12 BEHAVIOR OF PIGEONS. 



then he would press his neck over hers, and, if she inclined, would mount. After waiting 

 for a few moments on her back, he would dismount with a slap of his wings over his back. 

 As he struck the shelf after dismounting he opened his mouth and gave a squawk some- 

 what like the bronze-wing, and would strut away from her. The pair would then bow, 

 approach, strike their feet on the shelf, and repeat the mounting, often several times 

 without a single union. (R 20, R 29, C 7/7, Em 7, Sh 8/13.) 



CHARGING AND DRIVING. 



The charging and driving of the female occurs when other males are present, 

 as is noted in the subsequent topic on "Jealousy." The same activity occurs 

 during the mating period in connection with courting, the quest for a nest-place, 

 and in nest-building. It may also occur occasionally even during the incubation 

 period. The purpose of the act is to force the female to the nest. 



A male bronze-wing began to charge at the female, driving her quite vigorously. He 

 evidently recognized her as his mate, but for some reason not clear he charged at her as 

 if displeased at something. As soon as the birds were put together in the same cage the 

 male began to charge the female, though they soon began their love-making and for two 

 hours they kept up hugging, etc. The male began by charging, clucking all the time as 

 he drove the female. It was more evident now that he wanted to start the female off 

 for a nest-place. (Excerpts from fifth cycle, R 33.) 



On January 13 and 14, 1906, the male bronze-wing was again seen driving the female. 

 He would charge at her with his wings lowered a little and his back and feathers elevated, 

 emitting a short cluck so rapidly as to leave nearly no interval between them. The notes 

 and manner appear petulant. (From second cycle, R28.) 



The following description, covering the period from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2, 1906, refers 

 to a pair of bronze-wings while seeking and building a nest (during the third cycle). On 

 Jan. 29 the male is anxious to build a nest. The birds have been uneasy for 3 or 4 

 days, running along the side of the pen next to the window, as if they desired to get out. 

 They have been in the nest-box several times, but have not yet decided to accept it and 

 begin work. The male just now took to driving the female, charging at her, and giving 

 her a spiteful peck, as if for some reason displeased with her. I then saw him do what 

 I have not before noticed. He first charged at her; then lowered his head until his beak 

 touched and rested on the floor, and with tail raised and slightly spread and wings a little 

 raised, he gave plainly two little coos, in doing which he opened his beak at each note 

 without once lifting his beak. The beak opens but little. The notes sounded like oo-oo, 

 with a very short but distinct separation between the syllables the first shorter, the 

 second somewhat fuller and longer. This could be called the "driving coo," and is 

 analogous to the cooing of a domestic pigeon. I later heard this oo-oo or cu-coo several 

 times from two other males. It is, in fact, not a frequent behavior, but it occurs with all 

 males in connection with charging and driving, whether for a nest or because the male is 

 jealous of the presence of another bird. 



On Jan. 30, the male is driving the female again. He gives the "short cluck" as he 

 charges at her and walks about after her. The cluck is repeated slowly, except when he 

 rushes at her, when it runs off hurriedly as a bubbling sound as before described. While 

 following her up in this way, he sometimes resorts to the "driving coo." He has just 

 given this twice. This time I feel sure that there are three notes and that the male is 

 driving the female to find a nest as quickly as possible. 



The notes sound sharper than yesterday, more as if beginning with C and could be 

 represented thus coo-coo-coo, the second and third notes being shorter and closer together. 



