306 BULLETIN 14G, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



perhaps just in the height of sexual activity, the social instinct is 

 predominant. The following account is taken from William Farren's 

 (1910) description of the "Piping parties": 



The piping of tlie males depends on tlie presence of the female. Another male 

 in the neighborhood hears the note, becomes interested, pipes a .little, and then 

 flies direct to where the performance is taking place. He places himself by the 

 side of the other male and the t*vo pipe together to the female. Generally 

 uni'esponsive, the female may walk away, when she is followed by the two 

 males, who continue their serenade. In one instance observed by Mr. Selous, 

 the female flew down to a lower shelf , of rock and the two males piped down 

 to her from above ; and when at last she flew away they, with a few single 

 querulous notes, assumed their ordinary attitude and walked disconsolately 

 about. The flight of the female always ended the performance. 



Mr. Selous (1901), in describing the piping serenade of the male, 

 states that when he begins he faces her, but " having once begun he 

 seems more enthralled by liis 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." This remarkable ^ong is 

 audible a long way off and is described well by Selous as " an ear- 

 piercing clamor." He writes it as " hee kee kee kee kervee kervee 

 kervee kervee kervee^'' becoming fainter in its later stages and ending 

 in a long-drawn out quavering trill. In some cases, according to 

 Selous, the female also pipes, and one pair, presumably already 

 mated, will chase another pair, all four piping together. He al^o 

 instances a case in which an unattached male approached close to 

 where a hen was sitting; she left the nest, and, joining her mate, the 

 two advanced on the intruder, piping a warning, and put him to 

 flight. 



Perhaps the fullest study of the subject is contained in a paper by 

 J. S. Huxley and F. A. Montague (1925). Here the piping is de- 

 scribed thus : 



Any number of birds, from one to seven or eight or possibly more, may take 

 part in it. Typically, what occurs is as follows : One or more birds begin the 

 loud characteristic piping which typically again is given in a special attitude, the 

 head and bill directed straight downward, the bill held open and very slightly 

 vibrated, the neck thrust forward so that the .shoulders show up with rather a 

 horsey look. Sometimes, but not always, the whole body is bobbed up and down 

 at intervals in the way common to so many wading birds, but not very markedly. 

 Frequently, but again not always, the iierformers trot rapidly round when 

 piping, very often close side by side and usually in a serpentine course, with 

 short quick steps. Sometimes one of the performers will suddenly turn right 

 round through 180° in the middle of its performance ; one I saw turn through 

 the complete 360" in two spasms. 



Huxley and Montague have shown that this piping performance 

 has not only a sexual significance, but that it also plays a number of 

 other roles in the bird's life, as, for instance, in unilateral courtship, 

 mutual courtship, aggression, sexual jealousy, territorial jealousy, 



