472 
BIRD-LIFE. 
into the air, as high as the table from the ground. In 
the next figure it turns and twirls about as though 
waltzing, trips a pace or so in advance, still calling, 
and then waltzes again; the “play” being concluded by 
the singular “whetting,” a sound, as we before said, 
resembling the sharpening of a scythe. During this 
performance the bird, crazy with love, is supposed by 
sportsmen to be both deaf and blind, and indeed they 
will often take no notice of a miss-fire. This scene is 
repeated again and again in all its details, the bird 
becoming each time more and more excited. It continues 
to posture in the most extraordinary manner, running 
hither and thither over the dancing-place, like one 
possessed, rubbing the throat- and wing-feathers against 
the ground; dancing and springing from the earth in 
sudden bounds, sometimes even backwards, striking out 
with the wings, stretching out the neck now close to 
the ground before it, now straight up in the air: in 
fact, the bird’s movements would lead one to think 
it either mad or silly! The excessive exertion of both 
body and voice excite it to that degree, that at last every 
movement is made with the greatest violence, and each 
note is uttered with such unparalleled force and power,— 
one may say, thrown out,—and in such rapid succession, 
that the gobbling at last resembles scornful laughter! 
Depressing with difficulty every sound and movement, 
I eagerly watched this crazy pantomime. “ Ah, my boy ! 
you ought only to see,” whispered the forester, “what a 
caper they cut when two Blackcocks, impelled by jealousy, 
appear at the same playing-ground! Each bird has its 
own particular stage, and will defend the same with all 
its strength against every intruder. Each evening the 
bird goes through some of its performance; after which 
