A LABRADOR SPRING 



round, the neck correspondingly small, and as 

 he swims forward the head is thrust out in front 

 close to the water, occasionally dabbing at it. 

 Suddenly he springs forward elevating his 

 breast, and at the same time enters on the most 

 typical and essential part of the performance. 

 The neck is stretched up, and the bill, pointing 

 to the zenith, is opened to emit a harsh, rasping, 

 double note, zzee at, vibrating and searching in 

 character. The head is then quickly snapped 

 back until the occiput touches the rump, whence 

 it is brought forward again with a jerk to the 

 normal position. As the head is brought to 

 its place, the bird often springs forward, kicking 

 the water out behind, and displaying like a flash 

 of flame the orange coloured legs. This appears 

 to be the complete performance, and the female 

 although usually passive, sometimes responds 

 by protruding her head close to the water in 

 front, and then bringing it up so that it also 

 points to the zenith. Further than this, I 

 have not seen her go. It must be remembered 

 that even as late as March there are many young 

 males whose plumage resembles that of the 

 female, although the males are of larger size, yet 

 it is often difficult to distinguish them from the 



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