each other solely, for it there was a female anywhere near 
at hand, I failed to see her. Fnenever one of them "pumped”, 
the other was sure to respond within two or three seconds, 
sometimes facing his rival, sometimes turning in another 
direction. 
During most of the time when they were in this 
marsh together, both birds showed the white which we saw 
yesterday, but when one of them finally flew away the other 
ceased altogether to display it, although we had him in 
vie?; for a. considerable length of time (fully 20 minutes) 
during which he pumped repeatedly. 
I will no?; proceed to describe it more fully than 
I was able to do yesterday. It was seen much better and for 
a longer period to-day with the added advantage that on this 
second occasion I ?;as able to check as well as supplement 
my own observations and impressions by those of Purdie and 
Gilbert, both of whom were with me the whole time and 
paying equally critical attention to the matter. At first 
we differed with respect to certain minor details, but all 
these differences of opinion were finally harmonized, and 
what I am about to say is now subscribed to by all three 
of us. 
The white first appears at or very near the shoulders 
of the folded wings and then expands, sometimes rather 
quickly (never abruptly, however) but oftener very slowly 
until, spreading simultaneously from both sides, it forms 
two ruffs fully equal in length and breadth (apparently) 
