110 THE STORY OF BIRD-LIFE. 



and were alternately jumping about two feet 

 in the air, and alighting exactly upon the spot 

 whence they jumped. The tune was as regular 

 as clockwork, one bird jumping up the instant 

 the other alighted, each bird accompanying 

 himself to the tune of To-U-do — to-U-do — to-U-do, 

 sounding the syllable to as he crouched to spring, 

 U while in the air, and do as he alighted. This 

 performance was kept up without intermission 

 for more than a minute, when the birds suddenly 

 discovered that they had an audience, and made 

 off." 



In the Hon. Walter Rothschild's '"'Avifauna of 

 Lays in," there is a vivid word-picture of similar 

 antics of the stately albatross. " First, tbey stand 

 face to face, then they begin nodding and bowing 

 vigorously, then rub their bills together with 

 a whistling cry. After this they begin shaking 

 their heads and snapping their bills with marvel- 

 lous rapidity, occasionally lifting one wing, 

 straightening themselves out, and blowing out 

 their breasts ; then they put their bill under the 

 wing or toss it in the air with a groaning scream, 

 and walk round each other often for fifteen 

 minutes at a time." 



Dr Sharpe, in his "Wonders of the Bird 

 AVorld," gives the following extract from Mr 

 Nelson's lieport on the Birds of Alaska, illustra- 

 tive of the curious dancing habits of the cranes. 

 ^'On May 18, I lay in a hunting blind and was 

 much amused by the performances of two cranes 

 which alighted near by. The first-comer re- 

 mained alone but a short time, when a second 

 bird came along, uttering his loud note at short 



