The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-18

ground. Then the parts are reversed,
and the second one takes his turn at
dropping. Ravens act in similar fash
ion with sea urchins only this is
solitary game. where the bird who
drops also does the catching, doing 1t
before the urchin reaches the ground
and lis broken, thus showing that it is
play and not desire to eat.
Teasing.
A strikingly human Characteristic is
shown in the play of birds amusing
themselves at the expense Of others
what we call teasing" A party of
jolly bluejays We're observed in Ohio
engaged in this game. 1t was cherry
time. and a we'll loaded tree invited all
cherry lovers to partake. There were
busily engaged robins catbirds, red
headed woodpeckers, and others. The
mischievous bluecoats would stay
quietly on neighboring tree till ev-
erybody was absorbed in the feast,
then suddenly descend upon them with
loud cries OF course, the cherry eat
ers would be panic stricken. and fly
in disorder, when the fun loving jays
would calmly return to their tree and
wait till all were back at their feast,
then repeat the performance.
Tumbling over and over, or turning
sonersaults in the air. is
popular game. The black coat
ed gentry excel in grotesque
wing play Ravens, looking the embod-
iment of solemnity are frolicsome as
boys. One curious performance was
seen by Mr.. Selous. While flying sob
erly along, the bird suddenly closed it's
wings and rolled over on one side,
turning completely and coming up on
the other side, but sometimes turned
only half way and reversed and
came up the way he started. 1t was
an extraordinary feat. and the bird
proceeded on his way as if he had done
nothing eccentric. but in few mo-
ments repeated the sport, and did so
four or five times in succession, with
stolid flights between.
The dancing of ostriches and cranes
has often been noted, but another sort
is not so we'll known. This is kind
Of posing" play. Here is one conduct
ed by a dignified grackle. Two birds
take their place on the ground, facing.
Then together they begin slowing ais
ing their heads, twisting them comic
ally from side to side, keeping their
eyes on each other Farther { nd far
ther stretch up the bills till they point
10 the sky, and even more. In this
absurd position they stand for some
time, then lower them, and all is over,
taking their pleasure seriously, as
their countrymen are said to do. Our
own hicher or golden winged wood
pecker. INDUCES in a digaified but
comical performance, mostly posing.
The great plover has a grotesque
play described by Mr.. Selous. Towards
evening the birds will begin to run
around in great excitement, waving
their wings, leapng into the air and
then pitching" about like SHIPS in a
rough sea, and threatening very mo-
ment to dig their bills into the
ground. In a few minutes the parox-
ysm is past and the birds resume their
ordinary demeanor. Another bird, the
kagu in the London Geological grounds
carries this frenzied play a step far
Their, and actually does thrust his bill
into the ground and hold it there,
kicking and fluttering with legs and
wings.
The last / shall mention is a kick
err Though not in the slang sense.)
He is a cassowary, and when the play
full fit seizes him he rolls IN the
ground with legs in the air, more like
monkey than great bird, then
springs up and rushes madly about,
leaping six feet into the air. and kick
ing everything he encounters with
such violence that he often lands aat
on his back. This IS, perhaps, the
drolleSt of bird plays.