84 DISPOSITION TO DEPEND THE TERRITORY 



their territories early in the season when the 

 hedgerows and trees are still bare ; but more fre- 

 quently amongst those that inhabit open ground, 

 because the movements of the birds are there 

 more accessible to observation. For instance, 

 half a dozen or more Lapwings can be kept in 

 view at the same time, and as they stand at dawn 

 in solitary state, keeping watch upon their respec- 

 tive territories, they are conspicuous objects on 

 the short, frosted grass ; no stranger can enter the 

 arena without the observer being aware of it, no 

 commotion can occur but one detects it, no 

 movement however small need be missed. And 

 so they fight, in a manner which leaves no doubt 

 as to the reality of the struggle, when their 

 prospective mates are absent not only from the 

 particular territories in which the conflicts take 

 place, but absent too from those adjoining. 



If the fact that males fight before they are 

 paired and in the absence of a female could be 

 placed beyond all question, it would no longer 

 be possible to regard her possession as the end 

 for which they are contending, and consequently 

 there would be no need to produce further 

 evidence. But the examples which I have given 

 refer, of course, to only a few migrants and a few 

 residents — and moreover it must be admitted 

 that a female is often conspicuous during the 

 battles — so that by themselves they must 

 be regarded, and rightly so, as inconclusive. 

 We must therefore pass on to consider evidence 

 of a somewhat different character. 



I spoke of the complexity of the strife. By 



