Page:The evolution of marriage and of the family ... (IA evolutionofmarri00letorich).pdf/45

 habits of the gallinaceæ do not prevent them from experiencing very strong sexual passion. When seized by this frenzy of desire, some of them appear to be senseless of all danger. The firing of a gun, for example, does not alarm a male grouse when swinging his head and whistling to charm his female; but this ardour does not hinder him from being a fickle animal, always in search of new adventures, and always seeking fresh mates.

These examples of wandering fancy are for the most part rare among birds, the majority of whom are monogamous, and even far superior to most men in the matter of conjugal fidelity.

Nearly all the rapacious animals, even the stupid vultures, are monogamous. The conjugal union of the bald-headed eagle appears even to last till the death of one of the partners. This is indeed monogamic and indissoluble marriage, though without legal constraint. Golden eagles live in couples, and remain attached to each other for years without even changing their domicile. But these instances, honourable as they are, have nothing exceptional in them; strong conjugal attachment is a sentiment common to many birds.

With the female Illinois parrot (Psittacus pertinax) widowhood and death are synonymous, a circumstance rare enough in the human species, yet of which birds give us more than one example. When, after some years of conjugal life, a wheatear happens to die, his companion hardly survives him a month. The male and female of the panurus are always perched side by side. When they fall asleep, one of them, generally the male, tenderly spreads its wing over the other. The death of one, says Brehm, is fatal to its companion. The couples of golden wood-peckers, of doves, etc., live in a perfect union, and in case of widowhood experience a violent and lasting grief. The male of a climbing wood-*pecker, having seen his mate die, tapped day and night with his beak to recall the absent one; then at length, discouraged and hopeless, he became silent, but never recovered his gaiety (Brehm). These examples of a fidelity that stands every test, and of the religion of memory,