43 



Play and courtship, which go hand in hand, so to speak, 

 afford 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 the 

 cranes and eagles, the ostentatious show of the pheasants 

 and ducks, the screaming of the parrots and the many songs, 

 vibrant with sentiment, by which birds strive to outdo each 

 other in the estimation of the female, show how greatly 

 the spirit of emulation in their respective accomplishments 

 inspires 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 

 qualities of movement, color, and noise : for the beauty of 

 its argus-eyed feathers is made more effective by their being 

 raised m a halo above the bird, while the shivering of its 

 wing-quills forms 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 con- 

 tinued 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 his later perform- 

 ances in competition with his rivals. After the period of 

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



