78 BIRD COURTSHIP 



The Esquimaux maiden is said by Doctor Nan- 

 sen to resist stoutly being carried off even by 

 the man she is desperately in love with. 



In the latter half of April we pass through 

 what I call the "robin racket" — trains of 

 three or four birds rushing pell-mell over the 

 lawn and fetching up in a tree or bush, or 

 occasionally upon the ground, all piping and 

 screaming at the top of their voices, but 

 whether in mirth or anger it is hard to tell. 

 The nucleus of the train is a female. One 

 cannot see that the males in pursuit of her are 

 rivals; it seems rather as if they had united to 

 hustle her out of the place. But somehow the 

 matches are no doubt made and sealed during 

 these mad rushes. Maybe the female shouts 

 out to her suitors, "Who touches me first 

 wins," and away she scurries like an arrow. 

 The males shout out, "Agreed!" and away 

 they go in pursuit, each trying to outdo the 

 other. The game is a brief one. Before one 

 can get the clew to it the party has dipersed. 



Earlier in the season the pretty sparring of 

 the males is the chief feature. You may see 

 two robins apparently taking a walk or a run 

 together over the sward or along the road; only 

 first one bird runs, and then the other. They 

 keep a few feet apart, stand very erect, and the 

 course of each describes the segment of an arc 

 about the other, thus : — 



How courtly and deferential their manners 



