COURTSHIP AMONG BIRDS 103 



become elongated and delicately tinted, and, further- 

 more, they are erectile : so that they can be raised up on 

 each side of the body to form an almost circular shield 

 of delicate ash grey, bordered with buff and emerald 

 green. These play a most important part during the sexual 

 frenzy, and the effect thereof is not a little heightened 

 by the middle pair of tail-feathers, which have been 

 modified to form a pair of slender stalks, some ten inches 

 long, bearing at the ends a curious disc of emerald green 

 formed by coiling upon itself — like a watch-spring — the 

 only piece of the vane of the feather which remains. 



So much for its fine feathers ; now for the manner 

 of their use. " He always commences his display," 

 writes Sir William Ingram, " by giving forth several short 

 notes and squeaks, sometimes resembling the call of a 

 quail, sometimes the whine of a pet dog. Next he spreads 

 out his wings, occasionally quite hiding his head ; at 

 times, stretched upright, he flaps them, as if he intended 

 to take flight, and then, with a sudden movement, gives 

 himself a half turn, so that he faces the spectators, puffing 

 out his silky-white lower feathers ; now he bursts into his 

 beautiful melodious warbling song, so enchanting to 

 hear but so difficult to describe. Some weeks ago I was 

 crossing a meadow and heard the song of a skylark high 

 up in the heavens, and I exclaimed at once : * That is 

 the love-chant of my King-bird.' He sings a low bubbling 

 note, displaying all the while his beautiful fan-like side- 

 plumes, which he opens and closes in time with the varia- 

 tions of his song. These fan-plumes can only be expanded 

 when his wings are closed, and during this part of the 

 display he closes his wings and spreads out his short tail, 

 pressing it close over his back, so as to throw the long 

 tail-wires over his head, while he gently swings his body 



