WHEATEARS, DABCHICKS 87 



dormant, even in the depth of winter ; for, from 

 having long watched the same birds in the same 

 little reedy creek, I feel sure that the two I here 

 chronicle were male and female. 



These were "pursuing each other, first over the 

 water — fly-flapping along the surface in their peculiar 

 way — then on and under it, ducking, coming up close 

 together, ducking again, and so on, flapping, ducking, 

 and swimming, each in turn. It is very sustained 

 and animated, suggesting an amorous pursuit of the 

 female by the male, even at this time of year. They 

 make a great noise and splashing, they are obstre- 

 perous, and a hen moor-hen standing staidly on some 

 bent reeds gives a look as though doubtful of the 

 strict propriety of such conduct, — in the winter, — then 

 with an ' Ah, well ! dabchicks will be dabchicks, I 

 suppose, at all times,' resigns herself to the inevitable, 

 and takes to preening her feathers." In the other 

 case, which is the one that bears more directly on 

 the question under discussion, three dabchicks pur- 

 sued each other in this manner, one behind the other, 

 and following the course of the stream. The last 

 bird was particularly energetic, and seemed deter- 

 mined to interfere with the pursuit of the foremost 

 by the one just in front of him. "When quite near 

 me they all three pitch down and instantly dive. The 

 first to come up stops dead still on the water, looking 

 keenly and expectantly over it, his neck stretched 

 rigidly out, his head darting forward from it at a right 

 angle, as rigid as the neck. The instant another one 

 appears, he dives again with a suddenness as of the 

 lid of a box going down with a snap, and this other 

 one has seen him at the same time, and dives still 



