The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-04-01
COURTSHIP OF BIRDS.

COI Of bthDDs
A slight glance at a few of the we'll /
authenticated cases of animal cOurtship 1
serves to show that birds but too closely !
initiate the actions of the fond lover of I
the genus homo One of the best eX- +
amples is cited by Mr.. Gould, the well. /
known authority on ornithological sub /
iects He says the actions of the satin.
bower bird bear close analogy to
those of man in similar circumstances.
In carrying on its courtship the bird,
not content with plain advances, eTectS
a structure of grass. decorating it with
innumerable articles of bric-a-brac and
Virtu, and in to this hall of courtship''
the female is invited, and she generally
succumbS to the Establishments OF the
male and the gorgeous adornments OF
he boudoir. Mr.. Gould says that
I these bowers are entirely distinct from
I the nests which are built in trees, and
are intended as "hallS of courtShip."
/ They are outwardly built of twigs and
/ beautifully lined with tall grasses so
/ disposed that their heads meet the dec
I OTations are very profuSe, and consist OF
bivalve shells. crauia Of small maInmalia
! and other bones. Evident and beauti-
/ full instances of design are manifest
. throughout the bower, apparently TO
p ~
fixed firmly in their places these stones
( divtTge from the mouth of the run on
each side, so as TO form little paths, and
/ the immense collection Of decorative
, material, bones, shells, etc, are placed i'll
. a heap before the entrance of the avenue,
this arrangement being the same at
both ends.
- At times the male will chase the fe-
male all over the aviaTy." Mr.. Gould
says, in describing their actions ''then
go to The bower, pick up a gay feather
or large leaf, utter a curious kind of
note, set all his feathers erect, run round
the bower, become 50 excited that his
eyes appear ready to start from his
head ; he continues opening one wing
! and then the other, utterIng low,
I whistling note, and. Ike the domestic
cock, seems TO be picking up something
from the ground, until at last The female
goes gently toward him. But they are
sad fiirls, rs they often keep the poor fel-
lows cutting up their strange antics for
days. and when the eXpeCtaut lover asks
for some token of return of affection.
he is met Will peck and cuffs. >
The courJship of the house martin is
conducted on the wing. The female is
pursued sometimes 10y forty or fifty
males A; sometimes rising in the air III
great circles. and then diving down,
wheeling and cUrveling and throwing
themselves into numerous erratic posi-
tons to attract the attention OF the fair
one. and when she makes her selection
the others are driven off. The ludicrous
actions of the lover are mhOunded-
caTessing her with bill and wing, and
. Tuffling his short feathers in an amusing
manner. The cOuTtship Of the wood
pecktr is a seyeTe operation for the fe
male he IL followed fpuSf MT y lay
eight or ten gay followers. who vie with
each other ia showing her attention,
and ii last, utterly fatigurd, she alights.
and makes her choice of one of the
males, and the rest are soon driven of
hy the bride and groom.
The cOurtship of the great English
bustard is an extremely interesting
sight. The love making is done entire
ly IN the air. The male will sail around
in curves. start up and hover over the
female. then drop almost to the ground.
only TO rise again and continue its odd
aud fantastic courtship. Similar in its
actions is the Otis bengalensis, an allied
bustard. At such periods he rises per
pendiculaTly INTO the air with a hurried
Tapping OF his wings, raising his crest
and putting out the feathers of his neck
and breast, and then drops to the ground.
He repeats this manpuver several times
successively, at the same time humming
in peculiar tone. Such females as hap
pen to be near obey his saluIatory sum
mons, and when they approach he trails
his wings and spreads his tail like tur-
key cock.
Audubon says in regard to the court
ship of the Canada goose Those that
had been previously mated renewed
their GOurtship as early as the month OF
January, while others would he contend
ing or coquettiug for hours every day
. until all seemed satisfied with the choice
/ they had made, after which, although
they remained together, any person
could see that they were careful to keep
in pairs. | have observed. also, that tlt
older the birCs the shorter were the pre-
limnarivs Of their couriship. Th'
bachelors and old maids. whether out o
regard, or not wishing to be dist turbeC
by the hustle, quietly moved aside anC
lay down some distance from the rest
wall flowers or 'gOsSipers, evidently.
In the courts ship of the Arapunga. O
Guiana beli bird, the male makes curiou
note III the night, that can Ue heard 4
distance of three miles The true bel
bird Ot New South Wales attracts tn,
attention OF the female by IT'S powers ot
ventriloquisin. It's notes often sound a
ii at a considerable distance. when il
itdltbS Tue bilu lS ptICltu over I'M
branch of neighbOring tree, the vol
r ume of sound gradually increasing unit
il appears to be just over the hea,i of TIN
listener. The cuHared gOatSucker,
native of the Cape of Good Hope is ais,
very assiduous. in its attentions durin,
the breeding season. which commence
in the month of 81 ptember. He iudulg
es in Il very loud and singular song
which he begins about an hour afte
sunset, and often cont inues all night. i
the weather Oe fine and light. lie Vail
liant says that when he happened to en
camp in the vicinity of these birds. tn
iuctsSant song of the male rendered i
impossible for him to sleep. Strange {,
say, Notwithstanding the little car
these birds seem to take to conceal thei
eggs, they are very jealous of these
treasures. and remove them immediatel
on pcrceiying hat they have been touch
ed. each parent taking an egg in il
mouth and lving off with it.
The CHANGE IN THE FROG-NO
where in he animal EiuUdpu, IL 1 bara q