io6 NEIGHBOURS UNKNOWN 



the dark robber descending upon her. She 

 swerved, and so escaped the full force of the 

 blow ; but she felt herself enveloped in a 

 whirlwind of wings and beaten down almost 

 to the ground. At the same time a long, 

 straight, powerful beak, with the tip hooked 

 like a vulture's, snapped loudly at the side of 

 her head, grasping at the fish she carried. 

 Bewildered and terrified as she was, she was 

 at the same time full of fighting obstinacy. 

 Hanging doggedly to her prize, she recovered 

 her whig balance, and rocketed on toward her 

 burrow. 



Her mate, meanwhile, had seen the attack. 

 One grotesque little bob of indecision, then he 

 had launched himself down the slope to her 

 succour. He was not in time to interfere in 

 the first encounter, but as he came slanting 

 down like a well-aimed missile, the robber was 

 just about to swoop again. The indignant 

 puffin volleyed into him from the rear, turn- 

 ing him almost end over end. For an instant 

 his wings flopped frantically, and he almost 

 came down upon the rocks. By the time he 

 had recovered himself his assailant had struck 

 the water and was swimming comfortably 

 on a great grey swell beyond the surf ; while 

 the female, with the herring gripped still 

 in her absurd beak, was just diving triumph- 



