64 THE HUMAN SIDE OF BIRDS 



quarrelling and fighting results, as Mr. and Mrs. 

 Sparrow are valiant defenders of their homes. The 

 young, as soon as they are ahle to fly, are also 

 taught to defend themselves, for their parents 

 know well the brawling routine of sparrow life. 



Crows have wonderful dances, but they are dif- 

 ficult to describe because of their variations. They 

 hop, skip, jump, run, turn somersaults, change 

 positions, seemingly salute each other, suddenly 

 stop and fly away. The same may be said of wild 

 geese and ducks, though these birds hold most of 

 their sports on the water and their dancing is more 

 on the order of aquatic sports. Cranes and ibises 

 dance both in water and on land, although all of 

 their dancing appears more like some form of In- 

 dian ceremony than actual dancing, as it often 

 takes place just preceding a battle or a migration. 

 It may be their form of council meeting, for cer- 

 tain ones seem to wish to be seen and heard unduly. 



Since the days when Solomon's fleet first intro- 

 duced the peacock into Palestine, no bird has had 

 a more wonderful history. He is truly not only 

 the vainest but also unquestionably the most beau- 

 tiful creature of the feathered kingdom. Indeed 

 it may be said that he reflects the wonder of all the 

 East. Alexander the Great so loved this marvel- 

 ' lous child of beauty and mystery that he inflicted 



