er 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 this I mean that it is not
merely a matter of disputes between adjoining males, but that it is a
far more comprehensive business involving both sexes. Thus female fights
with female and pair with pair, or a male will attack a female, or,
again, a pair will combine against a single male or a single female. And
from all this complexity of strife we gain much valuable evidence in
regard to the question immediately before us. For when one pair attacks
another, or males that are definitely paired fight with one another, or
an unpaired male attacks either sex of a neighbouring pair
indiscriminately, there is surely little ground for supposing that the
possession of a mate is the reason of it all.

The battles between pairs of the same species are by no means uncommon.
Observe, for example, the central pair of three pairs of Reed-Buntings
occupying adjoining territories, and keep a daily record of the routine
of activity practised by both sexes during the early hours of the
morning; then, at the close of the season, summarise all the fighting
under different headings, and it will be found that the number of
occasions upon which the central pair attacked, or was attacked by,
neighbouring pairs will form a considerable portion of the whole.

Or watch the Moor-Hen, and for the purpose choose some sheet of water
large enough to accommodate three or more pairs, and so situated that
the birds can always be kept in view. Early in February the pool will be
haunted by numbers of individuals of both sexe