NOTES ON THE COURTSHIP OF THE LAPWING. 219 



(c 2) This was a variation of the action described above. 

 The preliminary movements were the same as in c 1, but when 

 the bird was on the ground the wings were half opened, the 

 head was curved under the breast, and the tail was spread fan- 

 wise and sharply depressed. This attitude, which was nothing 

 more nor less than a faithful representation of the sexual act, 

 was generally both preceded and followed by c 1. It probably 

 was the result of increased sexual excitement, for by reference 

 to the accompanying chart it will be seen that it was indulged 

 in more and more frequently as the pairing season advanced. 



(d) This phase of the spring performance was the only one 

 which took place under the direct observation of the female. I 

 noticed it five times, and in each instance a hen bird, who was 

 standing quietly some yards away, ran up to a male who 

 was performing as in c 1, and pushing him aside, stepped on 

 to the same spot upon which he had just been posturing and 

 covered it herself. The cock bird with flattened crest and out- 

 stretched neck ran stiffly away from her for a couple of feet. 

 He then took up a position with his back turned to her, and the 

 tail raised until it pointed upwards almost perpendicularly, and 

 the tawny under coverts were fully displayed. He remained 

 thus from thirty to fifty seconds, but each time the exhibition 

 was rudely interrupted by another Lapwing, who swooped down 

 upon the posturing bird, and the group broke up in the usual 

 wild aerial romping. 



All the preceding actions are noted by Mr. Selous. His 

 description of d up to a certain point is identical with my own. 

 He saw the hen bird enter the cock's " rolling ground " and 

 cover it herself (op. cit. p. 164). He saw the little run and the 

 pose with tail raised, and later on (p. 167) he speaks of the 

 bright colour of the under tail coverts, " which I have seen 

 apparently examined, even touched by one Peewit, when another, 

 their owner, is rolling." But his conclusions differ from mine, 

 for while he attaches no special importance to the latter incident, 

 I believe, as I have described above, that the only part of the 

 performance which is a deliberate display to a prospective mate 

 is the exhibition of the anal parts. 



On p. 165 Mr. Selous observes that the hen as well as the 

 cock " rolled," and adds : " It is in a very imperfect, and, as 



s 2 



