackbird, after having collected all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304"></a>[Pg 304]</span> -the moss and leaves that it deems necessary and made -therewith the mass and bulk of the nest, resorts to -some little ditch or sluggish stream and trowels up -from its margin mud indeed, but not mud alone, for -there is amidst it—generally, if not always—a certain -proportion of the fibrous roots or rootlets of mud-loving -aquatic plants. Of these, the bird can take a -firm hold with its bill, and as the mud adheres to the -fibrous network, it is enabled to carry a considerable -quantity of it at a time, though a greater or less -amount often falls off during the passage. It is in -this circumstance, as I believe, that one can read the -origin of the "extraordinary habit," as Darwin calls -it, of a bird's plastering the inside of its nest with -mud. It is the thrush to which he alludes, but the -description applies equally, and, in respect of the -material employed, still more accurately, to the blackbird. -At a certain point in its construction, the nest -of the latter would be mistaken by anyone without -previous experience, for that of a thrush, the cup being -as deep and perfect in form and the workmanship not -noticeably inferior. It is, however, of a darker colour—black, -or approaching to black—though this may -vary, according to locality. Over the whole surface -are seen the scorings of the bird's beak, which seems -to have been used as a trowel. But now, if the nest -had been examined a day or two before, its interior, -and, especially, the bottom of it, would have been found -to be composed of a dank moist mass of vegetation, -largely consisting of small water-plants, both the green -part and the roots, to the many fibres of which latter a -quantity of mud was adhering. Here, then, we read -the whole story. Fibrous material was needed on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305"></a>[Pg 305]</span> -general principles by the female blackbird, and she -found it in the spreading network of rootlets, belonging -to water-loving plants that grew in little rills and ditches, -near about her bosky brakes. But to this, mud clung, -and, in consequence, there came to be a good deal of -the latter in the cup of the nest. Something must be -done with it. She began to daub and press it, and, as -she became, gradually, more and more a plasterer, mud -seemed more and more the proper sort of material to -use, till, at last, she sought it for itself alone, utilising -the fibres which bound it together, and which had, at -first, been what, alone, she sought, as a means of conveying -it. But when the mud, thus brought, had been -thoroughly smoothed and plastered, so that the nest -seemed perfect and "a thing complete," like the -thrush's, there would still be something more to be -done, for she—our hen blackbird—had always been -accustomed to work in stages, and the final or grass-thatching -stage had not yet been entered upon. Therefore, -she would cover up and entirely conceal all her -fine plaster-work, so that no one, seeing the finished -nest, would imagine that it existed in any part of it. -But will she always do this? I cannot think it, for -she is a bird of sprightly intelligence, and I believe -that, like the thrush, she will some day find out that -the neatly-plastered cup of mud does quite well enough -to lay her eggs in, and that the further labour of -thatching it with grass can be very well dispensed with. -Any saving of time or of labour must be of advantage -to a species in the struggle for existence, and those -birds who thatched their nests more thinly would be -enabled to lay their eggs sooner, and thus rear more -offspring. In this way, as well as on the "least action"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306"></a>[Pg 306]</span> -principle, and the exercise of ordinary intelligence, the -last stage of lining the cup with grass may finally cease. -It has ceased with the thrush, but, with the thrush, -there has been a still further process of change, for it -no longer plasters its nest with mud, but with decaying -wood and with cow-dung. Assuming the ancestors of -the bird to have once used mud, and lined the interior, -as does the blackbird, there does not seem to me to -be any great difficulty in explaining this change. The -blackbirds that I watched building their nest, always, -when the proper period arrived, flew to a certain part -of a little muddy dyke (it is in a land of dykes that -I reside) some little way from the plantation in which -the nest was situated, and there, lying flat behind tufts -and tussocks of reeds and grass, I watched them take -their mud as I have described—the female, that is to -say, but a husband much interested in seeing a baby -carried would deserve half the credit of carrying it. -Now, much nearer, probably, than this specially-resorted-to -dyke was some decayed tree or tree-trunk, -whilst over the fields which it intersected and which adjoined -the plantation, cows or oxen sometimes grazed. -Here, again, a change in the working material might -prove of advantage, and when once a bird had become -a plasterer, intelligence, and also haste, might lead it -to use whatever came first to hand. Bees will carry -oatmeal instead of pollen if the former be put in their -way, and birds may be credited with equal adaptability.</p> - -<p>After watching blackbirds building, and examining -the nest in its various stages of construction, I think it -much more likely that the thrush has passed through, -and then discarded, a final stage of thatching the nest, -than that it has stopped short at the stage of plaster<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307"></a>[Pg 307]</span>ing, -and not yet got to the one of thatching or lining. -Numberless birds, including other members of this -family, line their nests with grass or other soft -materials, whereas plastering is a comparatively rare -habit. It is legitimate to assume that that which is -common has preceded that which is rare. I would -here point out that whilst, in works of ornithology, -reference is always made to the strange habit which -the thrush has of daubing its nest, nothing, as a rule, is -said in regard to the similar habit of the blackbird, or, -if anything is, we are told merely that mud is used to -bind the materials together. The facts, however, are -as I state, and, did the blackbird not line its nest with -grass after it had so carefully plastered it with mud -brought from the waterside, it would be as noted in -this respect as is the thrush, its near relative.</p> - -<p>I have never heard the male blackbird sing whilst -thus attending the female as she built her nest, not -even when he waited for her in a tree, during the -actual time of its fashioning, though here was a fine -poetical opportunity for him. Song, it seemed, had -ended when once his bride had been won, and his -rivals vanquished by it. It was the same, to a considerable -extent, with a pair of nightingales that I -watched under similar circumstances. I did, indeed, -sometimes hear the song when the bird singing was -invisible, and, therefore, I cannot say that it was -not this particular one, which, for other reasons I am -inclined to think that it was. But during far the -greater part of the time, and always when I could see -him, he was as silent as his mate. It was in the early -morning and not the night-time, but nightingales sing -at all hours, both of the day and night The early<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308"></a>[Pg 308]</span> -morning is, indeed, a favourite time with them, and it -is then, in the beginning of spring, when nests have -yet to be built and before the birds are properly -married, that one can best observe how powerful a -vehicle of hatred and rivalry their melodious strains -are. I have closely watched two rival males for nearly -an hour. Let anyone refer to my account of the rival -wheatears, substitute a plantation with bush and tangle, -and the turf-bordered roadside adjoining, for the -open, sandy warrens, and song—but much more frequently -indulged in—for the little frenzied dancings,<a name="FNanchor_23_23" id="FNanchor_23_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_23_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a> -and the two pictures will be identical, or nearly so. -There was the same keeping close to, yet not appearing -to follow, each other, the attending to each other's -motions without seeming specially to watch them, the -drawing near and, then, getting apart, only to approach -again, the little bursts of fury—but here, mostly, -harmonious—preceding each engagement, and surmounting, -each time, that discretionary part of valour, -which, in either case, both the birds seemed largely to -possess. There were three engagements, one bird, each -time, making, as though no longer able to control itself, -a sudden little frenzied dash at the other. In no -case, however, was the conflict very severe, and the -attacked bird soon flew away, with which result the -attacker seemed well satisfied. It looked more like a -little furious play than a real fight, and so, no doubt, it -would, were Moth or Cobweb to have a tussle with -Peaseblossom or Mustardseed. Oberon and Titania, -indeed, "squared" so, that—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">"All their elves, for fear,</div> -<div class="verse">Crept into acorn-cups, and hid them there."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309"></a>[Pg 309]</span></p> - -<p>But, here, the audience were themselves fairies, so that -it was all in proportion. Besides, the war was but of -words, and, in these, we see how the prettiness of being -fairies prevails, even over the relationship in which the -two stood to each other. So it was with these warriors; -they were rivals, and stuffed full of dislike, nay hatred, -but, also, they were birds—and nightingales.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_23_23" id="Footnote_23_23"></a><a href="#FNanchor_23_23"><span class="label">[23]</span></a> The wheatears, however, sang as well as danced.</p></div> - -<p>Jealousy, however, did not seem to blind them to the -merit of each other's performance. Though, often, one, -upon hearing the sweet, hostile strains, would burst -forth instantly itself—and here there was no certain -mark of appreciation—yet sometimes, perhaps quite -as often, it would put its head on one side and listen -with exactly the appearance of a musical connoisseur -weighing, testing, and appraising each note as it issued -from the rival bill. A curious, half-surprised expression -would steal, or seem to steal (for fancy may play her -part in such matters) over the listening bird, and the idea -appeared to be, "How exquisite would be those strains, -were they not sung by——, and yet, I must admit -that they <i>are</i> exquisite." Sometimes, however, there -would be no special response on the part of the one -bird, either by voice or attitude, whilst the other was -singing. During these musical combats I often saw a -third and silent bird, hopping with demure, modest look—by -virtue of which it seemed rather to creep than -to hop—just within, or just on the outside of, this or -that briery bower. This I took to be the female, -and, thinking so, it was easy to detect a little side-glance -thrown, now and again, towards one or another -of the rival suitors, in which seemed expressed the -thought of a pretty, little bird (but a lady-bird)—Bunthorne—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310"></a>[Pg 310]</span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">"Round the corner I can see,</div> -<div class="verse">Each is kneeling on <i>his</i> knee."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Yet this bird may have been but another male, to -whom the next unseen notes that I heard were, -perhaps, due. Always I bless those birds whose -sexes are plainly distinguishable from each other.</p> - -<p>What was very noticeable in these nightingales—and -the remark applies to others that I have closely -listened to—was that, even when not singing against -each other, they made little noises in their throats, -and these, when distinctly heard, resolved themselves -into a deep, guttural sound, which, though -far from unpleasing, could hardly be called anything -but a croak. This sound, as I have noticed, is very -frequently uttered. It often commences the song, or -is even intermingled with, though it can scarcely be -said to belong to, it. It does not, in this case, -diminish the beauty of the melody; yet, did it stand -alone, the nightingale would be merely a somewhat -musical croaker. Probably this is what it once -has been, the low, croaking note representing the -original utterance of the bird, on which the song, by -successive variations, and choice of them on the part -of the female, has been founded. Just as in the dull -plumage of female pheasants and other birds, the -males of which are splendidly adorned, or in both -the sexes of some species belonging to the same -families, we see the early state of their common, -plain progenitors, so, in song-birds, the uninspired, -workaday voice of call-note or twitter—the spoken -language, as one may call it—probably represents the -humble roots from which the various trees of song, -with all their diversified branchings, and fluttering,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311"></a>[Pg 311]</span> -trembling leaves, have shot up, beautifully, into the -sky. How distinct in their glories are the mature -males of the golden, silver, the impeyan, or our own -common pheasant; how drabbily alike are the females -of all of them, and they themselves in their first -early plumage! So, whilst the song of the blackbird, -missel, song-thrush, fieldfare, or redwing are distinct, -or suggest each other only by their general quality, -all have a high, harsh, scolding note, which is very -much the same, except in degree, though differing in -the frequency with which it is employed. Loudest -and harshest of all is the fieldfare, and this bird has -hardly developed a song. The missel, whose lay is -very inferior to that of the song-thrush, is also a -frequent and loud scolder, so that many a man, -whilst alone and in the wild woods, might fancy himself -within the bosom of his family. In the common -thrush, however, who is such a fine singer, this note -of fear is not nearly so often heard,<a name="FNanchor_24_24" id="FNanchor_24_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_24_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a> and its shrewish -character, though still there, has been softened. In -the blackbird it is still more rare, yet occasionally, if I -mistake not, it is uttered. Again, the well-known note -of the blackbird, when disturbed (though this varies -considerably), is common, also, though in a less degree, -to the thrush,<a name="FNanchor_25_25" id="FNanchor_25_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_25_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a> so that it is possible to mistake the -one bird for the other. The same remarks apply to -many finches and other small birds, who, whilst they -sing very differently, chirp and twitter in much the -same way. In all these cases, as I believe, there is a -certain correspondence between the tone or pitch of -the language and that of the song. From the low<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312"></a>[Pg 312]</span> -croak, as I have called it, of the nightingale, it would -be difficult to imagine the high, clear notes of the -thrush having been developed, whilst it would account -for the low key in which its own are generally pitched. -What I mean is—for I am not versed in musical -terminology—that, in the nightingale's song, there are -not those high, clear, ringing notes which we hear in -that of the thrush, blackcap, skylark, and many other -birds, just as in these we may listen in vain for those -richer and more liquid tones which charm us so in -the nightingale. Beautiful as these tones are, they -do not, any more than those of other birds, include -every excellence, and that particular one which they -lack, being common to so many of our songsters, has -come to be something which one loves and listens -for, whenever bird sings upon bough. Partly because -of this, perhaps, and partly because of the very pre-eminence -of the nightingale as a singer, I have sometimes -missed these franker, woodland-wilder strains -whilst listening to its song, in a way in which I have -never missed its own more dulcet notes from the -song of lark or thrush. To say that Pindar is not -<i>also</i> Sappho is no blame to Pindar, but the short -continuance and frequent pauses in the song of the -nightingale is, I think, a real fault, and from the -blame of it this <i>prima donna</i> frequently escapes, -when other sweet, but not so all-belauded, singers -are taken thereupon to task. The poor blackbird, -for instance, whose ditty is most "lovely-sweet," has -been rated in these terms; yet, as a rule, in my -experience, it sings continuously, for a longer time -than does the nightingale, whose sometimes almost -constant cessations, just when one's whole soul cries<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313"></a>[Pg 313]</span> -out, like Jacques, "More, more, I prythee, more," have -even an irritating effect. Indeed, if this were always -so it would be a serious drawback, even to a song so -full of excellence. But it is not always so. Sometimes, -on still, warm nights when the stars seem to -breathe and tremble and the air is like a lazy kiss -(and if nights are not like this in England, yet the -song itself makes them seem so), the rich, full notes -are poured forth in a continuous stream of melody -that lasts long, and, whilst it lasts, seems to create -the world afresh. Some time afterwards, indeed, one -notices that the effect has not been quite so powerful, -and that this crying want has still to be filled—but -the dear bird has done its best.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">"Sie jubelt so traurig, sie schluchzet so froh,</div> -<div class="verse indent2">Vergessene <span class="correction" title="In the original book: Traüme">Träume</span> erwachen,"</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>says Heine, whilst others say that the song is apt -to keep them awake at night, and, having first paid -their orthodox tribute to its supremacy over every -other, will confess that they have sometimes been -obliged to open the window and throw something -out to put a stop to it. Yet the thought of how -appreciative the world really is, and how severely a -heretic in such a matter may be dealt with, shall -not deter me from expressing a slight doubt as to -the reality of this supremacy—or, at least, of its -extent and absoluteness. Letters each year to the -papers, from people who have been so fortunate as -to hear the nightingale long before the nightingale -is accustomed to reach our shores, have given rise -to the suspicion that a thrush is, in most cases, the -real performer; and if this be so, it shows that, with -many, the comparative merits of the two depend upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314"></a>[Pg 314]</span> -its being known, for certain, which is which. For -myself, I go with the general opinion in this respect, -yet it is difficult to summon up in imagination the -effect that the clear, joyous notes of the thrush might -have upon one, did they ring out in the silence and -stillness of the night. And if this is true in regard -to the thrush, does it not apply still more to the -skylark?