120 NATURE'S STORY OF THE YEAR 



are spread or raised in such a way that the red 

 area appears as large as is possible ; and in profile 

 it will be seen that the outside feathers are clearly 

 raised or thrust forward. All the while the birds 

 are twittering, though they may not fight ; and 

 sometimes they do not actually come to blows. 

 On these more peaceful occasions it has always 

 seemed to me that the bird with the reddest breast 

 drove off the other. One notable case was the 

 pacific victory in this way attained by a fresh 

 robin in my garden, from which he drove the 

 former, but less red, tenant. In autumn, however, 

 the battles between robins are strenuous, if not 

 bloody. I have seen four fighting together ; and 

 one very wet day there were three quite dabbled 

 in mud, so that they could hardly fly at all. yet 

 still fighting and singing ! 



The meek little hedge-sparrow, seemingly so 

 inoffensive, yet often fights to win a mate ; and 

 when fighting it twitters. The willow wren sings 

 its ordinary song when about to attack a rival. I 

 remember a prominent instance of its pugnacity 

 when, years ago, several were singing and fighting 

 in a thicket, to which I went with a catapult to 



