Some Notes on the Psychology of Birds 129 



opportunity for the vast resources of variation to be abundantly expressed. 

 Groos, in his admirable '^ Spiele der Thiere," has given five separate classes 

 under the head of courtship: 



1. Love plays among young animals. 



2. Courtship by arts of movement. 



3. Courtship by display of unusual or beautiful colors and forms. 



4. Courtship by means of noises and tones. 



5. Coquetry in the female. 



In the Zoological Park each spring, and indeed during almost every 

 month of the year, many examples of these courtships and plays can be 

 observed. The dances of Cranes and Eagles, the magnificent showing 

 off of Pheasants and Ducks, the screams of Parrots and all the songs 

 vibrant with sentiment, in which birds strive to outdo each other in the 

 eyes of the female, show how greatly the spirit of emulation and recogni- 

 tion of their respective accomplishments inspire the suitors. We should 

 also realize how pronounced must be the discriminative power and 

 aesthetic appreciation of the females. The display of the Peacock com- 

 bines the classes of movement, color, and noise; for the beauty of its 

 argus-eyed feathers is made more effective by their being raised in a 

 halo above the bird, the shivering of its wing-quills forming a Castanet 

 accompaniment. 



A genuine delight is taken in these various displays. So far from being 

 intuitive or mechanical exercises, they are conscientiously practiced for 

 weeks beforehand, and are kept up long after the period of courtship and 

 nesting is over. For instance, in the Zoological Park, when a Peacock in 

 early spring timidly erects his plumes before an unappreciative Crow, it is 

 for practice in anticipation of its later use in competition with his rivals. 

 After the period of courtship, when he struts back and forth before a line 

 of admiring people, the exercise is from pure deHght and appreciation of 

 his own beauties. The Germans, in their finely discriminating language, 

 express the delicate shade of meaning in these acts by voriibung and ausii - 

 bung. Even in birds which pair for life, I have noticed a coquetry and 

 pretended courtship, spring after spring. 



One more interesting fact about courtship among birds — another indi- 

 cation, perhaps, of their individuality — is that it is not always the most 

 highly decorated suitor, nor the one victorious in combat, who wins the 

 female for whom he is putting forth his utmost efforts. I have seen a 

 Peahen show a very decided preference for, and ultimately pair off with, a 

 young bird who had but small display, and was almost spurless. An amus- 

 ing instance also noticed in the park was that of some Mallard Ducks. 

 Three drakes vied with each other for the favor of a little brown duck. 

 One of the drakes seemed to put but faint hope in his splutterings and 

 bowings, and little wonder, for his tail feathers and the snowy curl, one 



