on the Psychology of Birds.



127



imitation, has spread so widely among birds at the present day.

To how trivial an accident might the beginnings, the psychic

anlage, of many modern cosmopolitan traits of birds be traced

if we could but read the past clearly !


Play and courtship—while they go hand-in-hand, so to

speak—afford opportunity for the vast resources of variation to

be abundantly expressed. Gross, in his admirable “ Spiele der

Thieve ,” has given five separate classes under the head of court¬

ship :


1. Eove-plays among young animals.


2. Courtship by arts of movement.


3. Courtship by display of unusual or beautiful colours


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 court¬

ships 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 recognition

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 combines the classes of movement, colour, 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 con¬

scientiously 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 appreciative 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



