268 THE PLAY OF ANIMALS. 



cially in the morning does he try to display all his 

 glory. He busies himself in arranging his plumage. 

 The beautiful side feathers are spread out and drawn 

 softly through his bill, the short feathers disposed to 

 the best possible advantage and shaken lightly, then 

 he raises the splendid long plumes that float like down 

 over his back and spreads them as much as possible. 

 All this accomplished, he runs back and forth with 

 quick bounds, vanity and delight in his own beauty ex- 

 pressed in his every movement. He examines himself 

 from above and below, and gives vent to his satisfaction 

 in loud cries, that are, alas! only harsh noises. After 

 each exhibition it seems to be necessary to rearrange 

 his feathers, but this labour never tires him, and he 

 spreads them again and again, as a vain woman would 

 do." 



Let us now notice some birds during courtship 

 itself. 



The male Rupicola crocea, says Darwin, is one of the 

 most beautiful birds in the world, of a splendid orange 

 colour, and with finely shaped and marked feathers. 

 The female is a greenish brown with red shading, and 

 has a very small comb. Sir K. Schomburgh has de- 

 scribed the wooing of these birds. He happened upon 

 a rendezvous where ten males and two females were 

 present. A space of about four or five metres in di- 

 ameter was cleared as if by human hands, and every 

 blade of grass removed. One male danced to the evi- 

 dent delight. of the others; he stretched his wings, 

 raised his head, and spread his tail like a fan, strutting 

 proudly till he was tired and then was relieved by an- 

 other. 



Sometimes a dozen or more birds of paradise collect 

 in full feather, where they hold a " dance meeting," as 



