94 BIRD LIFE GLIMPSES 



half-a-dozen or more somewhere else, whilst the 

 groups are constantly intermingling, the members of 

 one becoming those of another, two growing into four 

 or five, these, again, thinning into two or one, and 

 so on. But during the height of the play or sport, 

 or whatever we may term it, there is hardly a 

 moment when birds may not be seen in pursuit, or, 

 rather, in graceful following flight, of one another, 

 over some or other part of the space. This space 

 — an irregular area of about iioo paces in circum- 

 ference — they seldom go beyond or leave, except for 

 good, and as they repair to it daily, at about the 

 same times, this makes it, in some real sense, their 

 playground, as I have called it. 



But, now, what is the nature of the play, and 

 in what does the pleasure consist ? If it be sexual, 

 as I suppose, then it would seem as if the passions 

 of the cuckoo were of a somewhat languid nature. 

 The birds, even when there is most the appearance 

 of pursuit, do not, in a majority of cases, seem to 

 wish to approach each other closely. The rule is 

 that when the pursued or leading cuckoo settles 

 in a tree or bush, the pursuing or following one 

 flies beyond it, into another. Should the latter, 

 however, settle in the same bush, the other, just as 

 he alights — often on the very same twig — flies on to 

 the next. This certainly looks like desire on the part 

 of the one bird ; but where two or more sit in the 

 same tree, or in two whose branches interpenetrate, 

 they show no wish for a very near proximity. 

 The delight seems to be in flying or sitting in 

 company, but the company need not be close. 

 That the sexual incentive is the foundation-stone 