—a bird whose lovely and long-continued outpouring, -uttered, as it is, in the day and all around—common, -and therefore, of necessity, undervalued—may -yet, as it appears to me, in spite of such a -disadvantage, well challenge comparison with the -song of the nightingale itself. If we look to effect, -at any rate, the former bird seems to have inspired -poets as highly, or almost as highly, as the latter. -Then we have an opinion which, perhaps, may have -been that of Shakespeare himself, who was a rare -lover of music, that</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">The nightingale, if she should sing by day</div> -<div class="verse">When every goose is cackling, would be thought</div> -<div class="verse">No better a musician than the wren.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Now the nightingale does sing by day, and, as a -matter of fact, she <i>is</i> then thought at least no better -than the lark or thrush—in fact, she is, like these, -often not noticed at all, as I have had some opportunities -of observing. This, at least, shows that some -of the effect produced upon some of us by this bird's -song, is due to that added and exquisite poetry which -night and silence gives to it. We have no other -night-singing bird who is sufficiently common, and -whose song is at the same time sufficiently distinguished -for it to attract much attention, and there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315"></a>[Pg 315]</span>fore -the nightingale has this great advantage -practically all to itself. I cannot help thinking that -it owes to this that <i>easy</i> and <i>unquestioned</i> superiority -which has been accorded to it in popular estimation -over all our other song-birds, especially such glorious -ones as the skylark, thrush, blackcap, blackbird, etc.<a name="FNanchor_26_26" id="FNanchor_26_26"></a><a href="#Footnote_26_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a></p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_24_24" id="Footnote_24_24"></a><a href="#FNanchor_24_24"><span class="label">[24]</span></a> Proximity to the nest, with young, is the most frequent cause.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_25_25" id="Footnote_25_25"></a><a href="#FNanchor_25_25"><span class="label">[25]</span></a> Especially when driven from the eggs.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_26_26" id="Footnote_26_26"></a><a href="#FNanchor_26_26"><span class="label">[26]</span></a> But do the musical powers of some birds differ in different -countries? Never have I heard the two last sing here as I have in -Germany. Germans, as we know, are very musical. Have the same -general causes which —— etc., etc.?</p></div> - -<p>It will be said that I cannot appreciate the song of -the nightingale, though I am trying only properly -to appreciate that of other members of the choir. -Yet if I were to say that Shakespeare was full of -imperfections, that <i>Julius Cæsar</i> was a dull play, -<i>King Lear</i> a—I forget what, something uncomplimentary—play, -and <i>Richard III.</i> such a one as -allowed "the discerning admirer" (a <i>nom de plume</i>) -to see the author's quill-driven expression whilst -writing it; that, moreover, the seven ages of man -was by no means a fine passage, and that Hamlet's -soliloquy had been much over-rated, it would not be -said, on this account, that I was unable to appreciate -Shakespeare. I judge so, because others who make -these and similar statements (whether they or the -Baconians are the more pestilent, I find it difficult to -decide) pass, apparently, for the appreciative persons, -which, I suppose, they think themselves to be. Yet -<i>how</i> they can think so puzzles me, for people who -write in this way must be, really, as much bored by -Shakespeare as Shakespeare would have been by them, -had an introduction been possible—and <i>surely</i> they -must have found this out. I wish the poor, gullible<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316"></a>[Pg 316]</span> -public would. How I should rejoice to be accused—yes, -and even convicted—of having no ear for the -song of the nightingale, if only it could be discovered, -also, that "critics" who, with a natural incapacity for -seeing beauty <i>in</i> beauty, yet step modestly forward -to teach us, and dance as fantastically on the body of -a dead poet as did ever a Lilliputian on that of the -sleeping Gulliver, are neither profound nor discerning -nor even literary, but merely dull dogs posing, of -which sort, indeed, most "great oneyers" keep their -pack. Yet I wish they could leave the imperfections -of Shakespeare (which they discern in his master-strokes) -as utterly beyond them, and busy themselves -only with the perfections of such Baviuses and -Mœviuses as it is their wont to crown. I commend -them to old Bunyan with his "'Then,' said Mr -Blind-man, 'I see clearly'"—and so pass on.</p> - -<p>The sweet song of the nightingale has caused the -more stress to be laid upon the sobriety of its colouring, -the natural tendency being to exaggerate such a -contrast. But now, when one watches for the bird -in the shade of leafy thickets, the way in which it -generally reveals itself is by a sudden flash of red or -chestnut brown, a bright spot of colour which is conspicuously -visible, sometimes even in the centre of a -thorn-bush, and, one may almost say, brilliantly so, -as its wearer flits amongst the trees and undergrowth. -This brightness belongs to the tail generally, but there -must, I think, be either upon or just above it—on the -upper tail coverts, perhaps—a specially bright and -more ruddy-hued patch which produces the effect of -which I speak; and as nightingales habitually haunt -wooded and umbrageous spots, it has sometimes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317"></a>[Pg 317]</span> -occurred to me that this has been developed as a -guiding star for one to follow another by, just as the -white tail of the rabbit is supposed to have been. I -have often watched two pursuing each other through -the dim leafiness, each uttering a variant of the deep, -croaking note of which I have spoken, and which -answers to the call, chirp, or twitter amongst other -birds. At such times the ruddy star or streak has -always, as I say, been most conspicuous. Independently -of this, the bird's general colouring is a pleasing -olive brown which, according to position and -circumstances, has a more or less glossy appearance, -the tail having received the finest polish. By virtue -of all this, I feel sure that, to anyone who had watched -and waited for her, the nightingale would come rather -as a conspicuous than a dull-looking bird, at least -amongst our smaller British birds. Tits and chaffinches, -as it seems to me, flash less as they flit -through the trees. Therefore, when I read the eternal -remarks about its dull colouring, which—and this is -the bane of natural history—one writer hands down -from the mouth of another through the generations, -I say to myself that each and all of them have, either, -never called upon the bird and stayed an hour or two, -or else that they have got out of the habit—which -may be also a trouble—of seeing anything other than -as "it is written." So far from the nightingale being -specially like a plain-bound book in which lovely -songs are contained, to me it seems to offer an -example of a bird distinguished both by its musical -powers and—to a much lesser extent, certainly, but -still not insignificantly—by its colour also. I am -thinking of its tail, and particularly of that ruddy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318"></a>[Pg 318]</span> -star or patch which, I think, is upon it, and which, -little as it may seem in a stuffed specimen or one -quite still or hardly seen, becomes a conspicuous -feature under such circumstances as I have mentioned. -That this patch, or the whole tail, means -something I feel sure, but as to whether it is a badge -or an ornament—whether natural or sexual selection<a name="FNanchor_27_27" id="FNanchor_27_27"></a><a href="#Footnote_27_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a> -has been at work—I can say little. In the latter case -the same force would have been brought to bear in -two different directions, and this, I think, has been -often the case with our song-birds, though it seems -to have been agreed to talk as if the opposite were. -Surely the bullfinch, chaffinch, robin, linnet, greenfinch, -and others—the males of all of which show -off to some extent before the females—have been -selected (if at all) as much by the eye as by the ear -of the latter; whilst the lyre-bird of Australia offers -an example of a highly adorned species that is also -conspicuously musical. The nightingale is glossy, and -sometimes—in effect, at least, and in some part of it—bright. -It may be getting brighter, but, if so, it will -probably have to rival the kingfisher before it ceases -to be an encouraging symbol to those who hide a -worth which they feel beneath a want which everybody -can see.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_27_27" id="Footnote_27_27"></a><a href="#FNanchor_27_27"><span class="label">[27]</span></a> Sexual, as I now believe. A recent lucky glimpse of nightingale -courtship has assured me that I have not unconsciously exaggerated. -Indeed, the ruddy glow of the broadly fanned tail, caught in the last -rays of the descending sun, could hardly be exaggerated. But the -colour was on all the rectrices. They alone, I think, are the patch, -the star.</p></div> - -<p>No good illustration, that I know of, exists of the -nightingale; none, at least, which at all resembles the -bird as I have seen it, either sitting, hopping, flying,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319"></a>[Pg 319]</span> -singing, or silent. In natural history books, after we -have been solemnly told that the male alone sings, -that his song constitutes his courtship, and that, therefore, -both the "she" and the "melancholy" of poets -are incorrect, we are generally presented with a gaunt, -scraggy-looking creature, having a woe-begone gaze -which is fixed upon the moon, towards which its neck -and whole body seem drawn out, as by some attractive -force. This is the nightingale of convention, but -when I have seen it, it has always looked the pleasingly -plump, cheerful, little, brisk, active body that it -really is, and when it sang it was without any "pose," -in a hunched-up, careless-looking attitude, which had -almost a feathered podginess about it. The legs were -bent, the feathers of the ventral surface touching, or -almost touching, the twig of perch, the head inclining -forward at an easy angle—a cosy, homely, happy, contented -appearance. I have watched one singing thus -for some time. Not once did he rear himself up, so -as to become long, thin, and tubey—tubby he was -rather, and had not the faintest resemblance to a -horrible, man-made, first-prize-for-deformity canary -bird. Just in the same way, too, he will often sing on -the ground, looking as homely and rotund as can be. -True it is, as the natural history books tell us, that -no one familiar with the bird and its habits would -think of calling it or its song melancholy; therefore -(as these never add), remembering Milton's famous -line, let us be thankful that he as well as some other -poets were not familiar with it. There has long -been a nightingale of poetry and literature, grown -out of its own song but having little to do with the -real bird, which no one except strict scientists—and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320"></a>[Pg 320]</span> -a literary critic or two—would wish to do away -with.</p> - -<p>With regard to the nest-building habits of the -nightingale, I have only the space to say that, as in -the case of the blackbird, the female alone collects -and arranges the materials, being attended upon -whilst she does so—though, perhaps, not quite so -closely—by the male. One should be cautious, however, -in concluding that such is always the case either -with this or other birds, for I have watched, for some -time, one of a pair of long-tailed tits bringing feathers -to the nest, whilst the other kept near about, with -nothing in its bill. Yet ordinarily both sexes work -together in a most exemplary way. Nothing can -look prettier than these little, soft, pinky, feathery -things, as they creep mousily into their soft, little -purse of a nest; nothing can look prettier than they -do as they sit within it, pulling, pushing, ramming, -patting, and arranging; finally, nothing can look -prettier than they look as they again creep out of -it and fly away. Their perpetual feat of turning -round in the nest without dislocating the tail, is also -one of those few earthly things in the seeing of which -one cannot weary.</p> - -<p>I have often tried to watch these little birds collecting, -so as to see them actually find and fly away with -the materials for the nest. This, however, I found -more difficult than I had expected. Every time I -saw them fly out of their nest, but in spite of stealthy -following, I generally lost them soon after they had -entered a plantation close to where, in a fir-hedge, it -was. All I could be sure of was that they flew about in -different directions, sometimes into tall fir-trees, some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321"></a>[Pg 321]</span>times -into low tangles and bushes, sometimes, too, -across the road again and into different parts of the -fir-hedge. "They keep, for the most part, together, -and whenever they are near enough I hear their soft, -subdued little 'chit chit.' As lichen, which is what -they are now principally collecting, is everywhere -about on the trunks of trees, etc., it would seem as -though even a minute would be a long time for them -to take in getting a piece and returning with it, if -they took it at random; and the inference appears to -be that they exercise choice and selection, and return -each time from the nest with a definite idea of the -kind of bit they want next."</p> - -<p>I will here quote, from my notes, an observation -I made on the way these little birds roost at -night, which may, perhaps, be of interest. "On my -way back I noticed some object which I took to be -a dead bird, in a tall, straggling brier-bush that formed -a kind of bower, inside which one could stand up. -Thinking that this bird might have been transfixed -by a shrike, I came right under it, and, pulling -down the branches with my stick, to my astonishment -the object separated and became four little, fluttering, -'chittering,' long-tailed tits that had been sitting -wedged close together. I stood perfectly still, and -after they had 'chit, chitted' a little, and made a -few little hops about the bush, two of them came -back from different directions to just the same place, -snoozled up to each other and were settled again for -the night. Very soon, a third hopped on to the two -backs and pressed himself down between them, taking -no denial, and, indeed, not receiving any. The fourth -remained a little longer apart, perhaps for ten minutes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322"></a>[Pg 322]</span> -during all which time I stood without a motion, leaning -on my stick, and had, at last, the satisfaction to -see him come perching down towards the bough, then -perch on the three backs just as the third had done -on the two, and squeeze himself in amongst them -so that two were on one side of him and one on the -other. All four now sat closely pressed together, -three tails projecting on one side of the twig, and -the fourth on the other. I sat down in the bush -and made this entry, whilst the birdies—surely the -prettiest little ones, almost, in the world—went to -sleep.</p> - -<p>"Next night, at about six, I took up my position in -the same place, and waited. After I had sat silently -for a few minutes, I saw a pair of the tits creeping -softly about through the bushes adjacent, uttering the -little chitter in a very subdued tone. One was soon in -the actual bush, but crept out of it again and went -away with the other. In another four or five minutes, -however, they both return, this time coming more -quickly and directly to the bush, when soon getting, -from opposite sides, to very much the same part of -it as before, they sidle to each other along the particular -twig and then squeeze and press together so -tightly that their outline on the inner side is quite lost, -like that of a double cherry. Thus pressed and -wedged, each little bird preens itself, the two little -heads moving about and seeming to belong to one -quite round body, having one tail—for their two tails -are pressed, for their whole length, together. When -their heads turn inwards the little birds appear to -be caressing each other, and they must, I think, sometimes -catch hold of each other's feathers, but it is all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323"></a>[Pg 323]</span> -part, or intended to be part, of the process of preening -themselves. This close pressing seems to be a pleasure -in itself, independently of the result of warmth, for -sometimes they will come unstuck, as it were, and -move a little away from each other along the twig, in -order to press and squeeze again. For a little, then, -their tails may be separate, but soon they rejoin, and, -the heads being now quiet—for they are going to -sleep—and tucked closely in amongst the feathers -of the breast, their outlines, never very salient, are -entirely lost, and the two birds have become one -perfectly globular one, without a head and with a long -tail. Thus two of these long-tailed tits have returned -again to roost in the same place, but the other pair -do not come to the bush."</p> - -<p>It is interesting to watch sand-martins building -their nests, or, rather, excavating the tunnels in which -they will afterwards be built. To see one enter one -of these whilst it is yet but a few inches long, and -then to see the dust powdering out at the aperture, -as from the mouth of an ensconced cannon, is pretty. -The sand is scratched out backwards with the feet, -but the bird also uses its bill as a pickaxe, often -making a series of rapid little blows with it, almost -like a woodpecker, the wings, which quite cover the -body, quivering at the same time. Both sexes work -at the hole, and both often fly together to it, one -remaining clinging at the edge whilst the other -scratches out the sand from inside. I have seen one -sitting just in the embrasure, quietly regarding the -outer world and, thus, impeding the entrance of his -partner, who at last squeezed by him with great -difficulty. Sometimes three or four will descend upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324"></a>[Pg 324]</span> -the same hole and cling there without quarrelling; but -once I saw a bird in a hole attacked by another, who -flew suddenly down upon it with a little twittering -scream.