A STRANGE PERFORMANCE 165 



straight forward, in a line with the neck, [which is 

 stretched straight out, to its fullest extent, the crest 

 lying flat down upon it. In this strange, set attitude, 

 and with these funny little set, formal steps, he 

 advances, without a pause, for some dozen or twenty 

 yards, then stops, resumes his ordinary demeanour, 

 and, shortly, flies off. In a little while the same 

 thing occurs again, and, though still not quick 

 enough with the glasses to be quite certain which 

 bird it is that leads the way, immediately after the 

 nuptial rite has been accomplished, I yet think it is 

 the male ; and he rolls now in two different places, 

 making a run to some distance, in the way described, 

 after the first time of doing so. It is only on the 

 second occasion that the other bird runs up to him. 

 The actions of the two are, then, as before, except 

 that the last comer — the female, as I think — rolls 

 this time, slightly, also. It is in a very imperfect 

 and, as one may say, rudimentary manner, but I 

 catch the characteristic, though subdued, motion 

 with the tail. 



My glass is now upon a peewit standing 

 negligently on the warrens, when another one, 

 entering its field, flies right down upon and pairs 

 with this bird, without having previously alighted 

 on the ground. Immediately afterwards he (the 

 male) makes his funny little run forward, starting 

 from by the side of the female, and, at the end of 

 it, pitches forward and commences to roll. The 

 female, shortly, comes up to him, with the same 

 interested manner as on the other occasions, and, on 

 his moving his length forward, and sinking down 

 again, she sits in the spot where he has just rolled, 



