NUPTIAL HABITS OF THE BLACKCOCK. 



411 



whole upper surface, the upper part of the farther side* (owing to 

 the tilt) and the whole nearer side, consisting principally of the 

 carefully drooped and spread wing. There is also the crimson- 

 combed head, held down, with the swelled, glossy neck for her 

 inspection, and of course the ornate tail. Thus poised, as it 

 were, the bird passes in front of her, coming from behind, and 

 then round on the other side, when he turns and repeats, and it 

 is noticeable that the part wanting to complete the full circle 

 is where, if he were to make it, he would pass directly behind 

 her. Thus she gets as much of all the decorated parts as it is 

 possible for her to do in a single coup d'ceil — the tail, if I mis- 

 take not, being also tilted, so that the whole Cupid's bow of it 

 is visible. The thick white feathers behind it do not seem so 

 capable of being shown in this posture. A considerable portion 

 of their ends, however, project over the black arch — or between 

 the double arch — of the tail, and the rest must also be con- 

 spicuous, at least in flashes, and particularly when the cock 

 passes in front of the hen, before turning to repeat his display 

 on the other side. She has then a full view. Now when cock 

 birds face one another, to fight, and when they strut, or face, or 

 turn, by themselves, the tail is fanned, the wings lowered, and 

 the head, though sometimes lowered, generally held erect. But 

 this particular tilt of the body, as also a certain pace and look, 

 which belong to it, is entirely wanting. This is most signifi- 

 cant, for the object of the tilt is unmistakable, and demands the 

 presence of the hen. Also it is to the female alone that one 

 wing only— that nearest her— is presented and spread in a very 

 particular way. 



The hen bird seems by no means unalive to these attentions, 

 which, however, may be not now so ardent as they probably 

 become later on. Her manner is very conscious, and she has 

 almost a nervous look. She does not, however, yield to them, 

 but walks forward in a series of little starts, with pauses between. 

 After a while the other (or another) cock comes up, and the .two 

 court her, in the above-described way, one on each side, but I 

 again notice that the courtship does not seem very ardent, nor 

 do the cocks, though they have made a show of fighting before, 



* This seems to me now a little doubtful, though I have it on my notes 

 (like Justice Stareleigh). It is unimportant — the bird shows quite enough. 



