Presently the younger birds flew down to the bower, and began to play and
dance. Like a troop of children, they ran round and round the bower, and
to and fro through it, gleefully chasing each other. Then they would
assemble in groups, and hop up and down, and dance to one another in what
Dot thought a rather awkward fashion; but she was thinking of the elegance
and grace of the Native Companions, who can make beautiful movements with
their long legs and necks, whilst these little bower birds are rather
ungainly in their steps.
What amused her was to see how the young cock birds showed off to the
little hens. They were conceited fellows, and only seemed happy when they
had five or six little hens looking admiringly at their every movement.
At such times they would dance and hop with great delight; and the little
hens, in a circle round them, watched their hops and steps with absorbed
interest. Immensely pleased with himself, the young dancer would fluff
out his feathers, so as to look as big as possible, and after strutting
about, would suddenly shoot out a leg and a wing, first on one side and
then on the other, then spring high into the air, and do a sort of step
dance when his feet touched the earth again. Endless were the tricks he
resorted to, to show off his feathers and dancing to the best advantage;
and the little hens watched it all with silent intentness.
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