156



On the motmot.



1 have discovered that my motmot has a distinct affection

for me. I was away from home for a week, and on my return,

directly I approached his cage, he jumped off a perch on to the floor,

threw up his tail, inclined his head, slightly inflating his throat, and

uttering quite loudly ‘ oup-oup-oup.’ At the same time the pupils of

the eyes contracted, which caused the brilliant ruby colour to flash

and scintillate. He repeated this every time I went near him, bowing

his head slightly with a slow movement, to be at once followed by

his rather Hoopoe-like notes.


I let him out of his cage. He flew on to the oaken sill of a

window, and even as he alighted, twisted round and erected his tail

hopping a few paces. On approaching him, flash went his ruby

eyes, down went his head in a dignified bow, the vocal sac was

distended, and again— 1 oup—oup—oup,’ uttered very rapidly, with

the sonorous quality of the cuckoo’s notes. It seems to me to be

the middle C on the keys of a pianoforte. He’s very attractive!


And, furthermore, a proof of his intelligence came to the fore.

There are usually six or seven Pekingese dogs in the house, of whom,

now he knows them, he is not merely not afraid, but if his cage is

on the lawn in fine weather, and any of the dogs put their noses

near the bars, he will hop down and try to peck them. One day,

however, a new Pekingese was added to the family circle, of a

different colour to the rest; a rich grey “ brindle.” We were at

luncheon, when suddenly the motmot became very frightened, dash¬

ing about his cage. The new Pekingese was walking about close

beneath the table on which the cage was placed; and it was very

evident that the bird distinguished the colour and individuality of

the dog, the others being either red or particoloured. In a day or

two, the motmot became reconciled to what he thought to be an

enemy. It was undoubtedly the colour that caused him to distin¬

guish this particular Pekingese from the others ; another proof that

the varied hues of so many male birds can be appreciated by the

females, indeed if it were not so, the display of the males would be

futile and meaningless, when dancing, quivering ornamental plumes,

spreading feathers to exhibit colours to the best advantage, and so

on. Watch a male golden pheasant pirouetting round a female,



