MY WOODLAND INTIMATES 



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 fe- 

 male. 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 clue to it the party 

 has dispersed." * 



Those interesting manifestations which Mr. 

 Burroughs calls " robin duels " are much in 

 vogue earlier in the season. I have frequently 

 heard hasty observers speak of them as courtship 

 parades ; being under the mistaken impression that 

 the promenaders were male and female ; but these 

 " pretty sparring matches " are participated in by 

 males only. " You may see two robins apparently 

 taking a walk or a run together over the sward 



* Mr. John Burroughs, in Riverby. 



[H4] 



