CHAP. xii. JOINED B YA BROTHER TURNSTONE. 245 



little apparent success as formerly. Nothing daunted, 

 however, they ran round a second time to the other 

 side, and recommenced their trenching operations with 

 a seeming determination not to be baffled in their 

 object, which evidently was to undermine the dead 

 animal before them, in order that it might be the 

 more easily overturned. 



" While they were thus employed, and after they 

 had laboured in this manner at both sides alternately 

 for nearly half-an-hour, they were joined by another 

 of their own species, which came flying with rapidity 

 from the neighbouring rocks. Its timely arrival was 

 hailed with evident signs of joy. I was led to this 

 conclusion from the gestures which they exhibited, 

 and from a low but pleasant murmuring noise to 

 which they gave utterance so soon as the new-comer 

 made his appearance. Of their feelings he seemed to 

 be perfectly aware, and he made his reply to them in 

 a similar strain. Their mutual congratulations being 

 over, they all three set to work ; and after labouring 

 vigorously for a few minutes in removing the sand, 

 they came round to the other side, and putting their 

 breasts simultaneously to the fish, they succeeded in 

 raising it some inches from the sand, but were unable 

 to turn it over. It went down again into its sandy 

 bed, to the manifest disappointment of the three. 

 Besting, however, for a space, and without leaving 

 their respective positions, which were a little apart 

 the one from the other, they resolved, it appears, to 



