Page:The British Warblers A History with Problems of Their Lives - 4 of 9.djvu/23

 its territory, but it is not always so, for two females may arrive in the same territory more or less together, and when this occurs a battle takes place between them. Their method of fighting, and of showing antipathy to one another, is similar to that of the males; but inasmuch as a battle between the females is of much less frequent occurrence than one between the males, it is consequently so much the more interesting to watch. I regard this fact of the females fighting as one of some importance for the principle of breeding territory. The Whitethroat is the only species in which, hitherto, I have seen the females thus fighting, but how easy it would be for a struggle of this kind to escape observation can be readily understood; it is, therefore, probable that the females of other species do, under similar circumstances, give battle to one another.

The fighting is intermittent, severe at one moment, less earnest at another, and is limited to a restricted area. The birds follow one another in the same bush, hopping from branch to branch, one being more of an aggressor than the other. Now and again an attack is delivered, resulting in much fluttering and pecking. During the pauses in the contest, which are frequent, the two combatants sit within a few feet of one another in the same tree, resting quietly or preening their feathers, appearing to be little troubled as to the issue of the contest. Nevertheless, when the fighting is actually in progress, they unmistakably show great excitement by their attitudes, for they fluff out the feathers on their breasts and flanks, raise those on their backs and heads, spread out their tails fully, flirting them as they hop from branch to branch, and all the time utter their call note as they pursue one another.

The behaviour of the male who owns the territory in which the struggle takes place is, under the circumstances, interesting to watch, especially as he exhibits as many signs of excitement as the female. During the contest he hops hurriedly round, waving his outspread tail up and down,