Now a male may leave its territory for three reasons--to pursue an
intruder, to join the flock on neutral ground, or to find the necessary
means of subsistence on other feeding grounds. On each of these
occasions it hears the song of, and is in close contact with, other
males; and if the relationship of which we are speaking be really
exclusive of cross-correlation, its instinct ought to respond with the
customary freedom. But what happens? A male pursues its rival, betraying
much emotion and singing extravagantly, until the boundary is passed,
when emotion subsides and it is silent; or, it flies to the flock on
neutral ground, and, although surrounded by the very males that a short
time previously evoked response, is there unresponsive; or again, it
goes in search of food and collects with other males bent on a similar
errand, and in presence of what we know would be an exciting influence
under other circumstances, it nevertheless remains silent. Hence the
relationship between the song and a male rival seems, as in the case of
the headquarters, to depend in the first instance upon the occupation
of a territory.
So that the relationship between the song and the territory as a whole
is clearly of a different order from that which obtains between the song
and the headquarters, or the song and a male rival; for the first, as
far as can be judged by observation, is exclusive of, whilst the second
and the third involve, cross-correlation. How are these facts to be
explained? We have already seen that it belongs to the nature of the
male during the season of reproduction to establish itself in a definite
place, and this action is just as much a part of its hereditary nature
as the building of the nest is of that of the female, and it is just as
necessary for the successful attainment of reproduction. What exactly
the stimulus is to this mode of behaviour we do not know; we can go no
further back than the internal organic changes which are known to occur
and which we assume, not without some reason, are responsible for its
initiation. Granting, then, that there is this congenital disposition,
what relation does it bear to the song? Without a doubt the song is
likewise founded upon a congenital basis; it is truly instinctive, and
as such requires appropriate stimulation; furthermore the male sings
only when in occupation of its territory. Having regard to these two
facts we might say that the territory is the stimulus to the song. But
this can scarcely be a true interpretation, for inasmuch as the stimulus
would be relatively constant, a relatively constant response ought to
follow, and even a slight acquaintance with the daily round of
behaviour will furnish plenty of evidence to the contrary, seeing that
the song, though persistent, is never continuous--in fact there are long
periods of silence during the daytime, and only in the morning and the
evening does the male become really vociferous. What then is the
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