176 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



little thunder-claps. They spring very high, and when at an 

 unusual distance from one another, one endeavours to get above 

 the other, and to kick down upon him. Another character- 

 istic of their fighting seems to be the rushing away after some 

 " desperate close " to get to the proper distance for another rush 

 and leap — like two knights repairing, after their tilt, to opposite 

 ends of the lists again. It is not always, however, that the two 

 are of a like mind, in this respect, and generally, perhaps, it 

 amounts to no more than that one bird after another, getting 

 slightly the worst of it, or at any rate desirous of disengaging 

 and making a fresh onslaught, can best do so in this way. Its 

 opponent, however, may be too quick for it, and may dash upon 

 and seize it from behind, as one frequently sees. Whilst fight- 

 ing, Buffs seem actuated by a sort of madness (" ira furor brevis 

 est "), and it is more than rancour or malignity which their 

 furious combats suggest. 



It is curious that the fighting out of which these few pro- 

 tracted duels have sprung has been all amongst some three or 

 four or half-dozen birds at one end of the ground, and it is 

 amongst these that I have seen just a few, and, as one may say, 

 stray pairings take place, as also several forcible but futile 

 attempts on the part of the male ; whereas the two birds who 

 have almost shared the Beeves between them have fought but 

 little, as far as I have been able to see. The Beeves have simply 

 repaired to them, each on his own holding, and though there 

 has been commotion and excitement, with some fighting, on 

 account of the Beeves, round about them, they themselves have 

 had no particular pitched battles — the brown one none that I 

 have seen — only, as is usual, and, as I have before described, 

 just before pairing they would make an excited rush away at 

 another bird at some distance, give a spring or two, and then, 

 rushing back again, the rite would be accomplished. This, how- 

 ever, was only on occasions, or the rush would end only in a 

 threatening. Is it possible that whilst these favoured birds are 

 old ones, who go on with their established harem of the last and 

 preceding years, we see in these other turbulent wooers the younger 

 males, who court the Beeves generally, and make a conquest 

 here and there, either amongst new or old ones ? It is true that 

 the veterans, on this assumption, wooed their own Beeves when 



