42 Our Bird Friends. 



morsel, tore the nest about in such a shameful 

 manner that I felt angry and strongly tempted to 

 hurl a stone at her. When the poor builder of 

 good character returned and saw the injury that 

 had been wrought, she gazed in silence for some 

 moments, then gave utterance to a few deep guttural 

 notes and looked about her inquiringly. All her 

 neighbours, including the thief, were busy putting 

 into position the seaweed and grass they had just 

 acquired. 



The injured Gannet did not spend much time 

 bemoaning her loss, but set to work repairing the 

 damao-e, and then, takino- winsf, sailed away out of 

 sight round a great promontory of rock. In a 

 minute or two, down came the thief once more. 

 Whether the honest bird's immediate return was 

 intentional or accidental I do not know, but sud- 

 denly back she flew and caught the robber in the 

 very act. She w^as naturally very furious, and at 

 once fell upon the thief. A desperate battle ensued, 

 and finally both combatants rolled off the ledge 

 and over the cliff, a confused bundle of wings, legs, 

 heads, and tails. 



I know it sounds funny to say that some birds 

 take in lodgers, but such is certainly the case, for 

 a pair of House Sparrows may frequently be seen 

 busy entering and leaving the foundations of a 

 Rook's nest w^here they have a thriving family 

 housed, entirely unmolested by their sable landlord 

 and landlady upstairs. 



