BIRD COURTSHIP 47 



How courtly and deferential their manners toward 

 each other are! often they pipe a shrill, fine strain, 

 audible only a few yards away. Then, in a twink- 

 ling, one makes a spring and they are beak to beak, 

 and claw to claw, as they rise up a few feet into 

 the air. But usually no blow is delivered; not a 

 feather is ruffled; each, I suppose, finds the guard of 

 the other perfect. Then they settle down upon the 

 ground again, and go through with the same run- 

 ning challenge as before. How their breasts glow in 

 the strong April sunlight ; how perk and military the 

 bearing of each! Often they will run about each 

 other in this way for many rods. iVfter a week or so 

 the males seem to have fought all their duels, when 

 the rush and racket I have already described begin. 



The bluebird wins his mate by the ardor of his 

 attentions and the sincerity of his compliments, and 

 by finding a house ready built which cannot be sur- 

 passed. The male bluebird is usually here several 

 days before the female, and he sounds forth his note 

 as loudly and eloquently as he can till she appears. 

 On her appearance he flies at once to the box or tree 

 cavity upon which he has had his eye, and, as he 

 looks into it, calls and warbles in his most persuasive 

 tones. The female at such times is always shy and 

 backward, and the contrast in the manners of the 

 two birds is as striking as the contrast in their colors. 

 The male is brilliant and ardent ; the female is dim 

 and retiring, not to say indifferent. She may take a 



