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Show 108 MR. W. H. HUDSON ON THE HABITS OF RAILS. [Jan. 18, The Chajas (Chauna chavaria)also sing in concert, "counting the hours," as the Gauchas say; for they sing about nine o'clock in the evening and again just before dawn. Still more remarkable is the habit in the Scissor-tail (Milvulus tyrannus) ; for these birds are not gregarious, and yet once a day they rise up and, hurrying from tree to tree, summon each other to a general gathering; then, mounting with sharp chirping notes, they precipitate themselves violently downwards from a great height, their long tails opening and closing, their zigzag flight accompanied with impetuous " whetting " and " grinding " notes. The Tinamous unite in small coveys and play, running about in circles, rapidly doubling and suddenly crouching as if to conceal themselves. Tyrant-birds and Thrushes chase each other screaming through the air and amongst the trees. Hard-billed singing-birds sing in concert on trees and bushes, and sometimes pursue each other and fight all the time they are singing. Some Ducks fight mock battles on the water. The habit is different in the Chiloe Widgeon (Mareca chiloensis) ; for this Duck has an easy and powerful flight. In small flocks they rise until they become mere specks in the sky; at that vast height they hover, all the time singing their shrill notes, and close and separate and close again; and every time they close they slap each other so smartly with their wings that the blows can sometimes be beard when the birds have quite vanished from sight. Many mammals also have meetings and rejoice together, some species even having set performances; but the habit is less noticeable in them, as they are not so impressionable by nature as birds, and are also less buoyant in their motions, and less garrulous. In all the instances I have given, the sexual passion is in no way concerned; for these gatherings and displays take place at all seasons of the year, and are in some cases less frequent during the season of courtship. It is impossible to doubt that the cause is simply the natural gladness felt by all sentient beings at times, when hunger is satisfied and they are free from the restraints imposed by other emotions. It is to a great extent an associate feeling, and, in species accustomed to meet and to indulge in it with frequency, is instantaneously communicated from one to the other. Every shepherd and herdsman on the pampas is familiar with the fits of joy that seize his domestic or semi-domestic cattle. Thus a lamb in a flock will suddenly spring up two or three times in quick succession, coming down on his four feet together ; and instantly his companions become possessed with a joyous contagion, and, breaking away from their dams, they fly off in pursuit. Suddenly they all stop and group themselves together; but in a few moments another lamb springs up and bounds away, and the chase is renewed. It is not to be wondered at that some species should have not only a definite and unchangeable manner of manifesting their joyous-ness, but should give it such extravagant expressions as, for example, the Ipecaha does, whilst in others it shows itself in the most subdued manner or not at all; for some animals are incapable of ex- |
