New-York tribune., 1906-12-30
Il FE1THERED FLIRT.
Queer actions of Bird 7oith Tzeo
.SuifOrs.

One Of the most remarkable exhibitions of femi-
nine coquetry the part of a bird that have seen
occurred on day I'm January 1t was in the Ohio
Valley. and the day was one OF those springlike
which usually come, in that region, in this
month, when the weather tries to heguile nature
into thinking that winter is past and spring at hand.
The sun was bright and warm the air soft
and mild, and gentle breeze came over the hills
ing dove cooed from the top OF a great beech; two
males of the golden winged woodpecker walked
about each & 9thsr on the gr9und. in inerlockng
tops and the bright iinke OF a song sparrow came
from a Glump of bushes.
Carolina wren was taking bath, splashing vigor-
ousy where the clear water came with rush over
shining pebbles ana dancing on one foot i'm a cOmi-
cal endeavor to Keep his balance IN the edge of the
finished making his toilet. fiuffng his feathers until
the usually concealed downy white spots We're dis
Pumage passing m each wing feather through his
Satisfied with his appearance and fied with the
soft warmth of the day, he was in the humor for
began utterng soft calls, pausne after each, with
head cooked on one side and bright eyes glistening
came from the hillside above him, evidently en-
called again with Increased energy Again came
= HE a9swerng ea ana M he flew to the next tree
the answer came.
good saas ao ounG 5 d bd h h 5e replica ea Of to
the call OF the first. She was sitting on the low
hillside and could watch 10th birds essily "
swefng he few little aearSr Gas as though SHEA fearing
TO frighten her by precipitancy wishing 10
pique her into attention by his seeming reluctance
This little performance was repeated several times
the male moving only a few feet after each call
or the piece; new actor came into the little
comedy. From near the top of the hill there
a third voice. bold, confident call, which once
attracted the attention OF tho female She shifted
about on the branch, huttered here and there on
II. and turned toward the actor. The FIRST
louder and more imperative than any before. Tho
female turned her head him and replied he
fore. Then the second male called again. and she
answered shim.
she uttered call entirely different the one
with which she had been answering the first male.
Not only did she give different call in her first
answer TO male number two. but she kept II up,
varying her answers the calls of the males.
To male number one she replied she had
never mixing her replies, but pipng one set OF
notes TO one of her admirers and another to
the other.
At first doubted the testimony OF my ears and
was inclined TO think that there must be a fourth
bird. which had not seen heard. but my doubts
With my glass / could distinctly the
ment OF her throat when she called, and I found
that II was Indeed one bird that gave the different
notes. Whether or not she reasoned that the same
answer 10 both males might prove discouraging TO
one OF them as woman sometimes reasons that
impartial favors discourage nearer Individual APP
proach, While varying attitude incites. IL i'm
possible TO tell; but: reasoning by analogy. IL
seemed amusingly probable that the same reasons.
or the same feminine instinct. impeled her
the hirt in feathers knew what she was doing and
that she carefully differentiated between tho two
males. giving one answer to the first and another
TO tho seconc. tbs caus and snswakS AltsyuStinS