162 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



on the scene, there were, I should think, at least a dozen, exclu- 

 sive of one Keeve, whose presence, as it lightened, became 

 revealed. As the morning advanced, the rushes of the birds 

 became swifter and more and more violent, whilst each spring 

 which they made at each other was accompanied with a loud 

 whirring of the wings. Evidently they were actuated by a much 

 more intense and stirring spirit than I had yet seen, and this, 

 as they were joined by others and yet others, till the party con- 

 sisted of a score or more — for I never could count them exactly 

 — exclusive of the Eeeves, was an ever-increasing quantity. Now, 

 too, it becomes more clearly evident that the whole end and 

 object of the gathering is courtship on the part of the Buffs, 

 choice and acceptance on that of the Eeeves ; that the gathering- 

 ground is essentially the temple of Venus, not of Mars, and that 

 such fighting as there is— violent, indeed, whilst it lasts, but 

 never lasting long — is merely incidental to the one all-important 

 purpose, the performance, namely, of the nuptial rite. This, 

 however — again it seems clear to me— is entirely dependent 

 on the will of the Eeeve. As yet, in Shakespearean language, 

 though not in the ordinary sense of it, she has not " seemed to 

 signify," and in despite of rumings, crouchings, prostrations, and 

 every form of voluptuous solicitation within the power of the male 

 bird — in spite, too, of battles royal, which, though never more than 

 beginning, are yet by their number and frequency never-ending 

 — nothing has been " got done," in this way. So it is when, 

 shortly after 5, with the sun rising gallantly, all fly off, a merry 

 party, and circle several times, around, in the new-born sun- 

 shine, before coming down again, when all goes on as before. 



There are now two Eeeves that I can see — there may be more 

 in the confusion — and at 5.15, whilst the sun brightens, and the 

 frosted grass shines pure and fresh in the morning air, the first 

 pairing takes place between one of these and the brown bird of 

 yesterday's intrigues. Then some ten minutes afterwards the 

 rite is again performed by the same Buff, but whether with the 

 same Eeeve I am unable to say, for just before — as now — four 

 were standing together almost equally near him, and amidst a 

 little press of pleading and protesting males. Then, amidst the 

 feather-waves of this little, turbulent ocean, I make out five or 

 six Eeeves, and shortly afterwards there are two pairings, each 



