no THE COURTSHIP OF ANIMALS 



least two miles in the morning air. This sound is by- 

 no means harsh or unpleasant. When standing in the 

 open prairie at early dawn listening to hundreds of 

 different voices pitched in different keys, coming from 

 every direction and from various distances, the listener 

 is rather soothed than excited. 



"Every few minutes this display is repeated. I have 

 seen not only one, but more than twenty cocks going 

 through this funny operation at once ; but then they 

 seem careful not to run against each other, for they have 

 not yet got to the fighting point. After a little while the 

 lady birds begin to show an interest in the proceedings by 

 moving about quickly, a few yards at a time, and then 

 standing still a short time. 



" The party breaks up when the sun is half an hour 

 high, to be repeated the next morning, and every morning 

 for a week or two before all make satisfactory matches. 

 It is towards the latter part of the love-season that the 

 fighting takes place among the cocks, probably by two 

 who have fallen in love with the same sweetheart. . . .'* 



There is much that is extremely interesting in this 

 account and a little that seems to have been mis- 

 interpreted. The fact that these antics are repeated 

 during many days until at last the females are moved 

 to display some interest is just what we should expect 

 if this demonstrative behaviour on the part of the males 

 acts, as we believe, as an aphrodisiac. And that actual 

 fighting occurs is highly probable, but there can be no 

 doubt that in such case the whole aspect of the bird 

 must be changed, for anything in the nature of fighting 

 with the delicate air-sacs inflated would greatly endanger 

 the most important aid to success in achieving this object 

 which these birds possess. 



