The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-08-14
QUEER
Customs Among The Feather
ed Tribe
(New York AmerIcanl


when in the presence of the object of
their desire, but in not few species
the most astonishing acrobatic feats
are performed.
One of the most remarkable illustra
tions of this fact Is furnished by that
most interesting bird, the great bus
| tard, which generation or so ago
roamed over the English fenlands Ev-
EN- in it's sedate moments it Is hand
some bird; the back being of a lively
| ochre, barred with black, while the
| neck and under parts are of delicate
dove color. The only ornament of the
male is formed by tuft of long feath-
ers extending backward on each side
of the head. When in amorous mood
these have role of their own, and a
| by no means inconspicuous one. But
the display" as it is called, of the
great bustard is very ceremonious
affair.
The first stage in the proceedings is
to initiate a most wonderful windbag,
which runs down the front of the
neck, just under the skin. How this is
done no man can say, but the necessary
air is somehow drawn through slit
like aperture opening just under the
tongue. AS the process of imitation
proceeds the head is drawn down till
it rests between the shoulders, the
beak pressing down onto it's strange
air cushion. Meanwhile the feather
tufts are raised upward and thrown
forward, to stand like palisade on
each side Of the beak.
While this is going on the tail is
raised and drawn forward till it lies
upon the back, where it is held down
by the tips of the wing feathers. This
brings into view a billowy mass of
white feathers, formed by the under
tail coverts. AS the quill feathers are
brought into play to hold down the tail,
the long, barred "scapulars" and the
pure white secondaries are, in some
mysterious way, spread out into sort
of shield, covering each side of the
body.
By the time these complex move
ments are completed a transformation
has been effected which is almost in
describable. All likeness to the bird of
few minutes ago has vanished; what
remains is, a bewildering simmer of
feathers, from which proceeds a series
of low, cultural sounds like "Oak-oak-
oak" slowly uttered AS these sounds
are uttered this feathered contortion-
list stands directly in front of his mate,
evidently endeavoring to excite her ad
miration and her consent to his suit
No other member of the bustard
tribe has quite so remarkable a dis.
play. But the great Australian bus
tard makes a good second. With this
species the tail is also drawn forward
over the back and the neck is inflated
but by very different means, for it is
the gullet and "crop" which are filled
with air. At such times the crop
forms great pendulous bag, hanging
down far below the line of the breast
and swaying with the birds every
movement
The head, however, instead of being
drawn down on to the back, is thrus
high up into the air, the neck forming
} a sort of post TO which, as it were, i
is affixed. In this strange posture the
bird struts about with mincing gai
before his commonly passive and ap
parently indifferent mate. At last
Y Among birds wind bags are by nj
/, means rare devices for captivating CO!
s mates In some species these aids t.
;. courtship are bare of feathers ant
6 brilliantly colored, as in the case o
q the strange frigate bird of the tropics
a Herein the air vessel forms a grea
crimson pouch which, when fully in
?. fiated, rivals the rest of the body il
,. size
g Unlike the bustards, the frigate bird
do their "courting," so TO speak, in pull
q
affair. A number of malees, all inten
, on securing mates, will foregather o.
the bough of tree oVerhanging tn
!, sea and there engage in friendly riV
:, airy, each apparently striving to eH
ceed his neighbor in the size of hi
= pouch. So soon as the female puts i
: an appearances the whole crowd G
SWANS starts an awful din, beaks ar
set Gathering like castanets, and at tn
same time a sort of song or chant
sung, which sounds like "Wowwov
! wow-wow-wow-wow," Then one afte
- the other takes wing, slowly defatin
the pouch in midair, the object of tn
y fight being to oyertake the female
II who affect either fear or contempt fC
III this strange demonstration in the
lie honor.
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