THE NATURALIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2057, 27 July 1893, Page 48

THE NATURALIST.

Nature's Love-making. The wooing of birds is most refined and graceful. Love tunes their respective pipes, and they seek to captivate tbjelr mates by their sweeteßt notes and most, varied warblings. The wood pigeon charms his lady-love by a series of aeiial evolutions and a curious flapping, of his strong wing-feathers, puffing his breast tenderly cooing. This flapping of the pinions may be likened to a vigorous hand-olapping, the wings seeming to touch each other over the bird's back during its short flights from tree to tree. ; At mating time the plumage of male birds is more handsome than at any other period ; indeed, some birds assume different colours in the spring— for example, the linnet has a rosy breast; the wagtail is more conspicu-. ously pied, and some foreign birds have ruffs and long tail appendages that disappear after the mating season. Yellow-hammers charm their mates by displaying their tail feathers in the form of a fan ; starlings chatter in the sunshine to show the metallic beauty of their breast feathers, and swallows circle and double in graceful flight before their lady-loves. That handsome bird, the argus pheasant, scrapes and bows at beauty's Bhrine, and opens his jewelled feathers to solicit her attention; and the peacock in his native woods seeks to dazzle his plainly-attired partner with the glitter and gold of his indescribable plumes. Our own titmice go through wonderful acrobatic performances, following their ladies from bough to boogh, chasing them, and almost compelling them to listen to their love-lays. Bright shells, flowers, feathers, and grasses ■are laid by the bowef 'bird at the' entrance of his partner's retreat; and tiny humming birds woo most assiduously, showing off their lovely hues and engaging in fierce combat with a possible rival ; even bringing nectar from choice flowers for the'delectation of their Mry brides. ~ $$' , Hen birds exhibit all the vagaries of their sex, and pretend to be indifferent to the,exertions of their admirers. An exasperated sparrow, having failed to make an impression on his obstinate mate, fluttered round her in a whirl of excitement, with flapping wings and angry chirps, until she chirped in reply, then for several minutes they billed and cooed happily, until a troublesome boy dispersed them with a stone. Frogs have an original way of jlove-mak-ing, and as soon as evening shades fall, commence to croak loudly to their mates, sometimes great numbers of them combining in pne unmusical chorus. Courting among insects is often a very elaborate affair. AmaJe'emder will approach" a female and amuse her for some time with his antics. \lt is said thai twirls round • and round, Crosses his legsi; erects his body," and executes a sort of mapy dance, to excite her admiration. She is a very vicious lady, and not always pleased with his lovemaking ; sometimes be finds himself obliged to ward her off, for she h,as a painful mode of showing her displeasure, and if She entirely disapproves of his intentions, will fall upon him and rend him in pieces v ' One specieß of spider is said to have a novel way of makicg love, the sexes communicating by means of strands of web stretching from one retreat to the other— a sort of telephone, so to speak. flutter daintily round and round their admirers, and gaudy flies attract; by means of their iridescent hue?. 1 according to some naturalist?, use their luminaries as love signals. Night islhe season of love with these insects, and the females of one species seat themselves amongst the grass, while the males, attracted by the light, dance attendance round them. One female is said to entice many suitors, and from these she is at liberty to eeleot a partner.

Animals are not so interesting in their lovemaking as birds and insects. Beavers are supposed to attract their mates by a peculiar odour, and this is likewise the case with the musk deer and tbe civet cat. Concerning fishes — the sticklebacks occasionally resort to harsh treatment, attacking the females with open mouths and erected spines. As husbands their behaviour is certainly eccentric, for after the female has deposited her eggs within the nest that he has prepared for her, her lord and master drives her away and proceeds to hatch them himself. He also attends to them until able to leave of their own accord, fighting manfully against all intruders.— Home paper.