BILLING AND. COOING. 41 
the parents, who, ruffling their feathers, with 
every sign of distress, and uttering a low plain- 
tive cry, fly close along the ground, bearing the 
eggs in their mouths to some other verdurous 
and hidden retreat. 
The wooing of these amiable birds is attended 
-with demonstrations as elaborate as those attend- 
ing the courtesies of the most refined society. A 
permissible degree of pomposity is showed by the 
male, who, alighting before his love, with droop: 
ing wings, sings his appeal, with the most persua- 
sive eloquence, whilst the lady, at first, silent 
and coy, is soon won; when, leaving the branch, 
they gambol through the air together. 
