THE PLAY OF ANIMALS. 279 



repeated rapidly, in which case it is like a blacksmith's 

 strokes on the anvil." * 



Brehm carefully observed one of these bell birds in 

 captivity, and describes minutely its wildly excited con- 

 dition, which becomes more and more intense as the 

 cries are repeated: " That he sometimes even seals these 

 love transports with his death is proved to me by the 

 fact that the bell bird which I was watching fell dead 

 from his perch with his last cry." One can hardly 

 say in this case that the birds sing from mere exuberant 

 spirits. Other birds show similar ecstasies, notably the 

 black and heath cocks. The voice of the former is 

 exceedingly high and is indescribable in words; their 

 cry is well known to hunters and is commonly heard 

 in the spring. About sundown this bird perches on a 

 tree, preferably an old beech or fir, that he will return to 

 year after year if not disturbed. At the time when the 

 red beech leaves he sings with only short intermissions 

 from the first gleam of dawn till after sundown. He 

 takes his post on a bare, sturdy limb, inflates his long 

 neck feathers, makes a wheel of his tail, drops his wings, 

 erects his plumage, trips on his toes, and rolls his eyes 

 comically. At the same time he gives forth notes that are 

 at first slow and detached, then quicker and more con- 

 nected, until at last a distinct beat can be distinguished 

 among the accompanying notes, ending in a long-drawn 

 cry, during which the bird rolls his eyes in ecstasy." f 



* This bird has a bill of the most peculiar construction. It has 

 a flaccid bag hanging below it that is inflated during courtship 

 sometimes to a length of three inches, and a perpendicular posi- 

 tion. It would be difficult to explain the purpose of this append- 

 age if one did not admit its connection with the sexual life. Ro- 

 manes gives a description in his Darwin and after Darwin. 



f F. von Tschudi, Das Thierleben der Alpenwelt, p. 174. 

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