chances with a coveted hen, and trying to get them 

 to depart before he went to her. 



It was useless for either to attempt overtures 

 whilst the others were there, for the instant he did 

 so, he would be set upon and a desperate fight 

 begin. Usually, as in the case I described above, 

 one of the little crowd would suddenly " see red " 

 and sail into an opponent with desperate energy, 

 invariably driving him in the first rush down the 

 side of the knoll to the open space surrounding it, 

 where the fight would be fought out, the victor re- 

 turning to the others, until by his prowess and force 

 of character, he would rid himself of them all. Then 

 came his overtures to the hen. He would, as a 

 rule, pick up a stone and lay it in front of her if she 

 were sitting in her " scoop," or if she were standing 

 by it he might himself squat in it. She might take 

 to him kindly, or, as often happened, peck him 

 furiously. To this he would submit tamely, hunch- 

 ing up his feathers and shutting his eyes while she 

 pecked him cruelly. Generally after a little of this 

 she would become appeased. He would rise to his 

 feet, and in the prettiest manner edge up to her, 

 gracefully arch his neck, and with soft guttural 

 sounds pacify her and make love to her. 



Both perhaps would then assume the " ecstatic" 

 42 



