74 BIRD WATCHING 



Shortly after five they again fought, but this time 

 entirely in the air. They mounted, fighting, to a 

 considerable height, descended, still doing so, and 

 separated in alighting. Afterwards both of them 

 sang whilst on the ground, and then one mounted 

 up, still singing, and danced when he came down. 

 At half-past five I could only see one of the birds, 

 and this one I noticed to run several times in and 

 out of one of those sandy depressions I have spoken 

 of, and which seem to play such a part in these 

 curious performances. A little later both of them seem 

 gone, but now, at a quarter to six, as I am about to 

 follow their example, I again see them, in company 

 with the hen. She shortly runs a little away from 

 them, the two males remaining together, but making 

 no further demonstration. In a little, one of them 

 flies to her, and these two are now in each other's 

 company, singing, flying, and twittering, for some ten 

 minutes. It would seem as though she had made 

 her choice, and that this was submitted to by the 

 rejected bird, but just before leaving at six o'clock 

 all three are again together." 



It is to be observed here that these two birds, 

 though they were in active and excited rivalry for 

 the greater part of an afternoon, and though they 

 made many feints and, as it were, endeavours to 

 fight, yet only really fought twice, seeming, indeed, 

 to have a considerable respect for each other's prowess, 

 and "letting I dare not wait upon I will" during 

 most of the time. Perhaps they were brave, but 

 the idea given me by the whole thing was 

 that of two cowards trying to work themselves up 

 into a sufficient degree of fury to overcome, for a 



