156 ANIMAL LIFE AND SOCIAL GROWTH 



"peck order." High position in the flock involves 

 the right to peck without being pecked in return, 

 to eat without being disturbed by those of lesser 

 rank and bestows general independence from 

 social interference. Other birds are said to show 

 essentially similar flock organization. 



In other bird flocks the leadership may be 

 apparent rather than real, reminding us of cer- 

 tain human situations particularly those in the 

 political field. Observations on some such flocks 

 near Great Salt Lake suggested that the role of 

 leader of the flock in flight is taken by the fastest 

 flier who did not exercise real leadership as shown 

 by the fact that the flock frequently turned 

 leaving the apparent leader flying away by him- 

 self. At times it appeared that under such con- 

 ditions the "leader" would turn and wing his 

 way rapidly through the more slowly flying flock 

 and again reach his former advanced position. 

 Since the birds were similar and were not marked, 

 one could not be sure of the facts. Recently, 

 however, observations have been made upon 

 Atlantic shore birds which corroborate the de- 

 scription just given. 



Flocks of such birds flying in close formation 

 frequently wheel in seeming unison as though each 

 individual were simultaneously motivated by a 

 common impulse rather than that he adjusted 



