THE ISLE OF BIRDS 115 



inland over the island on the look-out for any 

 possible chance to avenge themselves. 



At this moment the great skua who had 

 robbed the puffin of its fish came in sight of 

 his nest. At his approach the female, who 

 had grown impatient, arose from her hand- 

 some, greenish-brown, mottled eggs, sprang 

 into the air, and sailed off toward the sea. 

 For just about ten or a dozen seconds the 

 precious eggs were left exposed, while the 

 male swept down to them on a long, swift 

 glide. But in those brief seconds fate struck. 

 With an exultant yelp a huge saddle-back 

 dropped out of the sky, directly upon the 

 nest, and plunged his beak into one of the 

 eggs. The egg was not far from hatching. 

 He dragged forth the naked chick and swal- 

 lowed it ravenously. Before he could turn 

 to another egg, the skua had fallen upon him, 

 hurling him clear of the nest, and tearing at 

 him with desperate beak. 



Now, the great gull, fully two feet and a 

 half in length from the tip of his punishing 

 yellow beak to the tip of his tail, was not far 

 from twice the size of his fearless and furious 

 assailant. Moreover, having just had his 

 own nest destroyed, he was in a fighting mood. 

 Ordinarily, being a thorough bully, he would 

 have cowered and fled before the skua's swift 



