The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-10
THE LOvE-GIFrs OF BIRDS.


the influx OF capital"
THE LOvE-GIFTs OF BIRDS.
Acts Of Self-Denial During the Fair.
ing and Nesting Season.
OF course. IL adult birds of any species
habitualiy fed each other on ordinary oc-
casions, the same behavior in the breed
ing season would be no evidence that II
had anything to do with love- But the
converse Is the case. I have never heard
of a wild bird which hatftually shares Its
food with a mate. In times OF scarcity,
however, Bird has sometimes been OBJ
served to feed companion. In the severe
winter OF lS7S-s0 there was good deal of
snow In the western counties. and the
rocks had a bad time. finding diet Ct
mangold insufficient Several OF them
came to a garden IN which the birds were
fed. Another rock. whose flight betrayed
its lightness and weakness. perched In
tree there, apd one Of the usual two or
three took up q piece OF bread directly
to the newcomer, and gave it up TO him
without any show OF resistance or anger.
| saw this from a distance OF about
twenty-five yards. Quite possibly the birds
were mates but the incident is only men,
toned for its rarity.
In the nesting season the males Of many
species feed their mates on or OF the nest,
as is well known. The rook for instance.
brings food to his mate, who. when re-
ceiving II fiutters her wings "a frequent
habit at this time), and also utters a
hoarse cry similar to the cries of the
young. The adult rock utters this note
on no other occasion. In several spe-
cies OF fnches, also. the male feeds his sit
ting mate. 1 have seen this done by the
chaffinch, greenfinch. linnet and lesser red
pole. The recipients shook their wings and
uttered call-notes. The food thus hestow-
ed could hardly be termed a ''lpve-gfft";
but when, before birds have a nest, and
apparently before they have paired. the
male gives the female morsels OF food, Il
is fair to assume that this courtesy IS In
tended as an earnest OF passion-that II is,
in fact. love-gfft.
do not know of any book to which the
student can refer for information on this
fascinating scheme. He should. therefore.
refer to the book OF nature; and II he will
use small telescope and be silent, he
should easily obtain information from this
source.
Among the raptores ii is probable that
the brooding female obtains food chiefly
by the agency Of her mate. Maj. c. Haw-
forme me that the male peregr!ne hunts
which Is In charge of his mate.
Among domestic birds the common fowl
affords conspicuous instance of gallant
~ when the male calls the females TO
some choice morsel. He obviously m
tends the tidoit only for the hens. and
any rival attempting to partake Of It Is
at once attacked.
In regard to domestic pigeons, have
obtained information from my brother. T.
- fN,-
a successful f1ier of homing pigeons, and
has from childhood kept this and otrer
varieties. One OF the Indications OF pair
ing by pigeons Is the insertion of the beak
of the male into that Of the female. ana
this Is accompanied by a shutting Of the
wings exactly "a occurs when the young
are fed. 1t does not appear however. hat
any considerable amount of food us any
at alb passes from the male. Homcrs
rever omit this performance before pair
ing The male homer is passionately fond
Of his home, his mate and his young. 1t
is a general rule for the cock to feed his
own hen. though there are exceptions TO
this rule. This very curious fact has often
been noticed by my brother. II indicates
that TO the ~ife OF the nest this courtesy
Of the pigeon is reserved and that tire
other birds are deemed unworthy Of IL.
II should be remembered that homers Eve
the most naturally OF any except farm
house pigeons and they may Therefore he
supposed to possess the natural Instincts
Of their race in greater vigor than any
other fancy breed.
Returning TO wild BIRDS my opportunities
have been too limited 10 enable me to gen.
eralize; hut the following observations
may be not without value to those who try
TO see In the bird q sentient and tender
being.
Fox lax. isT11 ne
ted f.ycatcher n pair of them were IN 4
near tree The main often attempted n
song, and was ev identity following the e.
male He suddenly went forth on a longer
Journey than usual. as though for a larger
insect. turned and went To the female. and
in the gentlest manner presenteO ID her
the captured insec. (which appeared TO be
81 the size OF hee). She took IL seia.s
" shortly after she received another r'f,
~ the same kind. a second pair OF fly
catehers behaved IN precisely the same
nanner Las; April a male robin gave
some food in the zane way 10 its mate.
Both birds often uttered their call note.
Several male chaffinches. before nesting
time gave captured insects 20 their intend
ed mates All these insects were captured
in flight The chaffnches were full OF
ardor. the males. all a-iutser with excite
nent following the females. and with the
cuckoo-Iike fight. which Is one of the
BIRDS surest signs Of love. and repeating
sS1e sof; iove-no:e almost necessarily.
On one OF the frst days Of MAY two will
low wrens were busy IN a hedge The
male often sang. but was mainly Intent
on keeping near his companion. wno APP
pearei 20 be a female bird She was seem
lngly in8iferen, 90 his presence and HINT
Ell for insects with all the graceful scfIvi-
" o. her species. But she remained In
the same spot. The male was greatly Gx-
cited mis- wings lowered and puIsatsng and
his eali-note prolonged 80 a scream rather
han a chsrp. Through the telescope h was
evident that she also was trembling little
Suddenly the male iar:ed forth. returned
and aIlxhfed near she other. He then
without haste went 20 Asr. and her beak
net his The incident MAS 81 brief that the
telescope could not Pc used: bsit h was
perhaps fair TO assume that Re had found
and bestowed a love-gifs- she accepted IL
with the sane sssaseaess that the female
nycafchers chafisnches and roean had ex-
hsoited In the like circumstancss.-Charies
A. Michel. In Knowsedge.