vival.
Much is mere speculation; much with fuller knowledge may be found to be
wrong. But I venture to hope that a nucleus will remain upon which a
more complete territorial system may one day be established.

I have to thank Mr. G. E. Lodge and Mr. H. Groenvold for the trouble they
have taken in executing my wishes; I also want to record my indebtedness
to the late E. W. Hopewell; and to Professor Lloyd Morgan, F.R.S., I am
beholden more than I can tell.

CONTENTS

PAGE
CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION 1

CHAPTER II

THE DISPOSITION TO SECURE A TERRITORY 20

CHAPTER III

THE DISPOSITION TO DEFEND THE TERRITORY 73

CHAPTER IV

THE RELATION OF SONG TO THE TERRITORY 119

CHAPTER V

THE RELATION OF THE TERRITORY TO THE SYSTEM
OF REPRODUCTION 169

CHAPTER VI

THE WARFARE BETWEEN DIFFERENT SPECIES AND ITS
RELATION TO THE TERRITORY 216

CHAPTER VII

THE RELATION OF THE TERRITORY TO MIGRATION 259

INDEX 302

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

_Face page_

A pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers attacking a Great
Spotted Woodpecker _Frontispiece_

Territorial flight of the Black-tailed Godwit 54

Competition for territory is seldom more severe than
among cliff-breeding seabirds, and the efforts of
individual Razorbills to secure positions on the
crowded ledges lead to desperate struggles 64

Male Blackbirds fighting for the possession of territory.
The bare skin on the crown of the defeated bird shows
the nature of the injuries from which it succumbed 74

Male Cuckoos fighting before the arrival of a female 82

Two pairs of Pied Wagtails fighting in defence of their
territories 86

Long-tailed Tit: males fighting for the possession of
territory. The feathers have been torn from the crown
of the defeated and dying rival 96

A battle between two pairs of Jays