LEAP AND TENDRIL 



ten feet away and unregarded, I made a sudden 

 dash and covered them with my hat. The struggle 

 continued for a few seconds under there, then all 

 was still. Sudden darkness had fallen upon the 

 field of battle. What did they think had happened ? 

 Presently their heads and wings began to brush the 

 inside of my hat. Then all was still again. Then I 

 spoke to them, called to them, exulted over them, 

 but they betrayed no excitement or alarm. Occa- 

 sionally a head or a body came in gentle contact 

 with the top or the sides of my hat. 



But the two females were evidently agitated by 

 the sudden disappearance of their contending 

 lovers, and began uttering their mournful alarm- 

 note. After a minute or two I lifted one side of my 

 hat and out darted one of the birds; then I lifted 

 the hat from the other. One of the females then 

 rushed, apparently with notes of joy and congratu- 

 lation, to one of the males, who gave her a spiteful 

 tweak and blow. Then the other came and he 

 served her the same. He was evidently a little 

 bewildered, and not certain what had happened 

 or who was responsible for it. Did he think the two 

 females were in some way to blame ? But he was 

 soon reconciled to one of them again, as was the 

 other male with the other, yet the two couples did 

 not separate till the males had come in collision 

 once more. Presently, however, they drifted apart, 

 and each pair was soon holding an animated con- 

 42 



