PAIRING. 81 



We have a similar instance to those mentioned by 

 Montagu, recorded by Professor Kalm. " A couple 

 of swallows," he says, " built their nest in a stable, 

 and the female laid eggs in the nest, and was about 

 to brood them. Some days afterwards the people 

 saw the female still sitting on the eggs; but the 

 male, flying about the nest, and sometimes settling 

 on a nail, was heard to utter a very plaintive note, 

 which betrayed his uneasiness. On a nearer ex- 

 amination, the female was found dead in the nest ; 

 and the people flung her body away. The male then 

 went to sit upon the eggs; but after being about two 

 hours on them, and perhaps finding the business too 

 troublesome, he went out, and returned in the after- 

 noon with another female, which sat upon the nest, 

 and afterwards fed the young ones till they were able 

 to provide for themselves *." 



That it is not the cock alone, however, which is 

 thus able to procure a second mate, appears from the 

 remarks of White. "Among the monogamous birds," 

 he says, "several are to be found, after pairing time, 

 single, and of each sex ; but whether this state of 

 celibacy is matter of choice or necessity is not so 

 easily discoverable. When the house-sparrows deprive 

 my martins of their nests, as soon as I cause one to 

 be shot, the other, be it cock or hen, presently pro- 

 cures a mate, and so for several times following. I 

 have known a dove- house infested by a pair of white 

 owls, which made great havock among young 

 pigeons. One of the owls was shot as soon as 

 possible ; but the survivor readily found a mate, and 

 the mischief went on. After some time the new pair 

 were both destroyed, and the annoyance ceased. 

 Another instance, I remember, of a sportsman, whose 

 zeal for the increase of his game being greater than 

 his humanity, after pairing time he always shot the 

 * Travels in America, 



