BRITISH WARBLERS 



these facts before me I turned my attention again to some 

 of those resident species whose battles had previously been 

 a mystery. A small pool of water in front of my house 

 afforded exceptional opportunities for studying the life of the 

 Moorhen. This pool was inhabited by one pair, and not 

 only was no other Moorhen allowed to approach without 

 being attacked, but so jealous was the owner of any intrusion 

 that he ruthlessly persecuted such harmless species as Black- 

 birds, Starlings, and the like, when they came to the water 

 to drink. His method of attack was as follows : he walked 

 quietly round the edge of the water, taking advantage of 

 every clump of rushes to conceal his approach, and when 

 within a few feet of the intruder, raised his wings, lowered 

 his head, and, in a threatening attitude, darted rapidly out. 

 In connection with this particular bird I once saw an amusing 

 incident. A covey of about twenty Partridges approached the 

 pool, but the Moorhen from his position was only able to 

 see the cock bird, who was leading. He therefore approached 

 in his usual cautious manner, and when finally on the point 

 of attacking v 7 as suddenly confronted with the remaining 

 birds, the majority of their heads being turned in his direc- 

 tion. The effect w r as instantaneous ; he assumed his normal 

 position and retired into the rushes. On large sheets of 

 water, inhabited by a number of pairs, a similar law as to 

 territory will be found to prevail, each pair possessing a 

 certain area which they regard as their own property. The 

 habits of this bird render its life an especially suitable one 

 for comparative study and analysis, for, of necessity, a large 

 number are often concentrated in a small area. Therefore 

 if some pool is kept under daily observation early in the 

 spring, it will be found that towards the end of February, 

 that is to say, with the rise of the sexual instinct, quarrels, 

 sometimes developing into serious struggles, will be of 

 frequent occurrence between different individuals. And it 

 will be noticed that these quarrels, as a rule, have their 

 origin in one or two individuals, or pairs, which, keeping 



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