</p> - -<p>Though each pair of birds excavate their own -tunnel, yet the whole community, or, at any rate, a -large proportion of it, will sometimes work together, -sweeping on to the pit's face in a body, clinging there -and burrowing, with a constant twittering, then darting -off silently in a cloud and sailing and circling round -in the pit's amphitheatre, making, when the sky is -blue and the sun bright, a warm and delicious picture -such as the Greeks must have loved to gaze on.</p> - -<p>As each bird, however, only works at his own and -his partner's hole, it is evident that this kind of social -working is not the same as that of ants or bees and -other such insect communities, though it has something -of that appearance. Sometimes, for a short -time, all the birds will keep fluttering round in small -circles that only extend a little beyond the face of -the cliff, not rising to a greater height than their -own tunnels in it, which they almost touch each time, -as they come round. They look like eddies in a -stream beneath the bank, but are not so silent, for -all are twittering excitedly. This is an interesting -thing to see, a kind of aerial manœuvres the special -cause of which, if there be one, is not obvious.</p> - -<p>But we will suppose that the birds are now all working, -either inside their tunnels or clinging to the face -of the cliff. All at once, either at or about the same -instant of time, they all fly off, darting away, and -disseminate themselves in the sky, not one being -left either in or about the pit. In a few minutes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325"></a>[Pg 325]</span> -they return, but, as is the case with the small birds -at the stacks, not in nearly so instantaneous or simultaneous -a manner; and this may be repeated for a -greater or lesser number of times. All the remarks -that I have made in regard to this phenomenon in the -case of other birds apply equally here, perhaps, indeed, -to a greater extent; for, as remarked, at the moment -of each sudden exodus a certain number—sometimes -about half—of these sand-martins will be more or less -hidden within the holes they are excavating, yet out -they all dart with the rest. Such sudden flights and -disappearances for a few minutes, after which all come -back, strike me as being extremely curious.</p> - -<p>Sand-martins appear to be pugnacious. Indeed, -they sometimes fight fiercely, and I have seen two, -after closing with a sharp, shrill "charr" and struggling -in the air for a little, roll down the steep declivity of -sand in which the perpendicular face of the pit often -ends. It, therefore, seems the more curious that they -allow their holes to be taken possession of by sparrows -(and, also, by tree-sparrows)—without offering any -resistance. I have seen one of the latter birds sitting -quietly and calmly in the mouth of a hole, whilst a -pair of martins, who had, probably, excavated it, -hovered excitedly just over and about him, but -without doing more. On many other more or less -similar occasions there has been excitement on the -part of the martins, but never an attack. Yet a tree-sparrow, -or even a sparrow, is not such a very much -larger and stronger bird than a sand-martin, and, -considering the numbers of the latter, as well as their -greater activity and powers of flight, it seems to me -an odd thing that they should submit to such a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326"></a>[Pg 326]</span> -usurpation so tamely. If they are not capable of -combining together in order to expel a stranger from -the colony, this speaks little for their intelligence, -as they have, at least, been generally two to one. -This is a good working majority, and why, under -such circumstances, an impudent sparrow should be -allowed to sit quietly in the home whereinto he has -intruded, I cannot quite understand. But so it is, -or so, at least, it has been, in my own experience.</p> - -<p>But I must not wrong the sparrow. Let me recall -that word "impudent," and bury still more deeply -another one, to wit, "unscrupulous," that I was about -to make use of. A sparrow, when he thus acts, is -simply annexing territory, and should have all the -credit of forbearance and self-sacrifice that belongs -to such an act. His motives in doing so are, no -doubt, as creditable as are those which restrain him -from acting similarly in the case of more powerful -birds, and if a doubt of this should ever cross his -mind, he need only read a newspaper or two and -listen to some speeches in "the House." He will -know the integrity of his own heart—then.</p> - -<p>It seems wonderful that a bird of the swallow tribe—so -aerial, and without any special structural adaptation -for burrowing—should be capable of driving -horizontal shafts into the face of a bank or pit, to -the length, sometimes, of seven or even, it is said, -nine feet. Though the excavations be in sand, yet -this is often of a very firm consistency, and, moreover, -in many pits, the face of which had been largely -tunnelled by these birds, sand was a good deal -mingled with a fairly stiff clay. Though I have -not been able to watch the process of excavation from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327"></a>[Pg 327]</span> -the commencement, so thoroughly as I should have -liked to have done, yet I have seen it to a certain -extent, and I will now quote from the notes which -I took down on one such occasion:</p> - -<p>"<i>May 25th.</i>—At the pit about 7.15 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> A great -number of birds are working, and there is not now -the same regularity in their movements—all coming -to the holes and darting away together at intervals—as -was the case, for a time, at least, when I first -watched them. Though so late, several birds are -but just commencing to make their holes, and to -watch these is most interesting. Two plans seem -to be employed. In the first, the bird constantly -flutters its wings, whilst, with its feet, it at the same -time clings to and scratches the face of the cliff. -Thus it partly hovers in the air, and partly keeps -itself in position with its feet, but more with the tail -which is fanned out and pressed in against the cliff, -like a woodpecker's against the trunk of the tree it -is on. The second way is more curious. The wings, -here, are partly extended, but, instead of being fluttered, -they are pressed close against the sandy wall. Moving -about over this, they seem to feel for every little -inequality into which they can wedge themselves, -and this the bird does, also, with his breast and the -most available part of his body, the tail being fanned -and pressed to the cliff, whilst the feet all the while -are scratching vigorously. In this way a bird will -sometimes crawl, or rather wedge itself, about, over -the pit's face (which, though it may be perpendicular, -or almost so, is yet full of roughnesses and inequalities), -appearing to seek either the most yielding surface to -scratch, or the best place to get fixed into whilst<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328"></a>[Pg 328]</span> -scratching; and, in doing this, it leaves a track on the -sand or gravel which is quite perceptible through the -glasses, and which I believe is made by the strongly -bent-in tail as well as by the feet. It thus clings -with wings, tail, and body, whilst scratching, far more -than clinging, with its claws."</p> - -<p>"It may be asked what part in all this does the -beak play? In those birds which I have been -just now watching at some twenty paces through -glasses that brought them just under my eyes, and -in bright sunlight, it seemed to play none at all. -It might have been expected that, in thus commencing, -the martins would cling with the feet -whilst working with the bill. These have certainly -not done so, nor have they ever been head downwards, -either now or before. I have not yet seen -a sand-martin in this position, or even approaching -to it. The tail, which is made to play so great a -part, would here lose much of its efficacy, but I do -not at all think that they never do hang like this. -Within certain wide limits, birds, in my experience, -act, not uniformly, but with great variety. Probably, -with longer watching, I should have seen this attitude, -and, also, the bill used as well as the feet. Whether -it is used or not in the first commencement of an -excavation, it certainly is—in the way I have described—during -the later stages."</p> - -<a name="Illus_328" id="Illus_328"></a><div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/page328.jpg" width="600" height="406" alt="In a Sand-Pit." /> -<div class="caption"><i>In a Sand-Pit.</i></div> -</div> - -<p>"I notice again this morning a particular hole, only -about an inch deep, and at the bottom of which there -is a large stone, naturally imbedded in the sand. No -birds are now working at this, but, on the last occasion, -one was attacked several times in succession, -whilst doing so, by another. This seems as though<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329"></a>[Pg 329]</span> -the one bird of a pair had thought the place unsuitable -on account of the stone, and not allowed the -other to work there. Thus delicately are matrimonial -teachings conveyed amongst birds. Not one unkind -word did I hear upon either side."</p> - -<p>"Whilst watching these sand-martins, a pretty little -quadrupedal picture was also presented to me. A -rabbit, the mother of three, came with them all from -her burrow, which was near the top of the pit where -it joined the fields on one side, and couched there, -delicately, in the morning sunshine. The young ones -flung themselves, all three, on their backs, and, -wedging themselves under her, two of them took their -breakfast in this position. The third one, however, -having tried in vain to get properly under her chest, -made a detour, and then took her in the flank in -ordinary formation, and with successful results. To -see this with the warm, bright sand as a background, -and the swallows flying round! Lying dozing in the -morning one may have pretty dreams, but they are -not often prettier than this. Blue sky, too, though -it is England, and in the depth of spring!"</p> - -<p>I have spoken of blackbirds bringing materials -thirty-one times to the nest in the course of three -hours, but this is very slow work, and would be, even -if both birds were to bring them instead of only one. -Comparatively, I mean, and the bird that I am taking -as a standard of comparison is the great crested grebe. -In fifty minutes a pair of these that I watched had -brought between them one hundred cargoes of weed, -some so large that the head of the bird carrying them -was almost hidden, and some trailing on the water -for a considerable way behind. Each bird dives and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330"></a>[Pg 330]</span> -comes up with its green, shining burden, with which -it at once swims to the great heap of similar material -which both have collected, and which projects a few -inches above the water, at but a short distance from -the bank. The male is, if possible, more earnest and -indefatigable in the great work than even the female, -and, sometimes, he will work for a little alone, whilst -she is resting. Yet, with all this, it is apparent, at -once, that she is the more effective of the two, in her -actual workmanship. She dives more quickly, and -comes up each time with a larger load, so large, sometimes, -that her head is pulled right back as she drags -it along the surface of the water. She places it, too,—if -this is not fancy—a little more deftly and quickly, -showing in everything a higher degree of professional -skill, though her colleague, besides being second only -to herself in this, seems, as I say, to glow with a more -ardent enthusiasm.</p> - -<p>Huge as the mass of weeds is, which constitutes -the nest of these birds, it is collected by them in -an astonishingly short space of time; how short, -I am not quite sure about, but this I can positively -say, that whereas on a certain morning I could -see no trace of it above the surface of the water, -on the morning after this it was to all intents -and purposes finished, though the male bird, alone, -once added very slightly to it, not occupying more -than a few minutes in so doing. As to this, however, -it can be said, in a certain sense, that the nest -never is finished, or, at any rate, not till after the -female has begun to lay her eggs. Morning after -morning the male brings weeds to the heap that his -partner is sitting on, but as I had to leave early in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331"></a>[Pg 331]</span> -this stage of the bird's domestic history, I cannot -tell for how long he continues to do this. Probably, -as in the case of the shag, and also, I believe, the -moor-hen, the nest is added to during the whole time -that the birds make use of it. A nest, however, may -properly be considered finished from the time that -it is <i><span class="correction" title="In the original book: en etat">en état</span></i> to receive the eggs and the sitting bird, -and according to this, these two grebes must have -built theirs between about 8.30 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> on one day and -6 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> on the next. Now, in my experience, these -birds only work during the early morning, from dawn -or thereabouts, up to about 8 or 9. Possibly they -may begin again in the evening, or work at night, -but I never saw them building, or even (before it -was finished) near the nest, at any later time of the -day. That the nest I speak of was not begun till -<i>after</i> 6.30 <span class="smcap">A.M.</span> on the one day, is practically certain, -for up to that time the birds were building another -one, so that unless, as I say, they worked on the -evening of that day, or in the night-time, they must -have begun and finished it in one morning, between -dawn (as we may suppose) and 8 o'clock—and this -is what I believe. If so, it seems a remarkable feat, -but the swiftness with which they dive and swim up -with their cargoes, and the bulk of weeds which these -represent makes me think it possible, though I must -confess that all the work which I actually saw on -the morning in question made little perceptible difference -in the size of the heap that was already there -on my arrival.</p> - -<p>Like an iceberg, the great mass of the nest is -beneath the surface of the water. It seems to be -woven amongst the stems of growing weeds or other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332"></a>[Pg 332]</span> -aquatic plants, but I have noticed in it (indeed, I -have seen the birds placing and carrying them) -water-logged sticks of some size, one end of which -is fixed amongst the mass, whilst the other sinks -down into the mud, and the tangle that may -spring from it. Such sticks must act as so many -anchors, and may, perhaps, be the chief means -by which the nest is kept stationary. To judge -by the two birds which I particularly watched, -the great crested grebe has the habit of building -several nests, and, besides this, the male makes a -small platform of weeds just off the edge of the -bank, and near to the nest. Sometimes he seems -in doubt whether to take his weeds to the nest or -the platform, and in this hesitation, and in the -building of more than one nest, we may, perhaps, -see the origin of the latter structure. With regard -to this, and some other points which seemed to me -of interest, I may refer to a paper of mine which has -lately appeared in the <i>Zoologist</i>.<a name="FNanchor_28_28" id="FNanchor_28_28"></a><a href="#Footnote_28_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a> In this I give a -minute account of the nest-building and some other -habits of these birds, as illustrated by a pair which -I watched very closely; and I will here record my -conviction that there is more to be learnt by such -watching of any one species, or even any one -individual bird, than in the killing or robbing of -thousands.</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_28_28" id="Footnote_28_28"></a><a href="#FNanchor_28_28"><span class="label">[28]</span></a> May 1901.</p></div> - -<p>When I say this, it is not only of the interest -that there is in a creature's ways and habits that I -am thinking, but also of the light that these may, at -any moment, throw upon its descent and affinities—upon -all those questions and subjects which are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333"></a>[Pg 333]</span> -suggested by the word "evolution" and the names -of Darwin and Wallace. To have a true classificatory -system seems to be, now, the grand ideal of -the naturalist, and this, I suppose, must be called -a high one, though it is wonderful how, in some -modern works, the soul of it has been taken out of -the body, so that all has become dull and pedantic -again, though a flight of stairs higher up than some -fifty years ago. Thus can a matter seem rich or poor -as one or another treats of it. But habits and -instincts are as strongly inherited as structure, so -that, as it appears to me, the study of life is, even -from the orthodox scientific point of view, as important -as the study of death. Yet it is death that -most zoologists (as they call themselves) really revel -in, and, though they may not say so, one cannot -help feeling that they are a great deal happier and -more comfortable dissecting a body in their study -than studying a life out-of-doors.</p> - -<p>Even admitting that both ways of acquiring knowledge -are equally efficacious and legitimate, yet this -is very clear, that the destruction of any species ends -both, in regard to it. We can no more dissect the -great auk or the dodo (or blow their eggs) now than -we can observe their habits. Thus it is not only -beauty, but knowledge also—how great and how -varied who can say?—that is being every day -drained out of the world, and against this there is, -as it seems to me, an insufficient protest on the part -of scientific men as a body. They care too little -about it. When they think of birds or beasts, it is -under glass cases in museums that their mind's eye -sees them, and if there is only a specimen—nay, a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334"></a>[Pg 334]</span> -bone or a feather—in one of these, it is to them as -though a nation had been saved. More, if only a -specimen, or a bone or feather, can be got for a -museum in which they are interested, for the sake -of it such nation <i>may</i> perish, and of this spirit we -have only lately had a salient example. In their -writings, these serenities are accustomed to speak -calmly of the approaching extinction of this or that -more or less lovely or interesting creature—say, for -instance, the lyre-bird of Australia—if, "happily," -such and such a museum has been supplied, or if -Professor somebody has ascertained this or that in -regard to it; or professors and the public generally -are exhorted to obtain such supplies or such information -"before the end comes."