396 OYSTERCATCHER AND TURNSTONE 



rapidly dies away as they pass out of sight and hearing. The note has 

 been rendered by Professor Patten, "quick-quick-quick" 1 and " hic- 

 hic" by Saxby, who also likened the call-note to the words "my feet" 2 

 Of the various renderings given, none, in my opinion, is so suggestive 

 of the cry as Naumann's "huihp" or "kuihp" When several fly 

 together near the nesting-places it is "kwick, kwick" (short and 

 sharp) ; or one may begin " kewick, kewick, kwick, kwick, kwick, kwick, 

 kwirrrrr" 3 The latter, which is stated to be heard only in spring near 

 the nesting-places, is no doubt the pairing-song, which is a clamorous 

 piping, full and shrill. Like the pairing-songs of many birds, it con- 

 tinues more or less throughout the nesting season ; it is sometimes 

 uttered on the wing, but more often in actual courtship on the ground. 

 A courting male approaches the female, and bowing his head until the 

 tip of the long red bill nearly touches the ground, he utters his long 

 quavering trill or piping song, swaying his head from side to side in 

 rhythm with the music. Mr. Selous observed oystercatchers so engaged 

 as late as July, when, as he says, the true courting season should have 

 been over. He noticed at this time that more often than not two 

 males would pipe to one female, and although the pipers showed signs 

 of rivalry, and on rare occasions active hostility, they seemed to be more 

 engrossed with their musical display than with sexual matters. The 

 show of rivalry seemed to be due rather to professional than sexual 

 jealousy. 4 Certainly in the beginning of July, when young oyster- 

 catchers can fly and are thinking of flocking, such antics of adults, even 

 if identical in appearance, cannot have the same sexual significance as 

 in the spring during the period of real courtship. It is suggested that 

 this belated musical display marks the progress of development from 

 a purely sexual habit to one of a friendly social character analogous to 

 the ceremonial displays in which three birds take part of the spur- 

 winged lapwing of South America. One point in his arguments upon 

 which Mr. Selous lays great stress is the frequency with which one 



1 Aquatic Birds, p. 249. s Birds of Shetland, p. 172. 



3 Naumann, Vogel Mitteleuropas, viii. p. 96. 4 Bird Watching, pp. 90-93. 



