PHASES OF BIRD LIFE. 1 65 



doubt pluming himself on the fact that he is of suffi- 

 cient importance to be the cause of a duel or a 

 sparring-match among the ladies. 



Even those birds that seem to be the impersona- 

 tion of kindliness often engage in vigorous wrangles 

 before they are able to settle the troubles that arise 

 from match-making. The bluebird, of the siren 

 voice and cerulean hue, is a case in point. Mr. Bur- 

 roughs describes, in his inimitable way, the vigorous 

 campaign of two pairs of bluebirds, which could not 

 decide the subject of matrimony among themselves 

 without resort to arms. Both the males and females 

 engaged in more than one set-to. Once the hot- 

 headed lovers closed with each other in the air, fell 

 to the ploughed ground, and remained there, tugging 

 and pecking and tweaking for nearly two minutes. 

 Yet, when they separated, neither seemed to be any 

 the worse for the melee. 



The tiny hummers are extremely belligerent birds. 

 A writer describes the contests of certain humming- 

 birds in the island of Jamaica when moved by 

 jealousy. When two males have become rivals, they 

 will level their long, pointed bills at each other, and 

 then dash together with the swiftness of an arrow ; 

 they meet, separate, meet again, with shrill chirping, 

 dart upward, then downward, and circle around and 

 around, until the eye grows weary of watching them, 

 and can no longer follow their rapid transits. At 

 length one falls, exhausted, to the ground, while the 

 other rests, panting and trembling, on a leafy spray, 

 or perhaps tumbles, mortally wounded, to the earth. 



