Birds by Land and Sea 



And so it goes on the endless short tackings 

 and attitudinizings until the rattle of a second 

 cock causes both to start up and eye the erect 

 figure seated defiantly on the hedge-top, flirting 

 his tail excitedly. The invader does not deliver 

 the attack offhand, but dropping quietly into the 

 field, like the other two goes through a performance 

 of running hither and thither, observing and pre- 

 tending not to observe, varying his tactics by 

 feigning to pick impalpable nothings from the grass 

 as he works his way up. But these antics are well 

 understood by the gentleman in possession, and 

 he struts angrily to and fro, going halfway toward 

 the intruder, and then returning to the hen, as if he 

 were afraid that while he was winning the battle, 

 the prize might vanish. However, after a great 

 deal of skirmishing, the invading cock charges home 

 in full flight, and the two birds flutter up in a 

 sparring contest on the wing in the manner of 

 starlings. Whilst this is going forward, the hen, 

 as a rule, takes wing ; and, with a final peck or two, 

 the two cocks, sounding their rattles, follow her in 

 hot pursuit, probably to renew the battle elsewhere. 



In the opening days of March it is plainly to be 

 seen by the distribution of the rooks in their feeding- 

 grounds that they are for the most part paired. 

 Now and again a cock spreads his tail, and struts about 

 before his lady, sweeping the grass with drooping 

 wings like a turkey-cock the while. Then the pair 

 face one another, and bow low repeatedly to each 



78 



