The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-02-24
THE BIRDS ODD WAYS
STRANGE ANTICS IN WHICH
THEY INDULGE.
aow the LapwinK Dsness-Three Ia
Rou. 90 the Accompaniment 81 Their
Drumming These soBEstsrs March
aud Keep Time.

aud Keep Time.
or al the interesting points on .
which Mr Dixon touches IN bis Curl |
oz.ties u Bird Life perhaps none is /
more remarkable than The strange
antics Ia which some birds indulge
especially Al the pairing season, says
the London Daily News Win what
odd gestures gill smartly dressed
cOck-sparrow. for Instance. endeaVor
20 cut good figure IN the eyes Of NE
demure and sOber-tinted lady-lOFe.
with dropping wings and tail raised
high In the air. he shunles along the
ground Or sldles toward bis mate as
she sits on the edge Of the rainpipe,
while he uttera. instead Of bursts OF
soul-stirring melody strange. inaruc-
ulate sounds. Intended. no doubt. quite
az honestly ~ the noble music OF the
song-thrush 10 express the depth ana
feryor of his passion To a similar
performance. though with more Of dig-
nifty and action about o.. The biaek-
cock treats his wives. for unlike the
better-conducfed though often much
illuminated sparrow. be IL not shtls-
fed with q single mate. one OF the
most Characteristic OF spring sounds on
E1mO0r. as evening darkens. or, SIN
more. in the early hours Of the morn
Ing Dr. the challenge u the blackeoeh,
In the month of April be who u abroad
early enough may watch, upon TINS
rus.et slopes Of Dunkery. O little par
~ ~ blackjack AZ one o. their Feeos'
nized and probably ancestral meeting.
places by one n the little m0oriaha
streams. or on the wet edge OF some
sUampy hollow. Each bird crouchcs
on O. h.l.cak. 90 the oldest u attitudes
-Itr head down. l's wings a-droop, Us
beautiful tail raised ana utiers at IN
'oryaIs strange almost weird notes.
sometime suggestive u the purr OF
a tur',e-doye. and sometimes more IKE
the cry of channels Presently an Ola
cock grand in hiE new black coat. VIII
e., no and march backward and Tor
ward with bis neck stretched out ana
. hls wings trailing on the ground. NO"
I be- leaps into The air. sometimes turn
iug right round before he liighis. and
now again Do crouchos close upoh hts
/ hul0rk n O. said that In places where
| black game are few % single cock wiil
go through All Jh.s by himself or at
most with only hIs wives FOR Witgesses.
I Hu' N there ure more cocks than one
. tle proceedings generally end with q
/ Gsh' where ODE birds 4rr numerous
tho young cocks who lre not allowed
90 enter iho arena with their elders.
hold Unauthorized celebrations Of their
own There are many birds which
thus. l.te higher mortais. have the.'
f' ~ madness .u the days Of court
ship Dut there are some such as TIA
-pur-v.HsoI l1pwIug ~ Ia Plata
. which are like the lady 90 the song
Fl fond ~ dancing especially " what
the natives o1ll their serious dance
meaning sQuaro one that they in'
du'ge .a lurh performance all The
year. nor .a fho daytime only. hut ever
ON moonlight nights IT, says Mr
Hudson. who tells the story. a per
son vl'rho a1y Two birds FOR some
umr far they I've In pli-s-he Wil
see another lapaIug. one OF q neigh
boring couple rise 100 and ny 20 them
.eayaE Die oRu mate 90 guard thel
chosen gr1ual. and instead % resent
ing this visit as 900 unwarrlnted ln
'rusIou on their domain. 1s they v0ul'
certainly resent the approach - al
most any other bird they welcome 8
with notes and signs of pleasure "a
vane'nr 90 the visitor they plac
thcmse'ycs behind %. then an three
keeping stop. begin % rapid march. NJ
tcrlnr resonant drumming notes q
time with their movements the ao'e
~ the pair behind them being emitte
IN q stream. like a drum roll. while ID
lead utters loud single notes 90 regula
J Intervals The march ceases the lead
er eleyates bis wings and stands mo
,ionless and erect. still u;terinR lou
. notes while the other two. with pulled
% ont plumage. and standing eNactl
abreast stoop forward and downwar
. until the tops NJ their heaks touch m
ground. and. sinking their rhythmic,
notes 20 n murmur. remain FOR som
, time 10 this posture The poriormanC
a, is then over and the visitor goes hac
10 hls own ground and mate "a rece.S
vI.Ifar hIwrnf later on"