BLUFF BEFORE FIGHTING 269 



cock displays when about to fight just as when 

 showing off to the hen, and she herself may display 

 if the cock is slow in making advances, or if she 

 meditates an attack. The Ruff' displays his frill 

 to his rival as well as to the reeve, and even the 

 Peacock has been seen to drive a sitting Swan off 

 her nest by charging down upon her in the display 

 attitude, while I have myself seen a Pea-chick no 

 larger than a Partridge suddenly display its little 

 tail when alarmed by a cat passing close by it. 

 The Muscovy Duck displays when about to pair, 

 when meditating warfare or on alarm — on any excite- 

 ment, in fact, and the duck is nearly as ready to 

 show off as the drake. 



The Swan and Mandarin Duck display magni- 

 ficently for the purpose of bluff, but when about 

 to pair their movements are quite different and 

 less imposing, the Swan in particular flattening 

 down its wings, expanding the feathers on the head 

 and upper neckj and repeatedly plunging head and 

 neck under water ; while among the Tree-Ducks 

 there is frequently a marked display after, but not 

 before, pairing, both partners executing a step- 

 dance in the water with one wing held aloft. 

 « Generally speaking, the gestures of males and 

 females in display are the«same, but there are some 

 exceptions J thus, among the typical Ducks — the 

 Mallard and its alHes — the duck and drake use 

 quite different actions, though there is a marked 

 exception in the case of the beautiful Falcated or 

 Bronze-capped Duck {Eunetta falcata), in which 



