Concord, Mass.
1910
May 19
(No 2)
[May 19, 1910]

Sexual act of Phoebees

not once broken. Moreover the motions of the male were very
unlike those of other birds I have seen similarly engaged and
very like those of certain mammals, consisting of a great number
of rather slow, deep thrusts given, however, with exceeding vigor.
Indeed his sexual ardor seemed to amount almost to frenzy
and to suffer no abatement as the minutes passed. The female
meanwhile lay prone on the ground with wings half opened
and tail wide spread, her body heaving and palpitating. The
male held her firmly by the feathers of the occiput, with
his bill. Every now & then he would shake her violently
when she would flutter her wings. Once when he did
this the two birds rolled completely over without separating.
Even when at length she freed herself and flew off to
a telegraph wire he pursued her madly & attempted to again
unite with her his passion evidently not sated. Altogether
it was a most surprizing exhibition for a pair of birds.