INDEX

  • Aquired experience, 300
  • Adjustments, transitory, of distribution, 276
  • Alarm notes, 119
  • Arrival, advantages and disadvantages of late, 33-44
  • Assemblies in winter, 262, 263
  • Assembly grounds, 173
  • Attainment of reproduction, 171


  • Barrington, K. M., on the sex of migrants, 25
  • Battle between two male Cuckoos, 82
  • — between two Moor-Hens, 86, 92, 93, 94
  • — — Pied Wagtails, 86
  • — — Raven and Buzzard, 217
  • — — Raven and Peregrine, 216
  • law of, 13, 19
  • Behaviour routine, 262
  • — sexual, 3
  • Bickerings, 96
  • Birthplace, return to, 43, 50
  • Blackbird, 87, 182, 222, 244
  • Blackcap, 81, 156, 224, 230
  • Black Grouse, 63
  • Black-tailed Godwit, 53
  • Boundaries, 1, 5
  • — conflicts for retention of, 7, 62
  • — disputes as to, 1
  • Brambling, 124
  • Breeding ground, search for
  • appropriate, 270, 271
  • — range, extension of, 291-92
  • — site, acquirement of, 3
  • — stations, evolution of, 15-19
  • — — repeatedly visited long before nesting-time, 64
  • — territory, 2, 3, 7
  • — — evolution of, 18
  • — — foundation of, 7
  • — — innate capacity to return to former, 279-81
  • Bridled Guillemot, 64
  • Brooding, 180
  • — impulse, 191
  • Bunting, Girl, 28, 140
  • — Corn, 28
  • — Reed, 28, 68, 69, 85, 104, 132, 158, 160, 244
  • — Yellow, 28, 30, 47, 64, 140, 159, 162, 183, 187, 188, 189,
  • 235, 236, 286
  • Buzzard, 217


  • Capacity, innate, to return to former breeding territory, 279-81
  • Carrion Crow, 226
  • Chaffinch, 28, 31, 32, 33, 45, 87, 103, 156, 159, 235, 236, 244
  • — Donegal, 160
  • Change of breeding quarters owing to unsuitableness, 50
  • Chiffchaff, 49, 51, 80, 139, 140, 221, 224, 244
  • Cirl Bunting, 28, 140
  • Clarke, W. Eagle, Studies in Bird Migration, 24
  • Cleanliness of nest, 180
  • Cliff-breeding species, 63
  • Climatic changes, alteration of routine, due to, 284
  • — changes, food dependent on, 283
  • — conditions, influence of, 20
  • Communities, 202
  • — birds after breeding-season remain in, 265-67
  • Competition, female, for males, 13
  • Complexity of strife, 84-85
  • Conflicts between males during the mating period, 74, 86
  • — between males during the nesting period, 87
  • — for areas, 10, 11, 13, 62
  • — of Ruff, 54
  • — sexual, 10
  • Congenital disposition, 135
  • Contests between males for possession of females, 80
  • Coot, 61
  • Corn-Bunting, 28
  • Corncrake, 39
  • Crow, Carrion, 226, 227
  • Crow, Hooded, 202
  • Cuckoo, 52, 82, 144, 296
  • — restricted breeding area, 52
  • Curlew, 119, 138, 140, 250, 262, 263, 265, 273


  • Danger warnings, 269
  • Darwin, C., Descent of Man, 35
  • — on the arrival of males before females, 35
  • Defence of territory, 6
  • Development, sexual, 6
  • Disposition, congenital, 135
  • — functioning of, 74
  • — inherited, 5
  • — to defend the territory, 73-118
  • — to mate, 27
  • — to remain in a particular place in a particular environment, 6
  • — to secure a territory, 6, 20-72
  • Distribution, adjustment of, 275
  • Dove, Turtle, 126, 232
  • Dunlin, 260


  • Emotional behaviour, 53, 82, 114
  • — manifestation, 90, 263
  • — response, 26
  • Enemies, 282
  • Energy, waste of, 219
  • Environment, 6
  • — and food, 56
  • — changes of, 283
  • — external, conditions in, 279, 282
  • Equipment, hereditary, 6
  • Evolution of breeding stations or territory, 16, 19
  • — of the territory, 176
  • — of the voice, 163
  • Existence, struggle for, 294
  • Experience, acquired, 300
  • Experiments, removal of nests for, 181, 185, 190, 213, 214
  • Exposure, its effect on nestlings 180
  • External environment, conditions in, 279, 282


