266 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 23 7 part i 



of a small birch, under which the performance had taken place. 

 Although I was no more than 15 or 20 feet from the birds during the 

 performance, and was right out in the open, they took absolutely no 

 notice of me." 



Gordon B. Wellman (1920) gives a similar account of the display, 

 but adds some interesting features. When the male "was about two 

 inches from and in front of" the female 



he picked up a straw, dropped it and picked up a piece of grass which hung from 

 each side of his bill. This seemed to be the signal for the greatest agitation on 

 his part; with ecstatic dance, full song and vibrating wings he moved slowly on 

 beating feet, back and forth before the female ; then he rose six inches in the air, 

 poured forth glorious song notes and dropped to the ground at one side of the 

 female. He landed on his feet but instantly took a most dramatic pose by holding 

 stiffly his spread tail to the ground and tilting back on that support with head 

 held high, the raised crest and carmine ruff adding to the effect. Then like a 

 little tragedian he rolled over on his side, apparently lifeless; the song ceased and 

 the straw fell from his bill. Up to this time the female had remained oblivious 

 as far as outward manifestation showed, but now she turned quickly and gave the 

 male as he lay "dead" a vicious peck in the breast, whereat he came to and flew 

 up in the tree, a normal bird once more, and was soon singing in the usual de- 

 liberate fashion from a high perch. The female busied herself about the spot 

 where he had just danced and soon finding the straw and grass which he had 

 dropped she picked them up in her bill and flew into the tree where she went 

 searching from place to place for a spot to start a nest. 



Sometimes the courtship consists largely of competition in song. 

 Kev. J. H. Langille (1884) quotes an observation made by Eugene 

 Ringueberg, who saw a female ahght on a branch, after having been 

 chased by two males, singing as hard as they could ; the males alighted 

 near her, and each "faced the female with neck outstretched and 

 crest raised to its fullest dimensions, and leaned forward far enough 

 to show conspicuously its bright rump, and to aid in this display, 

 spread both wings and tail to the widest extent; and moving, or more 

 properly dancing, up and down, poured forth such a volume of song 

 as I did not think them capable of producing." 



Mrs. Louise de Kiriline Lawrence, writing from Rutherglen, 

 Ontario, says she watched a male dance before a female. The male 

 had a piece of nesting material, a pine needle, in his bill. His crest 

 was raised like a plume; his wings drooped and vibrated like a 

 hmnmingbird's; his tail was raised. He uttered a continuous, soft 

 warbling song with the most exquisite whistles and passages. The 

 display continued for at least a minute and a half. The female paid 

 no attention. The next day, June 3, a generally similar performance 

 took place. This time the female flew up onto a rock, "tucked" 

 softly, sank herself down, lifted her tail, and began trembling her 

 wings. The male, in an ecstacy flew toward her. He had nothing 

 in his bill. She sank down deeper, rippled her wings faster. The 



