BIRD COURTSHIP 85 



by hammering upon a dry, resonant limb, when in 

 due time the female approaches and is duly courted 

 and won. The drumming of the ruffed grouse is 

 for the same purpose; the female hears, concludes 

 to take a walk that way, approaches timidly, is seen 

 and admired, and the match is made. That the 

 male accepts the first female that offers herself is 

 probable. Among all the birds the choice, the se- 

 lection, seems to belong to the female. The males 

 court promiscuously; the females choose discreetly. 

 The grouse, unlike the woodpecker, always carries 

 his drum with him, which is his own proud breast; 

 yet, if undisturbed, he selects some particular log or 

 rock in the woods from which to sound forth his 

 willingness to wed. What determines the choice of 

 the female it would be hard to say. Among song- 

 birds, it is probably the best songster, or the one 

 whose voice suits her taste best. Among birds 

 of bright plumage, it is probably the gayest dress; 

 among the drummers, she is doubtless drawn by some 

 quality of the sound. Our ears and eyes are too coarse 

 to note any differences in these things, but doubtless 

 the birds themselves note differences. 



Birds show many more human traits than do quad- 

 rupeds. That they actually fall in love admits of 

 no doubt ; that there is a period of courtship, during 

 which the male uses all the arts he is capable of to 

 win his mate, is equally certain; that there are jeal- 

 ousies and rivalries, and that the peace of families is 

 often rudely disturbed by outside males or females 

 is a common observation. The females, when they 