  • Falcon, 48, 71
  • Feeding grounds, neutral, 125
  • in communities, 70
  • Females, fighting amongst, 109-118
  • — sexual impulse of, 13
  • Fieldfare, 124
  • Fighting instinct, 79, 82
  • Flight, emotional behaviour of Godwit during, 53
  • Flocks, in winter, birds collect together in, 262
  • Flycatcher, 244
  • Food, procuring of, 5
  • — abundance, or scarcity of, its relation to prosperity of young, 15, 16
  • — its bearing, on the movement of flocks, 262
  • — rearing of young dependent on rapid and regular, 179, 195
  • — supply, proximity to, necessary for rearing young, 179, 195
  • Fortuitous mating, 174
  • Fowler, Ward, on the value of communities, Books, 202
  • Fulmar, 121, 247
  • Functional activity, 259
  • — instinct of Reeve, 173
  • Functioning of the disposition, 275
  • — of the primary dispositions, 100


  • Garden Warbler, 223, 225, 230
  • Gätke, H., Birds of Heligoland, 24
  • — on the absence of song in birds on Heligoland, 124
  • — on the early arrival of Guillemots on Heligoland, 64
  • Godwit, emotional behaviour of, during flight, 53
  • — Black-tailed, 53
  • Grasshopper Warbler, 39, 131, 139, 153, 155, 187, 244
  • Greenfinch, 28, 33, 140, 235,236
  • Gregarious instinct, 20, 61, 141, 265-66, 269, 276, 289,
  • 290, 291, 296, 300
  • Grouse, Black, 63
  • Guillemot, Bridled, 64
  • — Common, 63, 64, 121, 192, 195, 206, 211, 247
  • — Ringed, 64
  • Gull, Common, 119
  • — Herring, 210, 278


  • Habit formation, law of, 8, 62, 65, 66, 67, 205
  • Hawfinch, 28
  • Headquarters, 176, 206, 207, 274
  • — restricted, 8, 9,-30, 50, 58, 64, 127
  • Hedge-Sparrow, 213, 221, 244
  • Hereditary equipment, 6
  • Herring-Gull, 210, 278
  • Hooded-Crow, 202
  • Hostility and territory, relationship between, 242
  • House-Sparrow, 218


  • Imitation, vocal, powers of, 156, 157, 161
  • Impulse, internal, 279
  • — to brood, 191
  • Inherited disposition, 5
  • Instinct, fighting, 79-82
  • — gregarious, 20, 61, 141, 265, 266,1269, 276, 289, 290, 291, 296, 300
  • — migratory, 37
  • — of song related to establishment of territory, 125
  • — sexual, reawakening of, 4, 18
  • Instinctive response, 180
  • Instincts susceptible to stimulation, 259
  • Internal impulse, 279
  • Internal stimulation, 62, 123
  • Interpretation of battles, 75
  • Intolerance of other birds, 218, 219
  • Intrusion resented, 274
  • Isolation, impulse to seek, 288
  • — of male, 12, 62, 65, 73, 81
  • — of male during breeding season, 267, 272, 273, 275, 281


  • Jay, 87, 156, 283


  • Kestrel, 228
  • Kittiwake, 116, 200, 247


  • Lapwing, 58, 59, 61, 62, 64, 84, 103, 104, 126, 189, 190, 220, 251, 284
  • Lapwing, life-history of, 58-61
  • Late arrival, advantages and disadvantages of, 33-44
  • Law of battle, 74, 75, 86
  • Lesser Whitethroat, 230, 244
  • Linnet, 156


  • McDougall, Dr, Social Psychology, 77
  • Magpie, 219, 283
  • Males arrive before advent of females, 24
  • Marsh-Warbler, 39, 40, 52, 81, 132, 140, 153, 155, 156, 165, 225
  • Martin, 201, 218
  • Mating, difficulties of, 172
  • — fortuitous, 174
  • Maximum number supportable in a given locality, 49
  • Meadow-Pipit, 188
  • Meeting places for antics, 54, 63
  • Mental Image, 77
  • Merlin, 227
  • Migration, 3-4
  • — distance no criterion, 279
  • — its relation to territory, 259
  • Migration, origin of, 260, 277
  • — phenomenon of, 277
  • Migratory instinct, 37
  • — species more highly specialised than resident species, 56
  • Missel-Thrush, 21
  • Mobility of the land and stability of the water, 260
  • Moor-hen, 61, 85, 103, 218, 250, 251
  • Morgan, Professor Lloyd, on instinctive behaviour, 74
  • — on emotional behaviour, 114


