. Bird lore . with quivering wings as though he had suddenlybeen taken with extreme nausea. So far forward does he fall that he often hasdifficulty in regaining his balance. The display of the White-breasted Nuthatch is less often observed but isno less interesting because, in addition to showing every feather that he ownsto advantage, he has the cute little trick of making a present of food to thefemale. This is what happens at my feeding-station every year when thewarm days of early April start the buds to swelling. Together the two Nut-hatches come to the tree nearby, uttering low conversat
. Bird lore . with quivering wings as though he had suddenlybeen taken with extreme nausea. So far forward does he fall that he often hasdifficulty in regaining his balance. The display of the White-breasted Nuthatch is less often observed but isno less interesting because, in addition to showing every feather that he ownsto advantage, he has the cute little trick of making a present of food to thefemale. This is what happens at my feeding-station every year when thewarm days of early April start the buds to swelling. Together the two Nut-hatches come to the tree nearby, uttering low conversational notes, the femalealmost coy in the way she follows the male and edges away when he comestoo close. Suddenly the male swoops to the food-shelf, seizes a sunflowerseed, and is back to the waiting female with scarcely a pause. With wingsand tail spread and feathei s fluffed, he presents the tidbit to her as though itwere a choice bouciuet or a box of chocolates. Occasionally he pauses at the 174 Bird - Lore. WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH DISPLAYINGIn this case it was to drive another bird away from the feed food-shelf long enough to remove the seed coat from the seed so that it willbe ready to eat, but this is by no means a regular part of the ceremony. Thedisplay of the little Chickadee is very similar, though apparently with lessbravado, for his is a different nature. But the courtship of birds is not complete with song and iightmg and dis-play. There are many birds which supplement their displays with curiousevolutions in the air, with what well might be called dances, and with otherperformances that will have to be called antics for want of a better European Skylark and our own Horned Larks mount high in the air, and,after hovering and singing for a few moments, close the wings and drop likestones to the earth, catcliing themselves when only a few feet from the hardground, and sa\ing themselves from apparent destruction. The Woodcock,as dusk falls, mounts, likewise, h
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