t entirely
composed of individuals in whom development has not reached a stage
adequate for the functioning of the primary dispositions? No, not
entirely; for it will be observed that its number is a fluctuating one,
that birds come and go, and, if a close watch is kept upon the different
individuals as they leave, it will be noticed that some at least are
inmates of the territories at the opposite end of the meadow--the
solitary members whose behaviour we were recently watching. This fact is
an important one. We were impressed, it may be remembered, with the
contrast between the general behaviour of the birds at the opposite
ends of the meadow. But now it appears as if the contrast were not
between this individual and that, but between the behaviour of the same
one under different circumstances. The male, that is to say, which,
while in its territory, tolerates the approach of no other male, flies
to the flock and is there welcomed by the very individuals with whom a
short time previously it had been engaged in serious conflict.

But if the conditions are reversed and the flock happens to settle in an
occupied territory, the attitude of the owner towards the flock is very
different. In the year 1916 an incident of this kind occurred in the
meadow to which reference has already been made. The weather had been
exceptionally severe--very cold easterly and north-easterly winds,
frost, and frequent falls of snow had affected the behaviour of the
Lapwings, and seemed to have checked the normal development of their
sexual routine. The males would attempt to establish themselves, and
then, when the temperature fell and the ground was covered with snow,
would collect again in flocks and follow their winter routine. It was on
the 9th March, during one of the spells of milder weather, that the
flock on the neutral ground was disturbed and settled mainly in the
territory marked No. 3 on the 1916 plan, but partly on that marked No.
2. The owners thereupon began to attack the different members of the
invading flock. Fixing attention upon a particular bird whilst ignoring
the remainder, the No. 3 male drove it away, and then after a pause
drove another away, and so on until by degrees all the invaders were
banished, and the No. 2 male did likewise. The interest of this incident
lies, however, in the behaviour of the different individuals of which
the flock was composed; when attacked they made no real show of
resistance, but accepted