292 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



the last, there was a duel which lasted much longer, and may, 

 for aught I know, have been considerably prolonged, as the 

 parties scrimmaged out of sight. 



When a pair or two leap at each other, in this way, the 

 interest of the scene, as a whole, is generally enhanced by other 

 birds rushing wildly about in a state of the greatest excitement. 

 They rush for some yards, then stop suddenly in a crouching 

 attitude with the head extended forward on the ground, the legs 

 bent, the feathers ruffled. In this position they remain for 

 some time motionless, the body brought suddenly into a state of 

 rigidity, which, however, is of the bent bow order, threatening 

 each instant a renewal of energy. This may issue, shortly, in 

 another furious run in a reversed direction, but often there is 

 nothing further, and the bird, sinking more and more down till 

 it lies along the ground, becomes gradually quiescent. With 

 the appearance of the Eeeves — some flew in after an hour or so, 

 but I was unable to jot down the details of their arrival — more 

 interest was imported into the scene. At first, indeed, the effect 

 was not very marked, but as more came it became evident that 

 they were the centre of attraction, and their movements, which 

 were but few and quiet, were the principal signal for the 

 bouncing and flurrying about of the males, accompanied with a 

 certain number of pitched battles, some of which were more 

 violent — that is to say, lasted longer than the present average 

 one, for all are violent whilst they last. During the latter part 

 of the time there were six Eeeves present — outnumbering the 

 Euffs at one time — and by the motions of the latter about them, 

 they were sometimes driven about in a little flock. But, though 

 the Eeeves often hurried out of the way of their turbulent ad- 

 mirers, yet they were quite cool and collected, seeming accustomed 

 to the scenes they created, and to know what it all meant. This, 

 however, I confess, was more apparent to me after it had been 

 demonstrated, in an interesting manner, by the first, or one of 

 the first, of the Eeeves to arrive — there was one other there, I 

 think, at the time, whose conduct was quite irreproachable. The 

 Eeeve in question, after she had walked about a little, occasion- 

 ing the usual excitement on the part of the males, pressed close 

 to a certain one of them, in a way the friendliness of which was 

 not to be mistaken. In response to this advance the bird ruffled 