</p> - -<p>"Before the end comes!" Every effort should be -exhausted, every nerve strained, to avert such end, -which, in nine cases out of ten, could be averted if -the requisite measures were taken. This way of -writing, however, is not calculated to further such -efforts, or to hasten the taking of such measures. -Indifference, at least with regard to the greater evil, -is but too clearly indicated, and to this indifference -the life of species after species is sacrificed.</p> - -<p>No one, of course, supposes that the opinions or -emotions of a scientific body (and in this I mean to -include more than the term strictly covers) would -exercise any influence on money-seeking men or -brainless and heartless women; but they might on that -great army of collectors who, thinking all the while -that they are in some way doing good and helping -science, keep sweeping countless thousands of birds, -beasts, eggs, and insects out of existence. Alas for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335"></a>[Pg 335]</span> -these amiable basilisks, these busy little man-shaped -rinderpests, who kill so well-meaningly and hate the -very breath of life without ever once knowing it! if -they had devoted their whole lives to picking pockets, -or even to being politicians, they would have done, at -the end of them, less harm—far, far less harm—in the -world than they are now every day doing. Every -day, through them, some specific life that is, or was, -of more value than all their individual ones put -together, is getting scarcer, or ceasing to be. For, -surely, a beautiful butterfly, say, that, for all time, -charms—and raises by charming—some number of -those who see it, does more good on this earth than -any single man or woman, who, "departing," leaves no -"footprints on the sands of time." Homer, for instance, -has left his "Iliad" and "Odyssey," and these -have been, and still are, mighty in their effects. But -let them once perish, and Homer will be caught up -and overtaken by almost any bird or butterfly—even -a brown one. Or, if Homer will not, assuredly many -an English poet-laureate will be, or has been already -(Pye, for instance), though his volumes in the British -Museum are safe as consols. If there be any truth -in this reflection, it should tend to make us a little -less conceited than we are. Yet what is a little in -such a matter?—"Oh, reform it altogether."</p> - -<p>For myself, I must confess that I once belonged -to this great, poor army of killers, though, happily, -a bad shot, a most <i>fa</i>tigable collector, and a poor, -half-hearted bungler, generally. But now that I have -watched birds closely, the killing of them seems to -me as something monstrous and horrible; and, for -every one that I have shot, or even only shot at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336"></a>[Pg 336]</span> -and missed, I hate myself with an increasing hatred. -I am convinced that this most excellent result might -be arrived at by numbers and numbers of others, if -they would only begin to do the same; for the pleasure -that belongs to observation and inference is, really, far -greater than that which attends any kind of skill or -dexterity, even when death and pain add their zest -to the latter. Let anyone who has an eye and a -brain (but especially the latter), lay down the gun -and take up the glasses for a week, a day, even for -an hour, if he is lucky, and he will never wish to -change back again. He will soon come to regard -the killing of birds as not only brutal, but dreadfully -silly, and his gun and cartridges, once so dear, will -be to him, hereafter, as the toys of childhood are to -the grown man.</p> - -<p>Nor will the good effect stop here. Birds are -but a part of the life on this our earth, and the -hatred of destruction, once kindled by them, will, -like the ripples made by a stone flung into the -water, extend outwards through the whole animal -and vegetable kingdom till it include, at last, man -himself—yes, even the Chinese. Unfortunately, long -before anything of this kind is likely to happen, all -birds, except poultry, and, perhaps, a lingering -sparrow or two, will have been destroyed. This -seems a cheerless prospect, but, as usual (to write like -an optimist), it has its brighter side. Women will then -be no longer able to wear hats, to adorn which the -most beautiful of earth's creatures have been ruthlessly -slaughtered, and, therefore, faith in them will begin -once more to revive. Faith in woman, we know, is a -very important thing. A nation that has once lost it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337"></a>[Pg 337]</span> -must either get it again, or go rapidly downhill. How -much better, therefore, to get it again!</p> - -<p>I had meant, in this last chapter, besides touching -a little more fully on some points to which I have -here and there referred, to say something about the -heron, nightjar, cuckoo, barn-owl, wagtail, and a few -other birds; but I have managed so clumsily that I -now find myself at the furthest possible limit of space, -without having left myself room either for the one or -the other. With regard to the nightjar, I have kept -an observational diary on the nesting habits of a pair -of these birds, which was published in the <i>Zoologist</i> -for, I think, September 1899. From this I had -intended to quote, as in the case of the great plover, -but it is too late to begin now. All these birds, -therefore, must wait a little, but I will not forget -them should I ever write another book of this kind.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338"></a>[Pg 338]</span></p> - - - - -<h2><a name="INDEX" id="INDEX"></a>INDEX</h2> - -<ul id="tx-index"> - -<li class="ifrst">Animals, figures of, in heraldry may come down from savage times, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">teach meaning of our high terminology, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">word "love" properly used in connection with, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">gregarious, thought-transference more likely in, <a href="#Page_222">222</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">careful observation of, advisable, <a href="#Page_223">223</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">slaughter of, <a href="#Page_224">224</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Authority, no attention to be paid to, <a href="#Page_248">248</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Barn-owl, must wait a little, <a href="#Page_336">336</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Birds, great range of vision of most, etc., <a href="#Page_24">24</a>, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">aerial fighting of, sometimes deceptive, <a href="#Page_35">35</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nesting habits of, must follow general habits, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">will vary habits suddenly, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Instinct of feigning injury possessed by some, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested origin of, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Pugnacity of, mingled with timidity, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nervous or frenzied movements as aids to courage in, and leading to sexual display of plumage by, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>, <a href="#Page_78">78</a>, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">association of three, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>, <a href="#Page_90">90</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">sexual feelings of, not always quite dormant in winter, <a href="#Page_86">86</a>, <a href="#Page_87">87</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">sportings of, may be selected, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">fighting of, tendency to become formal, <a href="#Page_109">109</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">frequent difficulty in distinguishing male and female of, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">slaughter of, each year, and consequent retardation of knowledge as to, <a href="#Page_126">126</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">power of ejecting excrement to distance possessed by some, and suggested significance of this, <a href="#Page_131">131</a>, <a href="#Page_132">132</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">can "bring all heaven before our eyes," <a href="#Page_143">143</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">female not always coy in courtship, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">wings of, when opened in diving show feet are little used, <a href="#Page_148">148</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">power of flight in aquatic, how lost or retained, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>, <a href="#Page_152">152</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">webbed foot of aquatic, how obtained, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>, <a href="#Page_161">161</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">possible relation between opening bill and colour of gular region, <a href="#Page_170">170</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">sea, disparity in time of laying of, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">watching of at straw-stack, <a href="#Page_199">199</a> <i>et seq.</i></li> -<li class="isub1">Attempt to catch at, <a href="#Page_200">200</a>, <a href="#Page_201">201</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">feeding at, <a href="#Page_204">204</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">sudden simultaneous flights of small, from, and discussion of, <a href="#Page_201">201</a>, <a href="#Page_210">210</a>, <a href="#Page_211">211</a>, <a href="#Page_212">212</a>, <a href="#Page_213">213</a>, <a href="#Page_216">216</a>, <a href="#Page_217">217</a>, <a href="#Page_218">218</a>, <a href="#Page_219">219</a>, <a href="#Page_220">220</a>, <a href="#Page_221">221</a>, <a href="#Page_222">222</a>, <a href="#Page_223">223</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">fighting of small, at, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Self-reliance of, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>, <a href="#Page_225">225</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">most timid may be least liable to change, <a href="#Page_226">226</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">wariness combined with boldness in, <a href="#Page_226">226</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">various, behaving like tree-creepers, <a href="#Page_236">236</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">origin of some strange actions of foreign, possibly to be traced in our own, <a href="#Page_256">256</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">song of, founded on call, etc., notes in analogy with plumage, <a href="#Page_310">310</a>, <a href="#Page_311">311</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">correspondence between call, etc., notes and song of, <a href="#Page_312">312</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">matrimonial teachings of, conveyed delicately, <a href="#Page_328">328</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">more knowledge of, gained by watching one than by killing or robbing thousands, <a href="#Page_332">332</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">killing of, silly as well as brutal, <a href="#Page_336">336</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">total destruction of, approaching, <a href="#Page_336">336</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">hatred of destruction of, might extend to man, <a href="#Page_336">336</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Blackbird, chariness of fighting sometimes shown by male, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">pugnacity of hen, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">at straw-stack, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>-<a href="#Page_204">204</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">hen fighting with starling, <a href="#Page_204">204</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">a charming nest-builder, <a href="#Page_301">301</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nest-building of, described, <a href="#Page_301">301</a>, <a href="#Page_302">302</a>, <a href="#Page_303">303</a>, <a href="#Page_304">304</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339"></a>[Pg 339]</span>Nest plastered with mud, <a href="#Page_304">304</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested origin of this habit, <a href="#Page_304">304</a>, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">and future development of, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>, <a href="#Page_306">306</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Habit of plastering of, seldom alluded to, <a href="#Page_307">307</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nest, how differing from that of thrush, <a href="#Page_304">304</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">male does not sing during nest-building, <a href="#Page_307">307</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">song of, unjustly rated, <a href="#Page_312">312</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Blackcap, song of, how differing from nightingale's, <a href="#Page_312">312</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Blackcock, readiness to avoid a conflict shown by male, <a href="#Page_75">75</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Brambling, at straw-stack, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_202">202</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">beauty of, <a href="#Page_202">202</a>, <a href="#Page_203">203</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Bullfinch, a bud-eater, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">feeding on elms with blue-tit, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">acrobatism of, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>, <a href="#Page_250">250</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">awkwardness of, <i>à la</i> Harpagon, <a href="#Page_250">250</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of securing buds, <a href="#Page_250">250</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">attacks blue-tit, <a href="#Page_250">250</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">an example of sexual selection acting in two directions, <a href="#Page_318">318</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Bunting, at straw-stack, <a href="#Page_199">199</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Caress, a possible origin of the, <a href="#Page_192">192</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Carnage, difficulty in conjuring up scenes of, nowadays, <a href="#Page_135">135</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Chaffinch, combats between the hens whilst collecting materials for the nest, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">At straw-stacks in winter, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_201">201</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">numbers of, predominate, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Pugnacity of, and manner of fighting, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>, <a href="#Page_209">209</a>, <a href="#Page_210">210</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">acting like fly-catcher, <a href="#Page_247">247</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">an example of sexual selection acting in two directions, <a href="#Page_318">318</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Chinese, a recipe to dislike killing of, <a href="#Page_336">336</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Collectors, immense harm done by, <a href="#Page_334">334</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Coot, diving of, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">in flocks in winter, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Manner of feeding of, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">a better diver than the moor-hen, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">lobes of toes, how possibly acquired, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>, <a href="#Page_161">161</a></li> - -<li class="indx"><a name="Index_Cormorant" id="Index_Cormorant"></a>Cormorants (<i>see also</i> <a href="#Index_Shag">Shag</a>), hop in courtship and for convenience, <a href="#Page_49">49</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">their power of ejecting excrements to distance, <a href="#Page_131">131</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nest of, <a href="#Page_131">131</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">excelled by shag in diving, <a href="#Page_153">153</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">popular idea of, <a href="#Page_163">163</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">evil-looking appearance of, <a href="#Page_163">163</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">Longfellow's lines on, <a href="#Page_164">164</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">Milton in connection with, <a href="#Page_164">164</a>, <a href="#Page_165">165</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">similarity to shag in habits, etc., <a href="#Page_165">165</a>, <a href="#Page_166">166</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Creature, when observed varying, dubbed new species or variety, <a href="#Page_229">229</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Cuckoo, must wait a little, <a href="#Page_336">336</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Curlew, peculiarities of, <a href="#Page_139">139</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">resemblance to ibis, <a href="#Page_139">139</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">an opposite bird, <a href="#Page_140">140</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">inconspicuous when on ground, <a href="#Page_140">140</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">conspicuous, by contrast, in flight, <a href="#Page_140">140</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">flight, ordinary and nuptial, of, <a