THE FASTING PERIOD 



picked up a pebble, and came back with it, dropping 

 it on the ground by his side. The only explanation 

 of this occurrence seems to be that the tendering of 

 the stone was meant as an overture of friendship. 



On October 26 there was no abatement in the 

 stream of arrivals. The cock-fighting continued, 

 and many of them, temporarily disabled, were to 

 be seen moping about the rookery, smeared with 

 blood and guano. Often a hen would join in when 

 two cocks were fighting, occasionally going first for 

 one and then the other, but I never to my know- 

 ledge saw a cock retaliate on a hen. 



Once I saw two cocks fighting, and a hen taking 

 the part of one of the cocks, the pair of them gave 

 the other a fearful hammering, the hen using 

 her bill savagely as well as her flippers. Completely 

 knocked out and gasping for breath he got away at 

 last, only to meet another cock who fought him 

 and easily beat him. When this one had gone 

 a third came, and the poor victim with a courage 

 truly noble was squaring himself up with his 

 last spark of energy, when I interfered and drove 

 away his enemy. 



The nests on most of the knolls soon became so 

 crowded that their occupants, by stretching out 

 their necks, could reach their neighbours without 



45 



