St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-30

them up and down with slow but
measured motion. In the ypecaha and
jacana disllys both sexes take part. A
stranger performance is that of the
spur-Winged lapwing of the same re-
gion-a species resembling the lapwing
of Europe, but a third larger, brighter
colored and armed with spurs.
The lapwing display, called
by the natives it's dance" or
SERIOUS dance'-bv which they mean
square dance-requires three birds for
itf performance and is, so far as know,
unique in this respect. The birds are
so fond of it that they indulge in 1T all
the year around and at frequent inter-
walls during the day, also on moon
light nights. If a person watches
they live in pairs-he will see another
lapwing, one of a neighbOring couple.
rise up and fly to them, leaving his own
mate to guard their chosen ground, and
instead of resenting this visitors I'M
warranted Intrusion on their do
main, as they would certainly re-
sent the approach of almost any
other bird they welcome it with
notes and signs of pleasure. Advanc-
ing to the visitor. they place themselves
behind it; then all three, keeping step,
begin rapid march, utterIng resonant
drumming flutes, in time with their
movements. the notes of the pair being
emitted in stream, like drum-roll,
while the leader utters loud single notes
at regular intervals. The march ceases:
the leader elevates his wings and
stands erect and motionless, still utter
ing loud notes, while the other two.
with pulled-out plumage. and standing
rI
downward until the tips of their beaks
touch the ground, and, sinking their
rhythmical voices to murmur. remain
for some time in this posture. The per-
Torrance is then over, and the visitor
goes back to his own ground and and
mate to receive visitor himself later on.
In the Passerine order, not the least
remarkable displays are witnessed in
birds that are not accounted SongSterS,
as they do not possess the highly devel-
oped vocal organ confined in the sub
order Oscines. The tyrant birds. which
represent in South America the fly
catchers of the old world. all have dis
plays of some kind; in vast majority OF
cases these are simply joyous, excited
duets between male and female. COM
posed of impetuous and more or less
confused notes and screams, accempa-
MED with beating of wings and other
gestures. In some species choruses take
the place of duets, while in others entire
ly different forms of display have been
developed. In one group, Cnipolegus, the
male INDUCES in solitary antics, while
the silent, modest-colored female keeps
in hiding. Thus, the male of Cnipole-
gus Hudsoni, an intensely black-plum-
aged species with concealed white
wing-band, takes his stand on dead
twig on the summit of bush. At
intervals he leaves his perch. dis
playing the intense white on the
quilts. and producing, as the wings are
thrown open and shut alternately, the
effect of successive flashes of light.
Theh suddenly the bird begins revolv-
ing in the air about its perch, like a
moth wheeling round and close to the
flames of candle, emitting series of
sharp clicks and making loud hum
ming with the wings. While perform
ing this aerial waltz the black and white
on the wings mix, the wings appearing
like gray mist encircling the body.
The fantastic dance over, the bird drops
suddenly on to its perch again, and,
until moved to another disply, remains
as stiff and motionless as bird carved
out of Jet.