href="#Page_141">141</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">note of, <a href="#Page_141">141</a>, <a href="#Page_142">142</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">its connection with the prophet Jeremiah, <a href="#Page_141">141</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Dabchick, sporting of three together, with suggested explanation of, <a href="#Page_87">87</a>, <a href="#Page_88">88</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">probable way of fighting, <a href="#Page_88">88</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">can fly seriously, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">his manners of diving, etc., <a href="#Page_154">154</a>, <a href="#Page_155">155</a>, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">and claims to a tail, <a href="#Page_156">156</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Darwin, sexual selection as conceived by, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">his comment on Bate's account of humming-bird destroyed by spider, <a href="#Page_52">52</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">his theory that birds can admire, <a href="#Page_255">255</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">origin of language, his view as to the, <a href="#Page_289">289</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Eider-duck, courting note of male, <a href="#Page_142">142</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggestions, etc., raised by, <a href="#Page_142">142</a>, <a href="#Page_143">143</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">difficult to locate, <a href="#Page_143">143</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">The poetry of the family, <a href="#Page_143">143</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">female pleasing, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">beauty of male, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Courting actions of male, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">and of female, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Female active agent in being wooed, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">demonstrations of female between two males, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">males mobbing females politely, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">males, combats between, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">dive as a relaxation, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">choice and dismissal of suitors by female, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">advances of female declined by male, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">female not coy, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nesting habits of, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340"></a>[Pg 340]</span>male sitting inland, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">charm of watching, etc., <a href="#Page_147">147</a>, <a href="#Page_148">148</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">appearance of, under water, <a href="#Page_148">148</a>, <a href="#Page_149">149</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Goldfinch, solitary at straw-stack, <a href="#Page_203">203</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">beauty of, rivalling bramblings, <a href="#Page_203">203</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of feeding of, <a href="#Page_203">203</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Great Auk, flight, how lost by, <a href="#Page_151">151</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Great Crested Grebe, manner of fighting of, <a href="#Page_150">150</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">various ways of diving of, <a href="#Page_161">161</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">grace of, <a href="#Page_161">161</a>, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nest-building of, <a href="#Page_329">329</a>, <a href="#Page_330">330</a>, <a href="#Page_331">331</a>, <a href="#Page_332">332</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">habit of building platform of male, <a href="#Page_331">331</a>, <a href="#Page_332">332</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Great Plover, haunts of, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of sitting, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Fanciful resemblance to Don Quixote, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">and to the Baron of Bradwardine, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Odd actions of, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">chase of moths, etc., by, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Autumn dances of, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, <a href="#Page_15">15</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested motive for, <a href="#Page_15">15</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Wailing notes or "clamour" of, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">ordinary flying note of, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nuptial or courting antics of, <a href="#Page_15">15</a>, <a href="#Page_16">16</a>, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">an old-fashioned bird, <a href="#Page_16">16</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Great Green Woodpecker, spiral ascent of trunk, <a href="#Page_243">243</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">assisted by tail, <a href="#Page_243">243</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">can descend trunk backwards, <a href="#Page_244">244</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Greenfinch, at straw-stack in winter, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_201">201</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">feeding within three feet, <a href="#Page_201">201</a>, <a href="#Page_202">202</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of feeding, <a href="#Page_202">202</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of fighting, <a href="#Page_210">210</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Feeding on seeds of exotic fir, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>, <a href="#Page_232">232</a>, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>, <a href="#Page_234">234</a>, <a href="#Page_235">235</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of loosening the seeds, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>, <a href="#Page_232">232</a>, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>, <a href="#Page_235">235</a>, <a href="#Page_236">236</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">curious noise made with beak in so doing, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>, <a href="#Page_232">232</a>, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">and with wings on the fir-needles, <a href="#Page_234">234</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">An example of sexual selection acting in two directions, <a href="#Page_318">318</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Guillemots, diving of, <a href="#Page_152">152</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">arrangement of, on ledge, <a href="#Page_182">182</a>, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">disparity in time of laying, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">affectionate conduct of paired birds, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>, <a href="#Page_184">184</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">attention paid to young, <a href="#Page_184">184</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">feeding of young, <a href="#Page_184">184</a>, <a href="#Page_185">185</a>, <a href="#Page_189">189</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Incubate with face turned to cliff, <a href="#Page_185">185</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested explanation of this, <a href="#Page_185">185</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Lethargy of chicks, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Fish carried to young in beak, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">and are often headless, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>, <a href="#Page_188">188</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">held lengthways, <a href="#Page_187">187</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Coquetry with fish, <a href="#Page_187">187</a>, <a href="#Page_188">188</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">quarrelling of married birds with fish, <a href="#Page_188">188</a>, <a href="#Page_189">189</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">birds with fish attacked, etc., <a href="#Page_189">189</a>, <a href="#Page_190">190</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Combats, frequency and character of, <a href="#Page_190">190</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested explanation of, <a href="#Page_190">190</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Preening and helping to clean each other's feet, <a href="#Page_191">191</a>, <a href="#Page_192">192</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">fighting, usual cause of, <a href="#Page_192">192</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of, <a href="#Page_192">192</a>, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">a fight on the brink, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">will fight whilst incubating, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>, <a href="#Page_194">194</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">no respect paid to incubating birds, <a href="#Page_194">194</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">management of egg during incubation, <a href="#Page_194">194</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">possible trace of lost nest-building instinct, <a href="#Page_195">195</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">attitudes assumed, <a href="#Page_195">195</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">resemblance to human beings, <a href="#Page_195">195</a>, <a href="#Page_196">196</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">stones procured and swallowed, <a href="#Page_196">196</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">life on a guillemot ledge, notes of, <a href="#Page_196">196</a>, <a href="#Page_197">197</a>, <a href="#Page_198">198</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Guillemot, Black, way of diving, <a href="#Page_148">148</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">appearance under water, <a href="#Page_148">148</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">appearance and character, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">the dabchick of ocean, <a href="#Page_148">148</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">a fair flier, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of fighting, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>, <a href="#Page_150">150</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">and of bathing, <a href="#Page_171">171</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Gulls, Black-backed, best watched on island where they breed, <a href="#Page_96">96</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">arrangement of, etc., on the gullery, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nuptial habits, antics, etc., <a href="#Page_97">97</a>, <a href="#Page_98">98</a>, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nest-building of, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">fighting of females when collecting materials for the nest, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">fighting of males, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">a gull melodrama, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">fighting of two causing excitement amongst others, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">fighting not specialised, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">importunity of female, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">larger size of male, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">persecution of, by Arctic skua, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">habit of forcing each other or other gulls to disgorge fish -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341"></a>[Pg 341]</span>incipient, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">come near to attacking one, on one's approaching their nest, <a href="#Page_121">121</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">mode of attack ineffective, <a href="#Page_122">122</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Gulls, Herring, fighting of, <a href="#Page_108">108</a>, <a href="#Page_109">109</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">power of retaining a mental image, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">curious behaviour of a pair, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">habit of forcing each other or other gulls to disgorge fish incipient, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">feed young by disgorging fish, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>, <a href="#Page_120">120</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">disgorge fish for each other, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>, <a href="#Page_120">120</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Habits, variations of, more interesting than of structure, <a href="#Page_228">228</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">may be marked <i>in transitu</i>, <a href="#Page_229">229</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">plasticity of, <a href="#Page_48">48</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Hare, disturbing rooks, <a href="#Page_227">227</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Hate, oneself, a good way to, <a href="#Page_335">335</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Hedge-sparrow, at straw-stacks in winter, <a href="#Page_201">201</a>, <a href="#Page_202">202</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Heine, allusion of to the nightingale, <a href="#Page_313">313</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Heron, must wait a little, <a href="#Page_337">337</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Herring, going a progress twice, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Head absent in those disgorged by great skua for its young, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">possible explanations of this, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Profusion of, brought by great skua for its young, <a href="#Page_118">118</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Homer, may be caught up by a butterfly, <a href="#Page_335">335</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Hooded Crow, flying with peewits, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">frolicking or skirmishing with raven, <a href="#Page_137">137</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">curious antics of, <a href="#Page_137">137</a>, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">flying with rooks, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">consorting with rooks in the fields, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">may sometimes roost with rooks, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">when with rooks acts as though of the same species, <a href="#Page_296">296</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Hudson, Mr, views of, referred to, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>, <a href="#Page_80">80</a>, <a href="#Page_81">81</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Kestrel, importunity of female, <a href="#Page_112">112</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Kittiwakes, habit of forcing each other or other gulls to disgorge fish incipient, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">will turn to bay and drive off Arctic skua, <a href="#Page_128">128</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">roosting in extraordinary numbers, <a href="#Page_197">197</a>, <a href="#Page_198">198</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Language, idea as to origin of, suggested by rooks, <a href="#Page_288">288</a>, <a href="#Page_289">289</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Larks (<i>see</i> <a href="#Index_Skylark">Skylark</a>)</li> - -<li class="indx">Life, study of, as important as that of death, <a href="#Page_332">332</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Linnet, an example of sexual selection acting in two directions, <a href="#Page_318">318</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Lyre-bird, an example of a highly adorned species which is also musical, <a href="#Page_334">334</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Merganser, manner of diving of, <a href="#Page_153">153</a>, <a href="#Page_154">154</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Meves, M., on cause of bleating in the snipe, <a href="#Page_53">53</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Moor-hen, becoming a partridge or plover, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">an orchestra of peculiar brazen instruments, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Manner of diving of, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>, <a href="#Page_157">157</a>, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">habit of, may be becoming established, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">and may differ in different localities, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Browses grass, <a href="#Page_227">227</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">wariness of, <a href="#Page_226">226</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">power of drawing an inference, <a href="#Page_227">227</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">independent spirit and originality, <a href="#Page_227">227</a>, <a href="#Page_228">228</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Naturalist in La Plata, referred to, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>, <a href="#Page_80">80</a>, <a href="#Page_81">81</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Nightingale, male not singing much during nest-building, <a href="#Page_307">307</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">song of, a vehicle of hatred and rivalry, <a href="#Page_308">308</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Conduct of rival males, <a href="#Page_308">308</a>, <a href="#Page_309">309</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">similar to wheatears, <a href="#Page_308">308</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Conduct of female during combats of rival males, <a href="#Page_309">309</a>, <a