154



Mr. C. Barney Smith,



flapped on the ground. The head is nodded repeatedly with

increasing speed and the brilliant light blue horns gradually

become inflated and extend forward from the black feathers of

the head whilst the bib (or gular wattle), which is also blue with

pink side stripes, is gradually let down to its full length. Whilst

this is being done the shivering and rustling of the feathers have

increased to an alarming extent, the body of the bird has been

lowered quite near the ground, the wings are extended sometimes

almost to their full width, and the whole business is preceded and

accompanied (particularly in the early stages) by a curious noise

like the “clacking” of two bones together, but how this noise is

made I have never found out, though I should much like to know.

When the bib has been extended to full length fora few moments

the bird gathers himself together, moves forward about a yard,

draws himself up to his full height (and it is surprising how high

he can reach), keeps the bib fully extended in front of the hen

for one moment, and then, within half-a-minute, horns and bib

have entirely vanished and the cock is strolling about pecking

grass as if nothing unusual had happened.


I am afraid anything I can say will quite fail to give an

adequate idea of the extraordinary aspect of the bird whilst the

display is at its height—indeed I think anyone coming suddenly

upon the spectacle would scarcely believe they were looking at a

bird, the spectacle is so demoniacal.


So much for the conduct of the cock ; but, I think, if care¬

fully considered, the conduct of the hen is even more curious, or

perhaps I should say more inexplicable, for she seems absolutely

lacking in interest as to the display of the cock.


Whether the cock poses purposely in this grotesque way

in order consciously to make the greatest display of horns and

bib, or whether horns and bib have been developed because the

cocks have everlastingly posed in this way does not seem to

affect the question that one would expect the hen to take some

sort of apparent interest in the display.


There is an interesting chapter dealing with this and

similar questions in Dloyd Morgan’s “Animal Behaviour,” where

Dr. Groos is quoted as laying stress on “ the coyness and re¬

luctance of the female,” and as making the suggestion that the



