THE MANAKIN'S ATRIAL DANCE. 121 



should put himself into awkward and uncouth atti- 

 tudes all to win the regard of an obscure maiden in 

 bottle green, seemed to me preposterous, to say the 

 least. But these little fellows don't know their ad- 

 vantage and superior attractions. So anxious are they 

 to get together and try a tilt that, should you hear the 

 whistle of one in the woods, you have but to answer 

 it in kind, and the manakin will fly precipitately to- 

 ward you. Many have thus been lured to death, by 

 those who cared more for their feathers than their 

 antics. This little bird is about five inches long ; it 

 completes its courting and builds its nest in May, and 

 may be found about the milkwood and the parrot- 

 apple trees. 



The manakins and other birds beguiled the time 

 so charmingly that the day had gone before I knew 

 it, and I found my way home by moonlight. The 

 moon was climbing a vault clear and unclouded, but 

 the ravines and masses of trees were in deepest 

 shadow. 



10 



