A SOFT DUET 25 



I have seen tame doves of mine act in just the same 

 way, and here, too, both would coo together upon 

 the nest. 



In regard to the two sexes churring, thus, in 

 unison, I can assert, in the most uncompromising 

 manner, that they do so, having been several times 

 a witness of it, at but a few steps' distance, and in 

 broad daylight, I may almost say, taking the time 

 of the year into consideration. The eyes, indeed, 

 are as important as the ears in coming to a con- 

 clusion on the matter, for not only is the tail 

 wagged in these little duets, but with the first 

 breath of the sound, the feathers of the bird's throat 

 begin to twitch and vibrate, in a very noticeable 

 manner. Various authorities, it is true, either state 

 or imply that the male nightjar alone churrs, or 

 burrs, or plays the castanets, however one may try 

 to describe that wonderful sound, which seems to 

 become the air itself, on summer evenings, any- 

 where where nightjars are numerous. But these 

 authorities are all mistaken, and as soon as they 

 take to watching a pair of the birds hatching their 

 eggs, they will find that they were, but not before, 

 for there is no other way of making certain. It is 

 true that the churr thus uttered, though as distinct 

 as an air played on the piano, is now extraordinarily 

 subdued, of so soft and low a quality that, remember- 

 ing what it more commonly is, one feels inclined to 

 marvel at such a power of modulation. But it is 

 just the same sound " in little " — how, indeed, can 

 such a sound be mistaken ? — and, after all, since a 

 drum can be beaten lightly, there is no reason why 

 an instrument, which is part of the performer itself, 



