MA Y MUSES 85 



Among domesticated birds, the common fowl 

 affords a conspicuous instance of gallantry, when 

 the male calls the female to some choice morsel. 

 He obviously only intends the tit-bit for the hens, 

 and any rival attempting to partake of it is at 

 once attacked. It is well known that some of 

 these birds are so gallant that to ensure them the 

 best condition for the show-pen they must be fed 

 separately from the hens. An instance occurred 

 under my own observation. A cock and five hens 

 were so well fed that one of the hens became ill 

 from sheer fatness, as dissection proved ; and the 

 other hens were almost in the same condition ; but 

 when the cock was killed he was found to be quite 

 thin, though he had seemed to be a very fine bird, 

 in splendid plumage. 



One of the indications of pairing by pigeons is 

 the insertion of the beak of the female into that 

 of the male, and his seeming to eject food into it, 

 the action being accompanied by that shuffling of 

 the wings, seen when the young are fed. It does 

 not appear, however, that a considerable amount 

 of food (if any at all) passes from the male. 

 Homers never omit this performance before 