href="#Page_310">310</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">croaking notes of, <a href="#Page_310">310</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Song probably founded on these, <a href="#Page_310">310</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">which would account for its low key, <a href="#Page_312">312</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">how differing from that of thrush, blackcap, skylark, etc., <a href="#Page_312">312</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">does not include every excellence, <a href="#Page_312">312</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">frequent pauses in, <a href="#Page_312">312</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342"></a>[Pg 342]</span>when at its best, <a href="#Page_313">313</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">effect of, on Heine, <a href="#Page_313">313</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">and on others, <a href="#Page_313">313</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">sometimes mistaken for that of thrush, <a href="#Page_313">313</a>, <a href="#Page_314">314</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">by day not more noticed than that of lark or thrush, <a href="#Page_314">314</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">some of effect of due to night and silence, <a href="#Page_314">314</a>, <a href="#Page_315">315</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Sobriety of colouring exaggerated, <a href="#Page_316">316</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">brightness of tail, <a href="#Page_316">316</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">ruddy patch on, <a href="#Page_316">316</a>, <a href="#Page_317">317</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">glossy appearance of, <a href="#Page_317">317</a>, <a href="#Page_318">318</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">example of a bird doubly distinguished, <a href="#Page_317">317</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">may be getting brighter, <a href="#Page_318">318</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">pictures of, in natural history books, <a href="#Page_318">318</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">real appearance of, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">sings without pose, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">and sometimes on ground, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">Milton fortunately not familiar with, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">female alone builds nest, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">is attended by male, <a href="#Page_319">319</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Nightjar, sound with the wings made by, <a href="#Page_52">52</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">movements of, to protect young, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">seem result of nervous shock or mental disturbance, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">twitching of muscles of throat of, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">must wait a little, <a href="#Page_337">337</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Night-raven, possible origin of idea of, <a href="#Page_288">288</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Nut-hatch, feeding on seeds of exotic fir, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>, <a href="#Page_232">232</a>, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>, <a href="#Page_234">234</a>, <a href="#Page_235">235</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of loosening the seeds of, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>, <a href="#Page_235">235</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Organisms, plasticity of, <a href="#Page_48">48</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Ostrich, courting or nuptial antics of male, <a href="#Page_169">169</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">incubation shared by the sexes, <a href="#Page_169">169</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Partridge, movements of, to protect young, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">At straw-stack, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_205">205</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">coming down to, on a winter morning, <a href="#Page_205">205</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Soft sounds made by, <a href="#Page_205">205</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Peacocks, shot in India, <a href="#Page_206">206</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Peewit, cry of, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">somersaults thrown by, <a href="#Page_26">26</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">sound made with wings, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">bridal dances of, <a href="#Page_26">26</a>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">flying with hooded crow, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Attacking hen pheasant, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">and moor-hen, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Call-note on ground, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">sporting of two, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">upward sweep in flight, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>, <a href="#Page_32">32</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">understudying of one another, <a href="#Page_32">32</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">aerial combats possible, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">aerial evolutions, remarks on, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">feigning broken wing not observed, <a href="#Page_66">66</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">three flying together, remarks on, etc., <a href="#Page_83">83</a>, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>, <a href="#Page_86">86</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">roll over of compared with that of raven, <a href="#Page_263">263</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Penguins, flight, how lost by, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of diving of, <a href="#Page_152">152</a></li> - -<li class="indx">People, mental approach of some, <a href="#Page_223">223</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">not explained by such terms as insight, intuition, perception, affinity, etc., <a href="#Page_223">223</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Φημη, Greek idea of the, <a href="#Page_219">219</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">brought to mind by watching birds, <a href="#Page_220">220</a>, <a href="#Page_221">221</a>, <a href="#Page_294">294</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Pheasants, timidity shown by males in fighting, <a href="#Page_75">75</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">at straw-stack in winter, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_205">205</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">beauty of male, <a href="#Page_206">206</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Curious low notes and piping sounds of, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">not quite so soft as those of partridges, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Timidity of, tempered by judgment and individual temperament, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">conduct of, when small birds fly off, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">males agree together, feeding, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">roosting of dove-tailing with last flight home of rooks, <a href="#Page_261">261</a>, <a href="#Page_262">262</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">trying to look like a soldier, <a href="#Page_283">283</a>, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">dull plumage of hen representing that of progenitor of the family, <a href="#Page_310">310</a>, <a href="#Page_311">311</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Pigeons, twitching of muscles of throat of, <a href="#Page_180">180</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Puffin, diving of, <a href="#Page_152">152</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">disparity in time of laying, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">carrying fish crosswise in beak, <a href="#Page_187">187</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Rabbit, with young in sandpit, <a href="#Page_328">328</a>, <a href="#Page_329">329</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Ravens, molested by gulls, <a href="#Page_129">129</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">at first not impressed by, <a href="#Page_129">129</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">peculiar croak of, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">appearance, etc., of nest of, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343"></a>[Pg 343]</span>behaviour of young in nest, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>, <a href="#Page_131">131</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">attempts to see feed young unsuccessful, <a href="#Page_132">132</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">add no effect to precipice, <a href="#Page_134">134</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">plumage of, <a href="#Page_134">134</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">look black at a little distance, <a href="#Page_134">134</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">ordinary flight not majestic, <a href="#Page_134">134</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">shape of wings of, <a href="#Page_134">134</a>, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">effect of number of, over battlefield, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Curious doubtful if these are nuptial, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">antics in the air of, <a href="#Page_136">136</a>, <a href="#Page_137">137</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Skirmishing with gulls, <a href="#Page_137">137</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">skirmishing or frolicking with hooded crow, <a href="#Page_137">137</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">devoted guardians of young, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">cunning plan adopted by, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>, <a href="#Page_139">139</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Raven Mother, the real one, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">appearance and behaviour of, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>, <a href="#Page_134">134</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Razorbills, manner, etc., of diving of, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>, <a href="#Page_152">152</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">fish, how carried in beak by, <a href="#Page_187">187</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Redshanks, handsomer flying than when on ground, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">courting actions of male, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Aerial and aquatic combats of, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">at first mistaken as to nature of these, <a href="#Page_37">37</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Richardson's Skua, objected to as a title, <a href="#Page_61">61</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Ring Plover, nuptial flight of, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">courting actions of male on ground, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a></li> - -<li class="indx"><a name="Index_Robin" id="Index_Robin"></a>Robin, becoming wagtail or stilt-walker, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">how it may develop in the future, <a href="#Page_229">229</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">occasional aquatic habits of, out of character, <a href="#Page_229">229</a>, <a href="#Page_230">230</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">has two figures, <a href="#Page_230">230</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">a part of most landscapes, <a href="#Page_230">230</a>, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">looks different in different places, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">an example of sexual selection acting in two directions <span class="correction" title="This page reference was missing in the original book. Added by transcriber."><a href="#Page_318">318</a></span></li> - -<li class="indx">Rooks, importunity of female, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">simultaneous flights, etc., of, <a href="#Page_210">210</a>, <a href="#Page_292">292</a>, <a href="#Page_293">293</a>, <a href="#Page_294">294</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">winter rookery or roosting-place of, <a href="#Page_258">258</a>, <a href="#Page_259">259</a>, <a href="#Page_278">278</a>, <a href="#Page_280">280</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">crowd of better than crowd of men, <a href="#Page_259">259</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">aerial evolutions, sports, gambols, manœuvres, etc., of, <a href="#Page_259">259</a>, <a href="#Page_260">260</a>, <a href="#Page_262">262</a>, <a href="#Page_263">263</a>, <a href="#Page_264">264</a>, <a href="#Page_265">265</a>, <a href="#Page_268">268</a>, <a href="#Page_269">269</a>, <a href="#Page_270">270</a>, <a href="#Page_271">271</a>, <a href="#Page_280">280</a>, <a href="#Page_295">295</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">peculiar burring note of, <a href="#Page_260">260</a>, <a href="#Page_282">282</a>, <a href="#Page_283">283</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">powers of flight possessed by, <a href="#Page_260">260</a>, <a href="#Page_271">271</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">flight full of effects, <a href="#Page_271">271</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">how associated with starlings, <a href="#Page_261">261</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">chirruppy or croodling note of, <a href="#Page_261">261</a>, <a href="#Page_268">268</a>, <a href="#Page_269">269</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">last flight of, dove-tailing with roosting of pheasants, <a href="#Page_261">261</a>, <a href="#Page_262">262</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">roll over of, compared with that of ravens, <a href="#Page_263">263</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">two great assemblages of, manœuvrings and different conduct of, <a href="#Page_262">262</a>, <a href="#Page_264">264</a>, <a href="#Page_265">265</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">difficulty of supposing that they are led, <a href="#Page_213">213</a>, <a href="#Page_265">265</a>, <a href="#Page_266">266</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">if led, should be so habitually, <a href="#Page_266">266</a>, <a href="#Page_267">267</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">evidence against theory of leadership, <a href="#Page_267">267</a>, <a href="#Page_268">268</a>, <a href="#Page_269">269</a>, <a href="#Page_270">270</a>, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>, <a href="#Page_285">285</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">the caw the business note of, <a href="#Page_268">268</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">two bands flying at different elevations, <a href="#Page_270">270</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">flight of, at great elevation different to usual flight, <a href="#Page_270">270</a>, <a href="#Page_271">271</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">conclusion against theory of leadership, <a href="#Page_271">271</a>, <a href="#Page_273">273</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">supposed to employ sentinels, <a href="#Page_271">271</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">evidence as to and conclusion against their doing so, <a href="#Page_272">272</a>, <a href="#Page_273">273</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">vast assemblage of, <a href="#Page_274">274</a>, <a href="#Page_277">277</a>, <a href="#Page_278">278</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">fighting of, <a href="#Page_274">274</a>, <a href="#Page_275">275</a>, <a href="#Page_276">276</a>, <a href="#Page_277">277</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">disturbed by hare, <a href="#Page_277">277</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">lullaby of, <a href="#Page_278">278</a>, <a href="#Page_281">281</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">return of, to winter rookery in evening, <a href="#Page_274">274</a>, <a href="#Page_277">277</a>, <a href="#Page_278">278</a>, <a href="#Page_280">280</a>, <a href="#Page_281">281</a>, <a href="#Page_292">292</a>, <a href="#Page_294">294</a>, <a href="#Page_295">295</a>, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>, <a href="#Page_297">297</a>, <a href="#Page_298">298</a>, <a href="#Page_299">299</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">various cries of, <a href="#Page_281">281</a>, <a href="#Page_283">283</a>, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>, <a href="#Page_286">286</a>, <a href="#Page_288">288</a>, <a href="#Page_291">291</a>, <a href="#Page_292">292</a>, <a href="#Page_299">299</a>, <a href="#Page_300">300</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Whishing noise made by, <a href="#Page_281">281</a>, <a href="#Page_282">282</a>, <a href="#Page_295">295</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">doubt as to how produced, <a href="#Page_282">282</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">"Burring" note of, <a href="#Page_282">282</a>, <a href="#Page_283">283</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">morning flight of, from winter rookery, <a href="#Page_283">283</a>, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>, <a href="#Page_285">285</a>, <a href="#Page_292">292</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">voice of, pleasing and expressive, <a href="#Page_283">283</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">talk kind of Chinese, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">tits flying with, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">some staying back after general flight out, <a href="#Page_285">285</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">actions of, governed by two leading principles, <a href="#Page_285">285</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">unknown