. Bird watching . s the initiative and does so in avery decided manner, is the male. I will add that the waddling step with which themale bird (as I believe) approaches the female maybecome quickened and exaggerated into a sort ofshuffling dance. But I only use the word dance,because I can think of no slighter, yet sufficient, is not, I should imagine, intentional, but only theresult of nervous excitement. These seem to be odd antics, but it is in thenature of antics to be odd, and when such a birdas a cormorant indulges in them one may expectsomething more than ordinarily peculiar. The
. Bird watching . s the initiative and does so in avery decided manner, is the male. I will add that the waddling step with which themale bird (as I believe) approaches the female maybecome quickened and exaggerated into a sort ofshuffling dance. But I only use the word dance,because I can think of no slighter, yet sufficient, is not, I should imagine, intentional, but only theresult of nervous excitement. These seem to be odd antics, but it is in thenature of antics to be odd, and when such a birdas a cormorant indulges in them one may expectsomething more than ordinarily peculiar. The hop,however, which is very pronounced, is not confinedto such occasions, but is made to alternate with thecustomary waddle when the bird is moving about onthe rocks, and especially when getting up on to anylow ledge or projection. I do not know of any otherBritish bird which adopts this recumbent position incourtship, but this is just what the male ostrich does,ag I have over ^nd over again seen. He first pursues. ^ .. 3! WATCHING SHAGS AND GUILLEMOTS 169 the hen, who flies before him, and then, havingfollowed her for a short distance, flings himself down,throws back his head upon his back and rolls fromside to side, each time slowly passing the splendid whitefeathers of first one and then another wing over thevelvet black plumage of his body, by which, of course,they are shown to the very best advantage. The hencommonly stops whilst he is doing this, and maybe supposed to pay some attention, but as to theamount, as I write from memory after many years,I will not here express an opinion. After a while themale bird rises, again pursues the hen, again flingshimself down, and this is continued for a greater orlesser number of times, till either he gives up thechase, or the two have come to a thorough under-standing. When thus rolling with wings spread outand head thrown back upon himself the bird is in akind of ecstasy, and it is easy to go right up to him—as I have mysel
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1901
