VIGNETTES OF NATURE 45 



who, as the hawk came above him, rolled 

 over and held up his javelin beak. The 

 hawk slipped, regained height, stooped 

 again, was met with the great beak, and 

 then flashed away chattering towards the 

 mainland, followed by his mate. x 



The next moment a crowd of gulls 

 splashed and quarrelled over the dead pigeon, 

 the raven a sombre fellow amid their white- 

 ness; the rabbits crept from their burrows; 

 and in the sunshine the tiny pippits jerked 

 towards heaven in weak flight, then fell, 

 singing and trilling. And life in the spring- 

 time went on. 



