COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 
285 
Thus, after repeated and continued battles, the marriage 
takes place. It is the truest of all such contracts, for 
naught but death can break the bond. Real genuine 
marriage can only be found among birds. 
We often read anecdotes of the great affection shown 
by male mammals to their young; showing that their 
care is fatherly in the extreme, and their defence of 
their offspring courageous to an extent that is perfectly 
marvellous. These stories, however, are, as we well know, 
for the most part little else than fables of the imagination ; 
our experiences of male quadrupeds go to prove quite 
the contrary, namely, that they rather forsake their 
young, or, at all events, do not trouble themselves 
much about their progeny, but leave it to the tender 
care of the females, who show themselves equal to 
the duty, and worthy of it too. 
With many creatures, even among the vertebrate 
animals, namely, reptiles and fishes, as also among 
invertebrates, there are striking exceptions to this rule: 
take, for example, in the latter class, bees, wasps, 
hornets, bumble-bees, sawflies, and others, in which case 
the mothers are exempted from all care and anxiety on 
account of their offspring. 
Most birds when they pair, do so for good and all 
until either one or the other dies, with the exception of 
those belonging to the Gallinaceous family, such as 
Wood Grouse, domestic Fowls, Pheasants, besides a few 
others; take, for instance, Cuckoos, and Ruffs and 
Reeves. We have arrived at this conclusion by means 
of constant and repeated observation. Individuals who 
have the good fortune to possess Eagles’ eyries on their 
estates are sufficiently acquainted with the old birds 
to he convinced that they pair for good. Large birds 
2q 
