WATCHING GULLS AND SKUAS 113 



is the male and which the female, but certainty is 

 better, and certainty, at any moment or on any 

 occasion, unless there is some marked difference 

 between the sexes, one cannot have. In the case of 

 gulls, however, though the plumage is alike, there is 

 a difference in size sufficient to strike the eye, the 

 male being larger — in the great black-backed gull, 

 greatly larger — than the female. 



Leaving the palled blandishments of its spouse, the 

 gull husband cleaves the air, cuts the dark line of 

 beetling precipice, and seeks the free haven of the 

 open sea, where, with other sensible, repentant Bene- 

 dicts, it wheels and circles. Suddenly a dusky form, 

 slender and swallow-like, though as large as a pigeon, 

 shoots over the rounded bastion of the heather, and 

 sweeping upwards as it nears the cliffs, darts upon 

 one of the gulls. A second pirate follows. With 

 wild cries, and long, gliding sweeps, they press and 

 harass the larger bird, who, doubling, twisting, avoid- 

 ing, dodging, but never resisting, utters again and 

 again a cry of distress and complaint. Its com- 

 panions sweep and eddy about them, shooting 

 athwart and between. They protest, they cry to 

 heaven, their wild voices mingle in harsh, discordant 

 unison with the rock-dash of the waves, and the 

 everlasting notes of the wind. Suddenly something 

 drops from the oppressed gull. There is a sinking 

 towards it of one of the dark shadows — swift beyond 

 telling, but so soft that the speed is not realised — the 

 object is covered, lost, and almost with a jerk, the 

 eye — or rather the brain — realises that it has been 

 caught in the descent. Empty, and now unregarded, 

 the robbed bird sweeps on, the pirates sweep back 

 H 



