How swift his head would go when he was delivering
his blows upon the limb! His beak wore the surface perceptibly. When
he wished to change the key, which was quite often, he would shift his
position an inch or two to a knot which gave out a higher, shriller
note. When I climbed up to examine his drum he was much disturbed.
I did not know he was in the vicinity, but it seems he saw me from a
near tree, and came in haste to the neighboring branches, and with
spread plumage and a sharp note demanded plainly enough what my
business was with his drum. I was invading his privacy, desecrating
his shrine, and the bird was much put out. After some weeks the female
appeared; he had literally drummed up a mate; his urgent and
oft-repeated advertisement was answered. Still the drumming did not
cease, but was quite as fervent as before. If a mate could be won by
drumming she could be kept and entertained by more drumming; courtship
should not end with marriage. If the bird felt musical before,
of course he felt much more so now. Besides that, the gentle deities
needed propitiating in behalf of the nest and young as well as in
behalf of the mate.
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