92 About the Feathered Folk. 



A poor human person, standing 

 there in all the turmoil, is half 

 deafened and wholly bewildered. 

 But if he be wise he will sit still on 

 the nearest stone, and, as motionless 

 as may be, gaze at the nesting ways 

 of the cliff-people. 



They are fearless enough, these 

 wild, free creatures : all save the 

 Cormorants, whose snake-like necks 

 crane anxiously about, and whose 

 fierce eyes watch the intruder with 

 a frightened hatred unpleasant to 

 see. But the Kittiwakes sit on 

 their eggs within four feet of one, 

 looking like innocent doves as they 

 calmly brood and wait. And the 

 Terns skim by on their swallow-like 

 wings, turning their graceful heads 

 as if making one welcome to a share 

 in their proud joy over the animated 

 tufts of grey down that were hatched 

 out of the eggs not twelve hours 

 agone. 



There, on the steep slope opposite 



