i62 BIRDS OF THE WAVE AND WOODLAND 



" Far adown, like snow 

 Shook from the bosom of a wintry cloud, 

 And drifting on the wind in feathery flakes." 



But the brave guillemots do not scream or cry out. Some 

 of them grunt their dissatisfaction at disturbance, and but 

 for this they betray no symptoms of annoyance or anger. 

 Nor do they circle round their threatened home, but rising 

 from their places in a fast-thickening cloud, they scatter 

 for a minute or two through the air, and then settle upon 

 the sea and wait. 



'' There on the waters floating like a fleet 

 Of tiny vessels, argosies complete 

 Such as brave Gulliver deep-wading, drew 

 ' Victorious from the ports of Blcfuscu.''' 



Nothing, surely, can be more beautiful than the sudden 

 uprising of many birds, whether the scarlet battalions of 

 flamingoes leaving in sumptuous tumult the Egyptian marshes ; 

 the gay parrot flights when changing feeding-grounds in the 

 Australian bush, or this sight of our myriad guillemots 

 as with one accord they fill the air with their white wings, 

 and, beautifully stooping to the sea, spread themselves in a 

 sheet of pied dots upon the green water. And as you land 

 you feel that all those thousands of eager eyes are watching 

 you, thousands of little hearts thumping with misgiving at 

 your intrusion. And here and there one bird is sometimes 



