THE PLAY OP ANIMALS. 267 



widespread wings are not folded and all his feathers are 

 so ruffled up that he looks much larger and is hardly rec- 

 ognisable. But he can not sustain a horizontal flight, 

 and each time sinks perceptibly lower. This kind of 

 floating is not usual with the titmouse, and therefore the 

 more remarkable." * 



The hoopoe spreads his fine head decoration in 

 flying as a fan is opened and shut. The striped snipe 

 inflates his feathers and flies slowly with languid strokes, 

 looking much more like an owl than one of his own kind. 



The tumbling about in the air common with so 

 many birds, as well as the upward flight and quick de- 

 scent, also serves to show off their colouring. Dance 

 motions are, however, best of all calculated to display 

 their charms advantageously, and the vanity displayed 

 by many birds during these performances strengthens 

 the probability of self-consciousness. Indeed, when we 

 reflect how early a child shows an appreciation of any 

 expression of admiration, how vain the dog is of his 

 tricks, and the parrot of talking, this supposition does 

 not seem unwarranted. The vanity of peacocks is pro- 

 verbial. " He evidently wishes for a spectator of some 

 kind," says Darwin, " and, as I have often seen, will 

 show off his finery before poultry, or even pigs." 



Gesner remarked, long ago, in his Historia Anima- 

 lium, that the peacock admired its own beautiful plumage 

 and at once displays his glowing feathers when any one 

 admires them and calls them beautiful. Bennett says 

 the bird of paradise looks knowing and dances about 

 when a visitor approaches his cage. He will not en- 

 dure the least spot on his feathers, and often spreads 

 his wings and tail to gaze upon his finery. " Espe- 



* Naturgeschichte der Vogel Deutschlands, iv, p. 68. 



