But it is especially among the gallinaceæ that love inspires the males with warlike fury. In this order of birds nearly all the males are of bellicose temperament. Our barn-door cock is the type of the gallinaceæ--vain, amorous, and courageous. Black cocks are also always ready for a fight, and their females quietly look on at their combats, and afterwards reward the conqueror. We may observe analogous facts, only somewhat masked, in savage, and even in civilised humanity. The conduct of certain females of the _Tetras urogallus_ is still more human. According to Kowalewsky, they take advantage of a moment when the attention of the old cocks is entirely absorbed by the anxiety of the combat, to run off with a younger male.[7] If we may believe certain authors, these amorous duels must not always be taken seriously. They are often nothing more than parades, tourneys, or courteous jousts, merely giving the males an opportunity of showing their beauty, address, or strength. This is the case, according to Blyth, with the _Tetras umbellus_.[8] In the same way, the grouse of Florida (_Tetras cuspido_) are said to assemble at night to fight until the morning with measured grace, and then to separate, having first exchanged formal courtesies.[9] But among animals, as well as men, love has more than one string to his bow. It is especially so with birds, who are the most amorous of vertebrates. They use several æsthetic means of attracting the female, such as beauty of plumage and the art of showing it, and also sweetness of song. Strength seems often to be quite set aside, and the eye and ear are alone appealed to by the love-stricken males. Every one has seen our pigeons and doves courteously salute their mates. Many male birds execute dances and courting parades before their females. Thus, for example, do the _Tetras phasaniellus_ of North America, herons (_Cathartes jota_), vultures, etc. The male of the red-wing struts about before his female, sweeping the ground with his tail and acting the dandy.[10] The crested duck raises his head gracefully, straightens his silky aigrette, or bows to his female, while his throat swells and he utters a sort of gutteral sound.[11] The male chaffinch places himself in front of the female, that she may admire at her ease his red throat and blue head.[12] All this æsthetic display is quite intentional and premeditated; for while many pheasants and gallinaceous birds parade before their females, two pheasants of dull colour, the _Crossoptilon auritum_ and the _Phasianus Wallichii_, refrain from doing so,[13] being apparently conscious of their modest livery. Birds often assemble in large numbers to compete in beauty before pairing. The _Tetras cuspido_ of Florida and the little grouse of Germany and Scandinavia do this. The latter have daily amorous assemblies, or _cours d’amour_, of great length, which are renewed every year in the month of May.[14]