62 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



place before she came was much more protracted. All now fly 

 off with the Eeeve, but in less than a minute most of the Euffs 

 come back without her. 



At a little before four a Eeeve flies in, and immediately, on 

 alighting, runs over the course to the brown bird, who stands on 

 the opposite side, and I believe touches him on the head or neck 

 with her bill. This, however, I could not quite make out, but, 

 almost immediately, she was crouched in front of him, and he, 

 rising up,* the nuptial rite is either performed or attempted. I 

 should say the latter, for, at quite short intervals, now, the same 

 thing is repeated four several times (making five in all), after 

 which there is a longer interval, the Eeeve standing by her 

 brown bird. When she moved on these occasions, preparatory 

 to the rite being performed, all the Euffs frounced about on the 

 ground, turning to this side or that, but whilst it was actually 

 taking place — at least on the earlier occasions — they lay still in 

 the curious prostrate attitude which is such a feature of these 

 gatherings. After the fifth coition, or attempt at it, another 

 Eeeve flew in, and, going up to a handsome blue-gorgeted Euff, 

 with just the same assured manner in which the other had 

 approached the brown one, touched him with her beak upon the 

 head. Neither, however, did he rise, nor did she crouch, as in 

 the other case. She remainded standing by him, and, a little 

 while afterwards, went over to the brown Euff, but whether with 

 any design or merely as walking away I cannot feel sure, though 

 I thought at the time that she had a motive, which, in itself, 

 seems likely. At one time both the Eeeves were close together 

 beside the brown Euff, and it was just then that two more pair- 

 ings took place between one of them and the latter. There was 

 so much bustling about of other Euffs at the time that I could 

 not say for certain which of these two Eeeves it was that acted, 

 on these occasions. I believe, indeed, it was the same bird 

 throughout, but this is hardly more than an opinion. 



After each of the last pairings the brown bird made a rush 

 over the course, and sprang at some other one, but the fight was 

 almost instantly over — a mere violent leap or two. At these 

 times, also, there was general excitement and running about 

 leading to some other encounters of a similar character. Harder 



* He had, I suppose, sunk down at her approach. 



