THE WHEATEAR 401 



dently settled the preliminaries, and were engaged in house-hunting. 

 The hen was busily inspecting one rabbit-hole after another, but 

 whenever she paused, or turned to consult her mate, he threw himself 

 into various poses each of which was calculated to show his perfections 

 to great advantage. He would rise into the air some distance, then 

 drop like a stone within a hairsbreadth of the ground, much after the 

 manner of an ecstatic lapwing. When this display of daring ceased to 

 impress, he would hop round her, suddenly turn his back and spread 

 out his tail feathers so that the white parts were brought into view. 



In watching the " display " of male birds in general, one cannot 

 help wondering what special feature in any given bird of one species 

 should finally attract the female. A perfectly useless question to ask 

 where human beings are concerned, although in their case there 

 seems more variety both as regards beauty and temperament. But 

 take the case of the wheatear. To the human observer one is 

 exactly like another, and out of a whole regiment of them, arrayed 

 in exactly the same uniform, it would be difficult to select one 

 and say, "This is the most finished specimen." Does the hen bird 

 after all look for something in her suitor apart from mere blandish- 

 ments and outward show ? Who knows ? Those who are unsym- 

 pathetic with animal life deny it reason, or power of choice. But we, 

 who live day after day alone with wild nature, know how absolutely 

 one bird of the same species may differ from another, in courage, 

 parental affection, and temperament. This must be still more apparent 

 to birds themselves, amongst which as indeed amongst all animals 

 thought-transference is an undoubted means of communication, and 

 speech unnecessary. It is we who are "dumb," not they. Therefore 

 the hen birds in selecting their mates may, after all, be guided by a dis- 

 cernment of the real character of the husbands they choose, and all this 

 "display" of the males, besides showing off' their exterior '4tiV4bntages, 

 may unconsciously reveal to the females little tra(ts/j9f..$spbfe*iii : 

 which assist her in her final choice. But we have no key to the inmost 

 workings of a bird's mind. 



3F 



