Page:The British Warblers A History with Problems of Their Lives - 5 of 9.djvu/24

 male Long-tailed Tits engaged in a fierce conflict; the one had seized the other by the feathers on the head, and in this way they were rolling over and over on the ground. Frightened at my approach the stronger male of the two flew away, leaving its opponent too exhausted to move. I picked it up, and while examining its head noticed the aggressor still flying round, evidently unwilling to leave. In order, therefore, to ascertain whether it would still continue the conflict in my presence. I placed its opponent again upon the ground, and retired some few paces distant, upon which the attack was renewed, and so severe was it that had I not again interfered the exhausted male must shortly have succumbed to its injuries. In the hope of saving its life I carried it some distance away and placed it in the bottom of a hedgerow. But it was then in a state of collapse, too weak even to stand, and it is doubtful whether it ultimately recovered. As in the case of the Blackbird, the principal point of attack had been the head, from which the feathers were torn in places.

Battles somewhat of this description, but with differences in detail, are of frequent occurrence at this season of the year throughout bird life in general. And since they only occur at this period, which is the period of sexual activity, it was concluded—and it must be admitted that the conclusion was not unnatural—that the females were the direct cause of the quarrels. For many reasons, principal among which was the fact that the females were seldom in evidence during the battles, this conclusion never appeared to me altogether satisfactory. The question was therefore always prominent in my mind as to what was the real meaning of these struggles, so terribly determined, and sometimes even resulting in the death of one of the combatants; and it remained unanswered until I began to make a special study of certain migratory species. It is strange that the importance of their life-history did not impress itself upon me earlier; for it requires but little reflection to show how splendid an opportunity is afforded in their lives for studying some of the problems with which we