the morning, instead of
flying with their companions to the accustomed feeding grounds, the
males isolate themselves and scatter in different directions. The
purpose of their behaviour is not, however, to find fresh feeding
grounds, nor even to search for food as they have been wont to do, but
rather to discover stations suitable for the purpose of breeding; and,
having done so, each male behaves in a like manner--it selects some
willow, alder, or prominent reed, and, perching thereon, leads a quiet
life, singing or preening its feathers. Now if the movements of one
particular male are kept in view, it will be noticed that only part of
its time is spent in its territory. At intervals it disappears. I do not
mean that one merely loses sight of it, but that it actually deserts its
territory. As if seized with a sudden impulse it rises into the air and
flies away, often for a considerable distance and often in the same
direction, and is absent for a period which may vary in length from a
few minutes to an hour or even more. But these periodical desertions
become progressively less and less frequent in occurrence until the
whole of its life is spent in the few acres in which it has established
itself.

The behaviour of the Yellow Bunting is similar. In any roadside hedge
two or more males can generally be found within a short distance of one
another, and in such a place their movements can be closely and
conveniently followed. Under normal conditions the ordinary winter
routine continues until early in February; but the male then deserts the
flock, seeks a position of its own, and becomes isolated from its
companions. Now the position which it selects does not, as a rule,
embrace a very large area--a few acres perhaps at the most. But there is
always some one point which is singled out and resorted to with marked
frequency--a tree, a bush, a gate-post, a railing, anything in fact
which can form a convenient perch, and eventually it becomes a central
part of the bird's environment. Here it spends the greater part of its
time, here it utters its song persistently, and here it keeps watch upon
intruders. The process of establishment is nevertheless a gradual one.
The male does not appear in its few acres suddenly and remain there
permanently as does the migrant; at first it may not even roost in the
prospective territory. The course of procedure is somewhat as
follows:--At dawn it arrives and for a while utters its song, pree