Field notes, v1516
Page 131
Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. | www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
saw another bird, head down and crowding, running to the left about 10 yds. down the hill from the first bird. This second bird certainly a male, came down into the green flat to feed but nervously kept looking about him. Suddenly from the right rushed in another male who made for the first male and after a short chase bill-to-bill, the first male took off with screeching. The second male & first male were of equal sings. The second male began to feed, and in a short while turned up his tail in a display. At that moment within the same field of my binoculars, a female came across the acacias (?) to join him. He would display whenever she got near him. Once she chased him bill-to-bill, but her usual reaction was to dash about a yard away from him. After about 15 minutes of this plus mostly feeding, the male made a 5 yd. run to the right. She followed him behind some grass and they were start of right for about half a minute, after which the male started at a rapid walk up the hill. [It also started raining hard at this time]. The female remained on the green flats for quite a while feeding, going almost to the edge of the river. Squatted for about 10 minutes, then began to feed again. Suddenly,