THE CYCLE OF SEX 125 



Among birds, the capercailzie cocks fight 

 savagely in the early spring till the snow is 

 often spotted with their blood. From the 

 shelter of a sheep-fold just after sunrise we 

 have watched the jousting of four or five 

 blackcock on a flat sward among the hills. 

 Almost transfigured they were with passion, 

 so that we could scarce believe they were 

 the same birds ; and how absorbed as they 

 bluffed one another, spreading their wings, 

 raising their tail, bowing till their chin touched 

 the ground, or vaulting into the air. From 

 the branches of two small alder trees numerous 

 females looked down on the tournament of 

 the cocks, and were seemingly very much 

 interested spectators. 



In a lighter mood the ruffs so extra- 

 ordinarily individualised that no two are 

 alike fight the whole day long in the fen- 

 lands (no longer, alas ! in Britain). About 

 anything or nothing these glorified sand- 

 pipers fight almost as dramatically as game- 

 cocks, seizing one another by the beak, leaping 

 into the air and striking with the wings ; and 

 it is likely that those who excel in the after 

 all bloodless jousts have their reward in im- 

 pressing the females and driving off rivals. 

 For the ruff is a thoroughgoing polygamist. 

 It is interesting to notice, also, that as with 

 the blackcock, the sparring between the 

 males is supplemented by a self-abandoning 

 display. " Nothing," says Wolley, " can be 

 more expressive of humility and ardent love 

 than some of the actions of the ruff. He 

 throws himself prostrate on the ground, with 

 every feather in his body standing up and 



