Dancing Birds 253 



of Alaska — "On May 18, I lay in a hunting blind, and 

 was much amused by the performances of two Cranes, 

 which alighted near by. The first-comer remained alone 

 but a short time, when a second bird came along, uttering 

 his loud note at short intervals, until he espied the bird on 

 the ground, when he made a slight circuit, and dropped 

 close by. Both birds then joined in a series of loud rolling 

 cries in quick succession. Suddenly the new-comer, which 

 appeared to be a male, wheeled his back towards the 

 female and made a low bow, his head nearly touching the 

 ground, and ending by a quick leap into the air. Another 

 pirouette brought him facing his charmer, whom he greeted 

 with a still deeper bow, his wings meanwhile hanging 

 loosely by his side. She replied by an answering bow and 

 hop, and then each tried to outdo the other in a series of 

 spasmodic hops and starts, mixed with a set of comically 

 grave and ceremonious bows. The pair stood for some 

 moments bowing right and left, when their legs appeared 

 to become envious of the large share taken in the perform- 

 ance by the neck, and then would ensue a series of skilled 

 hops and skips, which are more like the steps of a burlesque 

 minuet than anything else I can think of. Frequently 

 others join, and the dance keeps up until all are 

 exhausted." 



The spirit of dancing exists too in other birds, and in 

 none more than the Kagu [Rhinochetus jubatus) of New 

 Caledonia, a curious species with grey colouration and a 

 large crest, which may be considered to be a kind of 

 Crane. A few specimens have reached Europe, and have 

 been on view in our Zoological Gardens, where they have 

 never failed to excite amusement by their curious antics. 

 When the fancy for a dance enters into the soul of the 

 Kagu, it whirls round and round in the aviary, and 

 snatches at any piece of overhanging ivy which it meets 

 with in its wild career. 



