BILLING AND COOING. 41 



the parents, who, ruffling their feathers, with 

 every sign of distress, and uttering a low plain- 

 tive cry, fly close along the ground, bearing the 

 eggs in their mouths to some other verdurous 

 and hidden retreat. 



The wooing of these amiable birds is attended 

 with demonstrations as elaborate as those attend- 

 ing the courtesies of the most refined society. A 

 permissible degree of pomposity is showed by the 

 male, who, alighting before his love, with droop 

 ing wings, sings his appeal, with the most persua- 

 sive eloquence, whilst the lady, at first, silent 

 and coy, is soon won ; when, leaving the branch, 



they gambol through the air together. 

 4* 



