THE NEUTRAL GROUND 101 



But now it appears as if the contrast were not 

 between this individual and that, but between 

 the behaviour of the same one under different 

 circumstances. The male, that is to say, which, 

 while in its territory, tolerates the approach of 

 no other male, flies to the flock and is there 

 welcomed by the very individuals with whom a 

 short time previously it had been engaged in 

 serious conflict. 



But if the conditions are reversed and the 

 flock happens to settle in an occupied territory, 

 the attitude of the owner towards the flock is 

 very different. In the year 1916 an incident 

 of this kind occurred in the meadow to which 

 reference has already been made. The weather 

 had been exceptionally severe — very cold easterly 

 and north - easterly winds, frost, and frequent 

 falls of snow had affected the behaviour of the 

 Lapwings, and seemed to have checked the 

 normal development of their sexual routine. 

 The males would attempt to establish them- 

 selves, and then, when the temperature fell and 

 the ground was covered with snow, would collect 

 again in flocks and foUow their winter routine. 

 It was on the 9th March, during one of the spells 

 of milder weather, that the flock on the neutral 

 ground was disturbed and settled mainly in 

 the territory marked No. 3 on the 1916 plan, 

 but partly on that marked No. 2. The owners 

 thereupon began to attack the different members 

 of the invading flock. Fixing attention upon a 

 particular bird whilst ignoring the remainder, 

 the No. 3 male drove it away, and then after 



