138 BEHAVIOR OF PIGEONS. 



that such utterly usekss action originated a great many times without compelling conditions 

 or any organic predisposition is not at all admissible. 



Darwin saw at once from the nature of the actions that they could not have been 

 taught, but "must hare appeared naturally, though probably afterwards vastly improved 

 by the continued selection of those birds which showed the strongest propensity." Darwin, 

 then, postulates as to the foundation of each instinct a "propensity" something given 

 in the constitution. That view of the matter is in entire accord with the theory adopted 

 in the case of "neuter insects" and quite incompatible with the habit theory. 



THE INSTINCT OF POUTING. 



I believe the case is much stronger than Darwin suspected, and that it shows, not the 

 genesis of instinct from habit, but from a preexisting congenital basis. Such a basis of the 

 pouting instinct exists in every dove-cote pigeon, and is already an organized instinct, 

 differing from the instinct displayed in the typical pouter only in degree. I could show 

 that the instinct is widely spread, if not universal, among pigeons. It will suffice here 

 to call attention to the instinct as exhibited in the common pigeon. Observe a male pigeon 

 while cooing to his mate or his neighbors. Notice that he inflates his throat and crop, and 

 that this feature is an invariable feature in the act, often continued for some moments 

 after the cooing ceases. Compare the pouter and notice how he increases the inflation 

 whenever he begins cooing. The pouter's behavior is nothing but the universal instinct 

 enormously exaggerated, as any attentive observer may readily see under favorable 

 circumstances. 



THE INSTINCT OF TUMBLING. 



The origin of the tumbling instinct can not be fixed by the same direct mode of identifi- 

 cation; but I believe that here also it is possible to point to a more general action, instinc- 

 tively performed by the dove-cote pigeons as the probable source of origin. I have noticed 

 a great many times that common pigeons, when on the point of being overtaken and 

 seized by a hawk, suddenly flirt themselves directly downward in a manner suggestive of 

 tumbling, and thus elude the hawk's swoop. The hawk is carried on by its momentum, 

 and often gives up the chase on the first failure. In one case I saw the chase renewed 

 three times and eluded with success each time. The pigeon was a white dove-cote pigeon 

 with a trace of fantail blood. I saw this same pigeon repeatedly pursued by a swift hawk 

 during one winter and invariably escaping in the same way. I have seen the same per- 

 formance in other dove-cote pigeons under similar circumstances. 



But this is not all. It is well known that dove-cote pigeons delight in quite extended 

 flights, circling about their home. I once raised two pairs of these birds by hand in a place 

 several miles from any other pigeons. Soon after they were able to fly about they began 

 these flights, usually in the morning. I frequently saw one or more of the flock while in the 

 middle of a high flight, and, sweeping along swiftly, suddenly plunge downwards, often 

 zigzagging with a quick, helter-skelter flirting of the wings. The behavior often looked 

 like play, and probably it was that in most cases. I incline to think, however, that it was 

 sometimes prompted by some degree of alarm. In such flights the birds would frequently 

 get separated, and one thus falling behind would hasten its flight to the utmost speed in 

 order to overtake its companions. Under such circumstances the stray bird coming from 

 the rear might be mistaken for the moment for a hawk in pursuit, and one or more of the 

 birds about to be overtaken would be thus induced to resort to this method of throwing 

 themselves out of reach of danger. 



The same act is often performed at the very start, as the pigeon leaves its stand. The 

 movement is so quick and crazy in its aimlessness that the bird often seems to be in danger 

 of dashing against the ground, but it always clears every object. 



