44 BIRD WATCHING 



ravisher seems strange, but she certainly does so. 

 Whether it would be more or less strange that two 

 male birds, whilst fiercely contending, should act in 

 this way, I will leave to my readers to decide, and 

 thus settle the nature of these curious ceremonious 

 encounters and their graceful and interesting aerial 

 continuations, to their own satisfaction* 



However it may be, the bow itself — which I will 

 now notice more fully — is certainly of a nuptial char- 

 acter, and is seen in its greatest perfection only when 

 the male stock-dove courts the female. This he does 

 by either flying or walking up to her and bowing 

 solemnly till his breast touches the ground, his tail 

 going up at the same time to an even more than 

 corresponding height, though with an action less 

 solemn. The tail in its ascent is beautifully fanned, 

 but it is not spread out flat like a fan, but arched, 

 which adds to the beauty of its appearance. As it is 

 brought down it closes again, but, should the bow 

 be followed up, it is instantly again fanned out and 

 sweeps the ground, as its owner, now risen from his 

 prostrate attitude, with head erect and throat swelled, 

 makes a little rush towards the object of his desires. 

 The preliminary bow, however, is more usually fol- 

 lowed by another, or by two or three others, each 

 one being a distinct and separate affair, the bird 

 remaining with his head sunk and tail raised and 

 fanned for some seconds before rising to repeat. 

 Thus it is not like two or three little bobs — ^which 

 is the manner of wooing pursued by the turtle-dove — 



* With this suggestion, however, that fighting may be blended with 

 sexual display in the combats of male birds owing to association of 

 ideas, for rivalry is the main cause of such combats. 