force suggested by movements of, <a href="#Page_285">285</a>, <a href="#Page_286">286</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">some movements of, may be due to thought-transference or collective thinking, <a href="#Page_287">287</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">may be origin of the night-raven, <a href="#Page_287">287</a>, <a href="#Page_288">288</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">origin of language suggested by, <a href="#Page_288">288</a>, <a href="#Page_289">289</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344"></a>[Pg 344]</span>zones of sound and silence amongst, <a href="#Page_289">289</a>, <a href="#Page_290">290</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">notes of, best described as talking, <a href="#Page_291">291</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">method of yawning of, <a href="#Page_291">291</a>, <a href="#Page_292">292</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">φημη the idea of the, applied to, <a href="#Page_294">294</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">psychical state of during the <i>heimkehr</i>, <a href="#Page_295">295</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">wonderful scene of excitement amongst, <a href="#Page_294">294</a>, <a href="#Page_295">295</a>, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Found dead in plantation, <a href="#Page_295">295</a>, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">possible reason and theory of keeper in regard to this, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Non-collision of, wonderful, <a href="#Page_295">295</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">consort with hooded crows in fields, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">resembling storm-cloud and rain, <a href="#Page_298">298</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">seem as though evolving a language, <a href="#Page_299">299</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">powers of modulation and inflexion in voice of, <a href="#Page_299">299</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">voice of, unjustly spoken of, <a href="#Page_299">299</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">vocabulary of notes of, <a href="#Page_299">299</a>, <a href="#Page_300">300</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Rules, to be guided by in watching birds, <a href="#Page_248">248</a>, <a href="#Page_249">249</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Sand-martins, manner of excavating tunnels, <a href="#Page_323">323</a>, <a href="#Page_326">326</a>, <a href="#Page_327">327</a>, <a href="#Page_328">328</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">both sexes excavate, <a href="#Page_323">323</a>, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Sometimes work socially, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">but not as do insects, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Make simultaneous flights from cliff, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>, <a href="#Page_325">325</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">sometimes fight fiercely, <a href="#Page_325">325</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">are victimised by sparrows and tree-sparrows, <a href="#Page_325">325</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">length of their tunnels, <a href="#Page_326">326</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Scientific men, indifference of, to extermination, <a href="#Page_333">333</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Sexual selection, as conceived by Darwin, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">antics, etc., not in the nature of display, no evidence against, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">as having modified some birds both in voice and plumage, <a href="#Page_318">318</a></li> - -<li class="indx"><a name="Index_Shag" id="Index_Shag"></a>Shags (<i>see also</i> <a href="#Index_Cormorant">Cormorant</a>), power of ejecting excrement to distance possessed by, <a href="#Page_131">131</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">how useful to the bird, <a href="#Page_131">131</a>, <a href="#Page_132">132</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nest of, <a href="#Page_131">131</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Manner of diving of, <a href="#Page_153">153</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">dive uniformly, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">amiable character of, <a href="#Page_163">163</a>, <a href="#Page_165">165</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">courtship, love-making of, etc., <a href="#Page_166">166</a>, <a href="#Page_167">167</a>, <a href="#Page_168">168</a>, <a href="#Page_169">169</a>, <a href="#Page_170">170</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">courting antics like those of the ostrich, but with significant difference, <a href="#Page_169">169</a>, <a href="#Page_170">170</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">habit of opening and shutting bill at each other, <a href="#Page_170">170</a>, <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">bathing of, <a href="#Page_170">170</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">gargoyle idylls of, <a href="#Page_171">171</a>, <a href="#Page_172">172</a>, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>, <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>, <a href="#Page_178">178</a>, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>, <a href="#Page_180">180</a>, <a href="#Page_181">181</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">tendency of, to ornament nest, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>, <a href="#Page_176">176</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">change on the nest of, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>, <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">feeding the young, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>, <a href="#Page_178">178</a>, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">twitching muscles of the throat, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>, <a href="#Page_180">180</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">character, etc., of the young, <a href="#Page_180">180</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">guarding the nest and affairs of honour, <a href="#Page_181">181</a>, <a href="#Page_182">182</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of fighting, <a href="#Page_181">181</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Skua, Arctic, diverting attention from eggs or young, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">persecutes gulls, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">is safe from retributive justice, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">said only to eat fish robbed from gulls, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">probability that it would feed by piracy exclusively, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">not seen stooping on fish in water, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">disgorge fish for each other, <a href="#Page_120">120</a>, <a href="#Page_121">121</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">attacks those approaching its nest, <a href="#Page_121">121</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">swoop made in silence, <a href="#Page_121">121</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">mode of attack, <a href="#Page_122">122</a>, <a href="#Page_123">123</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">blow with feet ineffective, <a href="#Page_123">123</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">both birds often attack, but more usually only one, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Combines fraud with force, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">theory as to this, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Polymorphism of, <a href="#Page_126">126</a>, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">sexual selection suggested as an explanation, <a href="#Page_126">126</a>, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Seems bolder and more aggressive than the great skua, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">driven off by kittiwake, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>, <a href="#Page_128">128</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">feared more by gulls than the great skua, <a href="#Page_128">128</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">extreme boldness of, <a href="#Page_139">139</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">chased by curlews, <a href="#Page_139">139</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Skua, Great, nuptial habits, antics, etc., <a href="#Page_98">98</a>, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">powers of flight, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">flight seen to best advantage at sea, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>, <a href="#Page_100">100</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nest, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">said only to eat fish robbed from gulls, and secured in mid-air, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">would probably feed by piracy exclusively, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">not seen stooping on fish in water, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345"></a>[Pg 345]</span>young fed entirely on disgorged herrings, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">nesting habits difficult to observe, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">probably eats heads of herrings disgorged for young, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">has no reason to vary diet during breeding-season, as asserted, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested origin of its specialised method of feeding, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">attacks those approaching its nest, <a href="#Page_121">121</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">makes swoop in silence, but utters cry whilst circling between each, <a href="#Page_121">121</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">blow with feet ineffective, <a href="#Page_122">122</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">attacks almost indefinitely, <a href="#Page_122">122</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">mode of attack, <a href="#Page_123">123</a>, <a href="#Page_124">124</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Attack made by both sexes, <a href="#Page_124">124</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">an exception noted, <a href="#Page_124">124</a>, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">theory in regard to this, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Feared less by gulls than Arctic skua, <a href="#Page_128">128</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">mobbed by gulls, <a href="#Page_128">128</a></li> - -<li class="indx"><a name="Index_Skylark" id="Index_Skylark"></a>Skylarks, aerial combats of, <a href="#Page_35">35</a>, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">impressive hops of male in courtship, <a href="#Page_49">49</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">song of, how differing from the nightingale's, <a href="#Page_312">312</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">effect of if heard at night, <a href="#Page_314">314</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Snipe, a familiar example of instrumental music during flight, <a href="#Page_52">52</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">modification of tail-feathers by sexual selection, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">wings apparent but not real cause of bleating, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">different ways of descending to earth, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">different modes of flight, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">see-saw or "chack-wood" note, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">swishing of wings, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">extraordinary notes of, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Tail feathers less modified in female, and producing a different bleat, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">but difference not great, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Individual differences in bleat, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">flying in circles, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">bleat best in morning and evening, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">flight difficult to follow, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">private allotment in fields of air, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">bleating of males against each other, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">bleating of male and female to each other, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">bleating of one answered vocally by the other on ground, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Extraordinary movements when alarmed during incubation, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">theory with regard to these, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>, <a href="#Page_64">64</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Sparrows, seize burrows of sand-martins, <a href="#Page_325">325</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">creditable motives of, in so doing, <a href="#Page_325">325</a>, <a href="#Page_326">326</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Sparrows, Tree, at straw-stack in winter, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">seize burrows of sand-martins, <a href="#Page_325">325</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Species, knowledge lost by destruction of any, <a href="#Page_333">333</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Specific life, any, of more value than most individual ones, <a href="#Page_334">334</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Spiders, if they had their Phidiases, <a href="#Page_52">52</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Spur-winged Lapwing, curious performances of, <a href="#Page_81">81</a>, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested origin of, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>, <a href="#Page_86">86</a>, <a href="#Page_87">87</a>, <a href="#Page_88">88</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>, <a href="#Page_90">90</a>, <a href="#Page_91">91</a>, <a href="#Page_92">92</a>, <a href="#Page_93">93</a>, <a href="#Page_94">94</a>, <a href="#Page_95">95</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Starlings, acting as fly-catchers, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">and as wood-peckers, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Manner of feeding, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">at straw-stack in winter, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_204">204</a>, <a href="#Page_205">205</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">fighting with hen blackbird, <a href="#Page_204">204</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">fighting with each other, <a href="#Page_204">204</a>, <a href="#Page_205">205</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Their simultaneous flights, <a href="#Page_210">210</a>, <a href="#Page_214">214</a>, <a href="#Page_215">215</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">difficulty of explaining these and suggestions as to, <a href="#Page_214">214</a>, <a href="#Page_215">215</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">How associated with rooks, <a href="#Page_261">261</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Stock-doves, their aerial combats, <a href="#Page_38">38</a>, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">arising sometimes out of the ground-tourney, <a href="#Page_41">41</a>, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Their ground-tourneys, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>, <a href="#Page_41">41</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">bowing of fighting birds to each other, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>, <a href="#Page_41">41</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">fighting of male and female, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">courting bow of male to female, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">bowing of female to male, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">bow silent or accompanying note subdued, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">court on trees or on ground, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">their nuptial flights in early morning, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">make nest in rabbit-burrows, <a href="#Page_47">47</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Structure, slight changes of, not easy to see, <a href="#Page_229">229</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst"><a name="Index_Thought" id="Index_Thought"></a>Thought-transference, as possible explanation of some movements of birds and other animals, <a href="#Page_219">219</a>, <a href="#Page_220">220</a>, <a href="#Page_221">221</a>, <a href="#Page_222">222</a>, <a href="#Page_223">223</a>, <a href="#Page_286">286</a>, <a href="#Page_287">287</a>, <a href="#Page_289">289</a>, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346"></a>[Pg 346]</span><a href="#Page_290">290</a>, <a href="#Page_292">292</a>, <a href="#Page_293">293</a>, <a href="#Page_294">294</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">a retarding influence, <a href="#Page_222">222</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">in man, may be reversion to more primitive method of intercommunion, <a href="#Page_223">223</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">may be, in some ways, superior to speech <span class="correction" title="This page reference was missing in the original book. Added by transcriber."