148 IN PAIRING TIME 



the right and the left arm alternately. In this 

 rolling of the Greenfinch, however, the motion is 

 much less pronounced than in such a swimmer ; for 

 whilst the strokes of the swimmer are separate and 

 successive, the wing-strokes of the Greenfinch are 

 not distinct and to a large extent overlap. It is just 

 this failure to cause the wing-strokes to synchronize 

 precisely that sets up the continuous rolling. The 

 rolling flight is necessarily slower than the plain flight, 

 and the bird suits to it a distinctive twanging song also 

 slower than that employed in more prosaic moments. 



Ring-doves have a somewhat similar display. 

 The bird that struts so passionately about the 

 apparently indifferent female with sweeping tail and 

 breast puffed out, ducking as if to head her off at 

 every point this strong-winged wooer may be 

 seen, when approaching the nesting tree, to falter 

 and sink with apparently unavailing efforts to gain 

 his perch, as if one should perform all the motions of 

 running yet make no progress. 



About the first week of March begins the wild 

 breeding cry of the Lapwing : " Co-u-whce ! whee- 

 whee ! co-u-whee / " so different from the peevish 

 " Pee / *' or " Pee-wit ! " of the winter bird. A week 

 or two later the male will be at his antics. At times 

 he is content to strut with tail elevated, displaying 

 the now full-coloured fawny under-coverts. Then, 

 up-ending, as it is called, that is, setting his breast to 

 the ground and holding his tail aloft, he continues to 

 rock his tail with an up-and-down motion. As he 

 does this he emits a regularly repeated sound, vocal 

 so far as I can ascertain, but resembling the creaking 

 sound to be made by doubling a thick, new leather 



