WATCHING GREAT PLOVERS, ETC. 17 



full of a peculiar gravity and importance. Having 

 thus played his part he again stops, and, standing 

 idly about, seems lapsed into indifference. Mean- 

 while, 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 re- 

 mained 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 



B 



