PHILOSOPHY OF LOVE 



is not always of an easy disposition. She has her 

 caprices. Sometimes, refusing her mate, she deserts 

 him and gives herself to the first comer. One will not 

 find here any of the zoological anecdotes on the industry 

 of birds, their union in devotion to the specie. The 

 habits of these new-comers in the world, are very un- 

 stable; yet among certain gallinaceae, monogamous for 

 exception, like the partridge, the males seem pulled by 

 contrary desires, they undergo the couple rather than 

 choose it, and their share in the rearing of young is 

 often very slight. One has seen the male red partridge, 

 after mating, abandon his female and rejoin a troop of 

 male vagabonds. The nightingales, perfect pair, sit on 

 the eggs turn by turn. The male, when the female 

 comes to relieve him, remains near by and sings until 

 she is comfortably settled on the eggs. Still more 

 devoted is the male talegalle, a sort of Australian tur- 

 key. He makes the nest, an enormous heap of dead 

 leaves; when the female has laid, he watches the eggs, 

 comes from time to time to uncover them for exposure 

 to the sun. He takes his share of watching the young, 

 sheltering them under leaves until they are able to fly. 

 Of mammals, the carnivora and rodents often prac- 

 tice a certain, at least temporary, monogamy. Foxes 

 live in couples, and educate the young foxes. One finds 

 their real habits in the old "Roman du Renart": Renard 

 the fox goes vagabond, hunting for prey and windfalls, 

 while Madame Hermaline, his wife, waits at home, in 

 her bower at Maupertuis. The vixen teaches her chil- 

 dren the art of killing and dividing; their apprentice- 

 ship is made on the still living game which the male 

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