198 BIRDS AND MAN 



white wings, nor does he tell her that she is just 

 like a woman — an illogical fool. He is most gentle 

 and considerate, full of distress and sympathy for 

 her, and tells her again what he has said before, 

 but in a different way ; he agrees with her that it 

 is dark and close down there away from the sweet 

 sunlight, but that it is an old, old custom of the 

 sheldrakes to breed in holes, and has its advant- 

 ages ; and that if she will only overcome her natural 

 repugnance and fear of the dark, in that long narrow 

 tunnel, when she is once settled down on the nest 

 and feels the cold eggs growing warm again under 

 her warm body she will find that it is not so bad 

 after all. 



And in the end he prevails ; and bowing her 

 pretty head she creeps quietly down and disappears, 

 while he remains on guard at the door — for a little 

 while. 



