CHAPTER II. 

 THE MATING PERIOD (continued). 



BEHAVIOR IN UNITING. 

 BEHAVIOR OP THE BRONZE-WING. 



Preceding a sexual union in the bronze-wings (Phaps chalcoptera) the male begins 

 bowing and at each bow touches the floor with his beak strongly enough to be heard dis- 

 tinctly at each tap. This bowing is solicitation and the female, if inclined, generally 

 responds with bows in the same way, although not so energetically as the male. Then 

 hugging or "necking," as we may call it, begins, each bird trying to get the upper hold with 

 the neck so as to bear down upon the back of the neck of the other. In this play the male 

 generally proves the stronger and the female submits to being held until he mounts. 

 He holds her until he has moved sidewise up to a position which enables him to mount 

 before she could well escape, even if she were disposed to do so. 



The male of this species, 1 unlike other species I am acquainted with, does not dis- 

 mount immediately on completing contact, but resumes his position on the back of the 

 female, lowers his head, and utters a short cluck-like note several times, as he prepares 

 himself for a jump with a single slap of the wings. The wings are lifted just a little and, 

 as he suddenly springs, his wings are thrown up in such a way as to come together with a 

 vigorous slap. When he lands on the floor he immediately lowers his tail and wings until 

 their tips touch the floor, raises and arches his neck, and rushes with a strutting movement 

 of his legs and with wide-open beak up to the female, or, in this rush, he may partly en- 

 circle her. She bows and so does he until their beaks have touched the floor several times; 

 in some cases she then puts her beak into his, and they go through with movements similar 

 to those performed by other species as a prelude to copulating. 



The courting is all done on the ground. The male bows to the ground and the female 

 answers in the same fashion. Sometimes the male jumps at the female, emitting a quick 

 succession of threatening notes that roll off with the rapidity of a rolling r-sound. She 

 retreats and he follows with several jumps, sometimes stopping to bow his head and to 

 lift his tail and wings for a moment in display; he then rushes on after her. 



The male mounts by a jump, then slowly takes his position. If the female does not 

 respond to suit him he stands nearly still and slowly drops his w T ings until the tips nearly 

 touch the ground, when he suddenly brings his wings together with a slap over his back 

 as he jumps off, and at the same time emits an explosive grunt, arching his head and 

 neck and strutting away with tail spread and trailing on the ground. Then he may 

 return bowing, and hugging may begin on the part of both; but the male is the stronger 

 and soon the female submits to another mount carried out in the same way; or perhaps the 

 sexual union will take place, when the same vigorous slap of the wings is made and the 

 male emits his grunt with beak wide open. This grunt is given as a sort of hearty growl 

 by the wood-pigeon, and is accompanied by arching neck, contracting pupil of the eye, 

 and two or three stamps with the feet on the perch. 



I see again (1906) in the bronze- wings what I several times observed during the pre- 

 vious year. When the male has amorous propensities he bows before the female, touching 

 the floor with his beak each time ; this is followed by raising the head to nearly the height 

 of usual carriage, or even a little higher. The male keeps on bowing and the female 



1 This paragraph and the five following ones were not written at the same time. They are given here in the order 

 in which they were written. EDITOR. 



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