  • Nest, cleaning of, 180
  • — construction of, 3
  • Nests, removal of, for experiments, 181, 185, 190, 213, 214
  • Neutral feeding grounds, 62, 125
  • — ground, 98
  • Newton, E., on the arrival at breeding stations of males before female, 24, 35
  • Nightingale, 39, 156
  • Notes of alarm, 119
  • — of anger, 119
  • — of recognition, 139
  • — of warning, 119, 139, 141, 145, 151, 153


  • Offspring, rearing of, 3, 4
  • Organic change, sexual, 92, 123
  • — changes, 65
  • — condition of Reeve, 173
  • Owl, Wood, 156


  • Paired for life, 55-56
  • Parental instinctive response, failure of, 185
  • Partridge, 87, 218
  • Persecution, Carrion Crow and Magpie, 226
  • Persecution, Carrion Crow and Book, 227
  • —House Sparrow and Martin, 218
  • —Lapwing and Snipe, 220
  • —Raven and Buzzard, 217
  • ——and Peregrine, 216
  • —Starling and Woodpecker, 218, 237
  • Persistency to remain in territory, 68
  • Pied-Wagtail, 86, 155
  • Pigeon, Wood, 219
  • Pipit, Meadow, 188
  • —Tree, 51, 188, 189, 222, 244, 278
  • Polyandrous females, 144
  • Predatory species, 268
  • Promiscuous pairing of Ruffs, 172
  • Proximity to food-supply necessary for rearing young, 179, 195
  • Psychology, Manual of, 1
  • Puffin, 63, 116, 200
  • Pugnacious instinct, 87-109
  • Pugnacity, 11, 62
  • —of females to obtain mates, 109-118
  • —of males, prior to mating-season, 77-81
  • —of Moor-Hen, 218


  • Racial preparation, 41, 43, 46, 67, 206, 206, 266
  • Bail, Water, 218
  • Raven, 48, 202, 216
  • Razor-bill, 63, 64, 200, 247
  • Readjustment of territory, 146
  • Rearing of offspring, 3, 4
  • Red-backed Shrike, 39, 50, 51, 156
  • Redbreast, 47
  • Redshank, 139
  • Redwing, 124
  • Redstart, 230, 244
  • Reed-Bunting, 28, 68, 69, 85, 104, 132, 156, 158, 160, 244, 246, 273
  • Reed-Warbler, 49, 51, 68, 81, 132, 140, 152, 153, 211, 225
  • Reeve, 171
  • Relation of song to the territory, 119-68
  • —of territory to migration, 259
  • —of territory to the system of reproduction, 169-214
  • Relationship to a territory, 169
  • Reproduction, 14, 15
  • —and territory, 169-214
  • —attainment of, 2, 6, 37
  • —goal of, 6
  • Ringed Guillemot, 64
  • Robbery of territory, 104-107
  • Rock-formation, suitability, for Guillemots nesting on, 196
  • Rook, 202, 227
  • Routine behaviour, 262
  • Ruff, 54, 63, 172
  • —meeting places for conflicts, 54
  • Ruffs, promiscuous pairing of, 172