><a href="#Page_223">223</a></span></li> - -<li class="indx">Thrush, Song of, how differing from the nightingale's, <a href="#Page_312">312</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">mistaken for the nightingale's, <a href="#Page_313">313</a>, <a href="#Page_314">314</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">effect of if heard at night, <a href="#Page_314">314</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Tit, Blue, at straw-stack in winter, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_202">202</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">acts like tree-creeper, <a href="#Page_236">236</a>, <a href="#Page_237">237</a>, <a href="#Page_238">238</a>, <a href="#Page_239">239</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Ascends trunk perpendicularly, <a href="#Page_237">237</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested explanation of this, <a href="#Page_242">242</a>, <a href="#Page_243">243</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Descends trunk head downwards assisted by wings, <a href="#Page_237">237</a>, <a href="#Page_238">238</a>, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested explanation, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">His hardiness, <a href="#Page_247">247</a>, <a href="#Page_248">248</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">eats buds rather than insects in them, <a href="#Page_248">248</a>, <a href="#Page_249">249</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">attacked by bullfinch, <a href="#Page_250">250</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">feeds on catkins of alder or insects in them, <a href="#Page_251">251</a>, <a href="#Page_253">253</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">his tiring-room and banqueting-hall, <a href="#Page_253">253</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">drive each other from catkins of alder, <a href="#Page_253">253</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">flying with rooks, <a href="#Page_284">284</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Tit, Coal, attacks fir-cones, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of holding them, <a href="#Page_251">251</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Ascends tree-trunks as does blue-tit, <a href="#Page_252">252</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Tits, Long-tailed, nest-building, <a href="#Page_320">320</a>, <a href="#Page_321">321</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">"chit, chit" note, <a href="#Page_320">320</a>, <a href="#Page_321">321</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">roosting together, <a href="#Page_321">321</a>, <a href="#Page_322">322</a>, <a href="#Page_323">323</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">returning to roost in same place, <a href="#Page_322">322</a>, <a href="#Page_323">323</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">their prettiness, <a href="#Page_320">320</a>, <a href="#Page_321">321</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Tit, Great, feeding on seeds of exotic fir, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>, <a href="#Page_232">232</a>, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>, <a href="#Page_234">234</a>, <a href="#Page_235">235</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">manner of loosening the seeds, <a href="#Page_232">232</a>, <a href="#Page_235">235</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Probably eats seeds of indigenous firs, <a href="#Page_252">252</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Tree, old, winter foliage of, <a href="#Page_201">201</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Tree-creeper, becoming a fly-catcher, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Flies downwards from tree-trunk, <a href="#Page_240">240</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">but not invariably, <a href="#Page_241">241</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested origin of the habit, <a href="#Page_241">241</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Spiral ascent not so general as asserted, <a href="#Page_241">241</a>, <a href="#Page_242">242</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">often ascends perpendicularly, <a href="#Page_242">242</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested origin of spiral ascent, <a href="#Page_242">242</a>, <a href="#Page_243">243</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Said never to descend trunk, <a href="#Page_241">241</a>, <a href="#Page_244">244</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">but can descend backwards, <a href="#Page_244">244</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">interesting to watch, <a href="#Page_246">246</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">skill in using beak, etc., <a href="#Page_246">246</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">sometimes acts like fly-catcher, <a href="#Page_247">247</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">his æsthetic beauty, <a href="#Page_247">247</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">his hardiness, <a href="#Page_247">247</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Trogons, shot in Mexico, <a href="#Page_206">206</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Turtle-dove, courting of male on ground or in trees, <a href="#Page_50">50</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">the nuptial flight, <a href="#Page_50">50</a>, <a href="#Page_51">51</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Wagtail, must wait a little, <a href="#Page_337">337</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Warrener, how affected by beauty, <a href="#Page_47">47</a></li> - -<li class="indx"><a name="Index_Wheatear" id="Index_Wheatear"></a>Wheatear, combats and displays of rival males, <a href="#Page_66">66</a>, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">his hopping out of character, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">conduct of hen whilst fought for by rival males, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>, <a href="#Page_78">78</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">chariness of fighting shown by males, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Antics of males not resembling a set display, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>, <a href="#Page_78">78</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">attempt to explain these and other antics of various birds, <a href="#Page_74">74</a> <i>et seq.</i> (to end of chapter).</li> -<li class="isub1">Power of retaining a mental image, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">conduct of rival males similar to that of nightingales <span class="correction" title="This page reference was missing in the original book. Added by transcriber."><a href="#Page_308">308</a></span></li> - -<li class="indx">Wild Duck, intelligent feigning of injury to distract attention from young, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested origin of the habit, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>, <a href="#Page_64">64</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Willow-warbler, preference for birch-trees, <a href="#Page_253">253</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">pretty behaviour with the catkins of, <a href="#Page_253">253</a>, <a href="#Page_254">254</a>, <a href="#Page_255">255</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">reason for this possibly æsthetic, <a href="#Page_255">255</a>, <a href="#Page_256">256</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Wood-pigeons, courting of female by male on tree, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">raucous note after pairing, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">may hereafter lay in rabbit-burrows, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">courting of female by male on ground, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>, <a href="#Page_49">49</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">the clapping of wings in flight, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">beauty of nuptial flight, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>, <a href="#Page_52">52</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">swishing or beating of wings in flight, <a href="#Page_52">52</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Their simultaneous flights, <a href="#Page_210">210</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggested explanation as to, <a href="#Page_215">215</a>, <a href="#Page_216">216</a></li> - -<li class="indx"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347"></a>[Pg 347]</span>Wren, acting like a tree-creeper, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>, <a href="#Page_236">236</a>, <a href="#Page_237">237</a>, <a href="#Page_238">238</a>, <a href="#Page_239">239</a>, <a href="#Page_240">240</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Ascends tree-trunks perpendicularly, <a href="#Page_237">237</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">descent of doubtful, <a href="#Page_238">238</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">sometimes assisted by wings, <a href="#Page_240">240</a>.</li> -<li class="isub1">Suggestions as to habit and mode of tree-creeping, <a href="#Page_242">242</a>, <a href="#Page_243">243</a></li> - -<li class="indx">Wren, Golden-crested, amongst pine-trees, <a href="#Page_252">252</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">suggesting humming-bird, <a href="#Page_252">252</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">examines pine-needles, <a href="#Page_252">252</a>, <a href="#Page_253">253</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">his note, <a href="#Page_253">253</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Yellow-hammer, at straw-stack in winter, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>, <a href="#Page_201">201</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Zoologists, have been <i>thanatologists</i>, <a href="#Page_224">224</a>;</li> -<li class="isub2">prefer death to life, <a href="#Page_332">332</a>, <a href="#Page_333">333</a></li> -</ul> -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="chap"> -<p class="center"> -THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED<br /> -<br /> -ST BERNARD'S ROW, EDINBURGH<br /> -</p> -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> -<div class="bbox chap transnote"> -<h2>TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE</h2> -<p>Dialectic and archaic spellings have been maintained. Obvious -misspellings and other printing errors have been fixed as detailed below. -Corrections are shown in the text like <span class="correction" title="Original text">this</span>. -<span class="not-hh">Mousing over the change will show the original text.</span></p> - -<p class="hh-only">The cover was produced at PGDP.net and is in the public domain.</p> -<table summary="Transcriber's changes details"> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page vii (<a href="#LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS">LoI</a>):</td> - <td class="tntop">Great Skuas: ... 100</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>Great Skuas: ... 101</td> -</tr> - -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page vii (<a href="#LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS">LoI</a>):</td> - <td class="tntop">On a Guillemot Ledge</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>On a Guillemot-ledge</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page vii (<a href="#LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS">LoI</a>):</td> - <td class="tntop">In a Sand-Pit ... 328</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>In a Sand-Pit ... 329</td> -</tr> - -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_12">12</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">même jeu</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>meme jeu</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Facing page 12 <a href="#Illus_12">(caption)</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">Dancing of Great Plovers in Autumn</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>Autumn "Dancings" of the Great Plover</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_18">18</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">of Cervantes' creation</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>of Cervante's creation</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_25">25</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">il faut rendre à cela</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>il faut rendre a cela</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page 29 (<a href="#Illus_29">caption</a>):</td> - <td class="tntop">Master and Pupil: Hooded-Crow flying with Peewits</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>Master and Pupil</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_46">46</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">sans cérémonie</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>sans ceremonie</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_50">50</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">à deux</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>a deux</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_51">51</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">is fairly over. In full flight,</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>is fairly over. "In full flight,</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_54">54</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">creaky, see-sawey note</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>creaky, sea-sawey note</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_88">88</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">or, at any rate, a something</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>or, at anyrate, a something</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_89">89</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">à trois</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>a trois</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_99">99</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">vis-à-vis</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>vis-a-vis</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Facing page 100 (<a href="#Illus_100">caption</a>):</td> - <td class="tntop">Great Skuas: Nuptial Flight and Pose</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>Great Skuas: a nuptial pose</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_105">105</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">and acts in the same way on the next occasion</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>and acts in the some way on the next occasion</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_110">110</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">en évidence</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>en evidence</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_122">122</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">when thus aerially delivered</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>when thus aerialy delivered</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_127">127</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">gulls, but occasionally the great skua also, this last,</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>gulls, but ocasionally the great skua also, this last,</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_140">140</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">may be called conspicuous, at any rate</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>may be called conspicuous, at anyrate</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_147">147</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galere?</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>Que diable allait il faire dans cette galere?</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page 150 (<a href="#Illus_150">caption</a>):</td> - <td class="tntop">Habet! Great-Crested Grebe Attacked by Another Under Water.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>Crested Grebe</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_161">161</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">became in some degree truly aquatic,</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>became in some degree truly acquatic,</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_172">172</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">vis-à-vis</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>vis-a-vis</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_176">176</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">gargoyle-like</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>gargoil-like</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_211">211</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">sauve-qui-peut</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>sauve qui peut</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_227">227</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">sauve-qui-peut</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>sauve qui peut</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page 254 (<a href="#Illus_254">caption</a>):</td> - <td class="tntop">Fairy Artillery: Willow-Warbler Pecking Catkins in Flight.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>Fairy Artillery</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page 283 (<a href="#Footnote_21_21">footnote 21</a>):</td> - <td class="tntop">Je m'en doute</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>Je me'en doute</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_313">313</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">Vergessene Träume erwachen</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>Vergessene Traüme erwachen</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tntop">Page <a href="#Page_331">331</a>:</td> - <td class="tntop">en état</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td>Originally:</td> - <td>en etat</td> -</tr> -</table> - -<p>In the index, page numbers were missing on the following entries -and were supplied by the transcriber:</p> - -<ul id="tn-index"> -<li class="tn-first">Under <a href="#Index_Robin">Robin</a>,</li> -<li class="tn-second">an example of sexual selection acting in two directions 318</li> - -<li class="tn-first">Under <a href="#Index_Thought">Thought-transference</a>,</li> -<li class="tn-second">may be, in some ways, superior to speech 223</li> - -<li class="tn-first">Under <a href="#Index_Wheatear">Wheatear</a>,</li> -<li class="tn-second">conduct of rival males similar to that of nightingales 308</li> -</ul> -</div> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<hr class="full" /> -<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRD WATCHING***</p> -<p>******* This file should be named 50175-h.htm or 50175-h.zip *******</p> -<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> -<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/0/1/7/50175">http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/1/7/50175</a></p> -<p> -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed.</p> - -<p>Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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