176 MUTTON BIRDS 



as large as a three acre rock, from the slippery 

 deck of a small craft, climbing and falling in a 

 heavy swell. 



The last week of September was the date of 

 my next visit to Kane-te-toe, and again we could 

 not land, but lay for some time off the rock 

 fishing, and watching the Shags, and attempting 

 to photograph the Mollymawk, that came up to 

 partake of the results of our work. 



Friendly relations exist between the fisher 

 folk of the island and the gull tribe, for some 

 kinds help him to locate the shoals of cod, whilst 

 others devour the entrails, flung overboard, of 

 the cleaned fish. Soon there were three or four 

 Mollymawk about the boat, close together, and 

 often within twenty-four inches or less of our 

 hands. Amongst these birds there was no 

 bickering; somehow the impression was con- 

 veyed that they were too big for the indignities 

 of crowding and jostling. It was delightful to 

 see them, grave and sedate, watching sted- 

 fastly, although without undue elation or 

 eagerness, for the "Chinaman," or "Kelp fish," 

 theirs by right and custom, as the birds well 

 knew. Whenever one of these was hauled up, 

 the birds would glide eagerly forward, the 

 propulsion raising on their breasts a little wall 

 of water. A blue cod's capture left them 

 unmoved ; with equal surety they knew that was 

 man's share of the catch. 



As we slowly steamed off, the birds followed 

 for more than a mile, resting on the water some- 

 times, and then again pursuing and overtaking 

 us. When about to alight, although their wings 

 gave no hint, their intentions could always be 

 foreknown by the study of their feet and legs 