  • Savi's Warbler, 139
  • Sedge-Warbler, 25, 44, 152, 226, 244
  • Selous, E., on the life-history of Ruffs and Reeves, 172
  • —on meeting places for conflicts and antics, 64
  • —on the meeting places of Black Grouse, 63
  • Service, Robert, on flocks of unmated Sedge-Warblers, 44, 45
  • Sexual behaviour, 3
  • —conflicts, 10
  • —development, 6
  • —function, discharge of, 2, 3, 26
  • —impulse of females, 13
  • Sexual instinct in the migratory male, 26
  • —of Reeve, 173
  • ——reawakening of, 4, 18
  • —life of birds, 1
  • —maturity, males arrive at, before females, 36
  • —organic change, 92, 123
  • —selection, 166
  • Shag, 121
  • Shrike, Red-backed, 39, 50, 51, 156
  • Skylark, 188, 236, 244
  • Snipe, 153, 156, 219, 220
  • Sociability when not paired, 125, 126
  • Song, as an aid in searching for a mate, 12
  • —its influence on mating, 167
  • —origin of, 138
  • —relation to reproduction, 123
  • —relation to territory, 119-168
  • —volume of, influenced by age, seasonal sexual development, or isolation, 166
  • Song-Thrush, 222, 244
  • Sparrow, House, 218
  • Sparrow-Hawk, 269
  • Spring, at approach of, birds loose their shyness, 138
  • Stability of the water and mobility of the land, 260
  • Starling, 217, 218, 237, 251
  • Stimulation, internal, 62, 123
  • question of, 284
  • Stonechat, 87 187, 188, 189, 222, 233, 234
  • Stout, Dr, Manual of Psychology, 1, 77
  • Struggle for existence, 294
  • Susceptibility to position, 96
  • Swallow, 21, 156, 278


  • Territory, 1, 5
  • —adjustment of, 10
  • Territory and reproduction, 169-214
  • —breeding, 2, 3, 7
  • —dates of acquisition of, 33
  • —defence of, 6
  • —desertion of, after rearing young, 276
  • —disposition to defend, 73-118
  • —disposition to secure, 6, 20-72
  • —establishment of, 74, 285
  • —evolution of, 176
  • —failure to secure, 286
  • —fights for, 10, 11, 13, 62
  • —ownership of, 189
  • —possession of, a stimulus to song, 136
  • —its relation to migration, 259
  • —its relation to reproduction, 169-214
  • —readjustment of, 147
  • —restriction of, advantageous for mating, 172
  • —restricted, 8, 9, 30, 50, 58, 64
  • —separate for male and female Cuckoo, 144
  • —song, its relation to the, 119-68
  • —temporary desertion of, 28, 35, 58, 59
  • —and hostility, relationship between, 242
  • Thrush, Song, 222, 244
  • Tit, Blue, 221, 226
  • —Great, 221
  • —Long-tailed, 226
  • Tradition, 300
  • Tree-Pipit, 51, 188, 189, 222, 232, 244, 278
  • Turtle-Dove, 126, 232


  • Union of sexes, 12
  • Ussher, H. B., on the hostility between Choughs and Hooded Crows and Choughs and Ravens, 227
  • Vocal Imitation, 156, 157, 161
  • Voice calls of Curlew, 263


  • Wagtail, Pied, 86, 155
  • —Yellow, 278
  • Wanderings from land, Guillemots, 193
  • Warbler, Garden, 223, 225, 230
  • —Grasshopper, 39, 131, 139, 155, 187, 244
  • —Marsh, 39, 40, 52, 81, 132, 140, 155, 156, 225
  • —Reed, 49, 51, 68, 81, 132, 140, 152, 153, 211, 225
  • —Savi's, 139
  • —Sedge, 25, 44, 152, 226, 244
  • —Willow, 25, 47, 50, 51, 80, 91, 140, 187, 211, 232, 244, 273
  • —Wood, 50, 51, 132, 221
  • Warfare between different species and its relation to the territory, 215-58
  • Warning notes, 119
  • —of danger, 269
  • Water Rail, 218
  • Wheatear, 35, 51
  • Whimbrel, 140
  • Whinchat, 39, 50, 51, 81, 222, 232, 233, 234, 244
  • Whitethroat, 25, 50, 68, 69, 124, 140, 182, 187, 189, 190, 213, 230, 244
  • —Lesser, 230, 244
  • Wild Duck, 250
  • Will, the, to fight, 102
  • Willow-Warbler, 25, 47, 50, 51, 80. 91, 140, 187, 211, 332, 244, 273
  • Winter assemblies, 262-63
  • Witherby, H. F., in British Birds, on the return to former breeding-ground, 281
  • Wood-Owl, 156
  • Wood-Pigeon, 219
  • Wood-Warbler, 50, 51, 132, 221
  • Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted, 237
  • —Great Spotted, 237, 238
  • —Green, 20, 71, 156, 208, 218, 237
  • Wren, 244


  • Yellow Bunting, 28, 30, 47, 64, 140, 159, 162, 183, 187, 188, 189, 235, 236, 286
  • Young die in nest from exposure, 184, 185