AND OTHER BIRDS 157 



and my handkerchief of just the fit IsabeUa 

 <jolour substituted; it was wrapped up very 

 tight, squeezed into a rough ovoid, and, with 

 the smooth exterior upwards, carefully placed 

 in the nest. Leask, McLean, and myself then 

 watched the return of the marauders. At first 

 they were a little suspicious at the absence of 

 missile and threat. Then, in spite of the 

 monitory gesticulations of the Penguin's head, 

 and the uneasy swaying and shufflings of his 

 ponderous body, one of them drew more and 

 more near to the nest. Assuming a pose con- 

 venient for instant flight, and stretching his 

 neck forward to its fullest length, the blow was 

 dealt, the lens had registered the deed. In the 

 fulness of their joy McLean and Leask rushed 

 metaphorically into each other's arms, whilst 

 I, metaphorically, choked and blew my nose with 

 my fingers — the handkerchief was gone — in an 

 access of emotion no pride could restrain. The 

 flight of the thief had been so precipitate, that 

 the handkerchief — afterwards recovered by 

 Leask and McLean — was found still rolled up 

 some thirty yards away, a measure indicating 

 in feet, the guilt of the bird's conscience and 

 his expectation of pursuit.* 



Such a bird perpetually on the look-out, like 

 St. Paul's Athenians, for something new, and 

 ■eternally patrolling his beat, would instantly 

 detect the smallest signs of an intruder; and, 

 although the nests of the black rat are beyond 

 his reach, their young, when first on the ground, 

 must be very largely taken. The grey rat's 

 family, too, must share a similar fate. 



*ror use in schools a handkerchief thus rolled up and breathed 

 on till damp makes an excellent substitute for blotting paper. 



