36 MY NATURE NOTEBOOK. 



break away, one skimming some twenty yards off, 

 while the other, evidently the victor, alights close to 

 the female. The defeated one makes a show of 

 challenging again, and the conqueror perfunctorily 

 responds ; but the matter is really settled. 



" HUMAN AFTER ALL." 



Watching the birds thus far, one understands their 

 actions and motives so well by human analogy that 

 one credits them with human sentiments ; and then, 

 as almost always happens, their behaviour suddenly 

 becomes so inconsequential as to make one wonder 

 whether one has not misunderstood all that had gone 

 before. For here is the victorious skylark, close to 

 the ladylove for whom he entered into single combat, 

 and she, by bowing towards him, seems not displeased 

 at the issue of the fight. And what does he do ? He 

 quietly walks off to feed by himself. But you will 

 notice that as he goes along feeding, she, also appear- 

 ing to feed, follows in the same direction ; and when, 

 without any warning, he suddenly rises and flies, 

 skimming over the grass, to quite a long distance, 

 she rises almost at the same instant, and alights as 

 he alights, close to him. After all, his seemingly 

 neglectful behaviour was not so unhuman. They are 

 now man and wife. 



