Page:The British Warblers A History with Problems of Their Lives - 2 of 9.djvu/47

 always prominent; this is a highly developed nervous temperament, leading often to acts of apparent inquisitiveness. I shall quote a number of cases showing under what very different conditions this characteristic is aroused.

If any commotion is going on in the feathered world, the little fellow will come down from the tree-tops, and, if you stay motionless, will flit round you with an air of importance, uttering his plaintive whistle.

When one is examining the nest of a Song-Thrush, in which the young are only just hatched, the old bird will call loudly and piteously; this is a sure attraction.

One year, on May 12th, I was watching a pair of Nightingales mating, and while doing so disturbed a Weasel. The Nightingales at once noticed it, and, ceasing their courtship, settled, regardless of me, on the branches near, and commenced to croak vigorously, flirting their tails up and down. This at once attracted a Chiff-chaff, who flitted round, adding to the noise as much as he was able.

Early one July I was searching for the nest of a Flycatcher. The birds were very much excited and, calling loudly, flew round my head; a Chiff-chaff immediately came down and behaved in the usual way.

When Whitethroats have been courting I have seen him interfere in a most unwarrantable manner, also when the young of the same species have been engaged in their harmless games.

To the scolding parties that are to be seen amongst the Sedge-Warblers he is a frequent visitor.

A more curious case is the following: Two male Blackcaps, who had that morning arrived, were engaged in a frantic struggle for their breeding territory. They were flying at and pecking one another vigorously. While thus engaged a Chiff-chaff flew down from the trees and joined in the fray, attacking first one, then the other, indiscriminately. During the pauses in the contest he would hop round excitedly, watching the combatants closely, and whenever the fight recom-