GREAT CRESTED-GREBE 423 



Mr. Huxley lays special stress on the fact that, unlike most birds, 

 the period of sexual excitement is manifested by displays in which 

 both sexes take an equal share. The display of the one is almost the 

 mirror image of that of the other. This equality in performance is surely 

 connected with the fact that both sexes assume a precisely similar 

 nuptial dress : though extravagance in the matter of antics during this 

 period of sexual excitement is by no means confined to birds of 

 resplendent plumage, when the sexes are soberly coloured the 

 female is rarely more than a passive witness of the performance of her 

 prospective mate. 



Not the least curious feature of the displays now to be described 

 is the fact that, so far as the evidence goes, they take place only after 

 pairing up has taken place. But to this we shall return : for the 

 moment we are concerned only with the actual performance, which is 

 of a truly remarkable character. It begins when the two birds, which 

 perhaps have been feeding, suddenly approach one another, at the same 

 time raising the ear-tufts and ruff and extending the neck vertically. 

 Presently they are face to face, and then each begins to shake the 

 head vigorously at the other, some four or five times from side to side 

 in quick succession. Then the same movement is repeated very slowly ; 

 a moment or two later the vigorous shakings begin again. After a 

 few repetitions of these quaint actions, the birds move off to feed as if 

 nothing at all had taken place. Sometimes, however, before parting, 

 and between the head shakings, one after the other would go very 

 slowly through a sort of preening pantomime : thrusting the beak down 

 into the back feathers, but yet without actually preening. Once or 

 twice Mr. Huxley was so fortunate as to see a solitary hen apparently 

 on the look-out for her mate, and evidently in a state of suppressed 

 excitement, for she swam along with her head and neck stretched 

 straight out, so that the ruff swept the water. Meanwhile she kept 

 swinging her neck from side to side and uttering a short barking call, 

 some five or six times. Then she raised her head as if to seek the 

 more readily for her missing mate ; and a moment later resumed the 



