"Can izvo walk together, except they be agreed ?" 309


" CAN TWO WALK TOGETHER, EXCEPT THEY

BE AGREED?"


It is a good thing for the male to give the lead, and to

take the direction of affairs into his own hands. Where there is

weakness, shilly-shallying, and uncertainty, there the results

will be correspondingly feeble, or wholly negative.


During a good part of June and July of this year, a pair

of Cuba Finches, Phonipara canora, were nest - building about

the aviary, now in one part, now in another; but nothing came

of their toil and labour. Recently they commenced to build in

the front of the aviary, where their proceedings could be

watched. Both birds were busy, both energetic : the place

selected, the inside of a log, was well sheltered, and seemed

suitable in every respect. For these little Cubans, unlike many

species, no matter how luxuriant the growth of the shrubs

and bushes may be, will usually choose some artificial box in

preference to a natural site ; and, moreover, they seem to pre-

fer a good large place, often fixed up high, into which they will

carry a mass of material, the nest proper being far back at the

top of the heap, the upper part of the box being accepted as the

dome — for these birds build covered nests.


It was not until after the lapse of some days that I took in

what was actually going on in this particular case. Both of the

Cubas were carrying to the same high corner, both were evi-

dently very much in earnest — but they zvere carrying to different

receptacles : the male was building his nest in the log I have

mentioned, the female hers in a box behind the log. Quietly

and steadily the male worked away ; the female, on the contrary,

after carrying up a piece, would dart viciously and hysterically

at the male. Time after time this would be repeated. What

annoyed and upset her most was the methodical and apparently

indifferent manner in which the male went about his business.

Let her kick and squeal as she liked, without retaliating, and

with supreme indifference, he pursued the even tenor of his way.

The results so far, needless to say, have been nil.


Perhaps there are others besides Cuba Finches who

might with advantage take a hint from the wise saying Of-iie_-

ancient herdsman of Tekoa. But if agreement cannot be arrived



