258 THE CONDOR Vol. XVI body. All the while he is furiously beating his wings, the noise being audible sixty yards distant. When he alights, usually about a foot from the female, he approaches her in sh?)rt grotesque hops, with wings outspread. Sometimes after alighting he starts to approach her, then suddenly jumps into the air about three feet and flies rapidly around her in a circle about fourteen feet in diameter, flying with seemingly rigid wings, and making a loud whirring noise with them. If the birds are near a tree it is encircled by this flight. I ??ig. 74. NEST OF ARIZONA HOODED ORIOLE CONTAINING TWO EGGS OF THE BRONZED COWBIRD AND Two oF THE ORIOLE One day I noticed two males eating watermelon. After they had had enough they approached each other, and one thrust his beak straight into the air. The other then began vibrating his wings, and went through the court- ship formula I have just described. When he alighted from the circular flight the other began fluttering wings, and duplicated the performance. This was done twice by each bird, and I judged they were either practicing or it
