56 ADVENTURES AMONG BIRDS 



acts in other species of social disposition or habits, 

 which are undoubtedly inspired by a similar spirit. Little 

 sham quarrels and flights and chases ; we see them squar- 

 ing up to one another with threatening gestures and 

 language; playing little practical jokes too, as when one 

 approaches another in a friendly way and subtly watches 

 him to snatch a morsel from his beak; or when another 

 pretends to have found something exceptionally good 

 and makes a great fuss about it to deceive a comrade, 

 and when the other carries the joke further by capturing 

 and carrying off the bit of dry stick or whatever it is, 

 and pretending to feast on it with great satisfaction. 

 These and a hundred other little playful acts of the 

 kind are common enough and mingle with and are like 

 a part of the food-getting or other business of the 

 moment. 



The strangeness of the plover's performance was due 

 to the singular form which play in them almost invariably 

 takes — the military discipline in all their movements, 

 their drumming sounds and commanding cries, the 

 tremendous formality of it all ! The two birds were 

 like little children pretending to be some mighty person- 

 ages who owned everything and lorded it over the others. 

 They were dispensers of the water of the lake, and were 

 graciously pleased to allow any thirsty bird that came 

 to drink and bathe, but only after the proper ceremonies 

 had been performed ; also the drinking and bathing had 

 to be cut short rather on this occasion. 



