CH. I.] GULLS OFF STORNOWAY. 159 



what extent he might be disposed to entertain 

 friendly relations towards us. Accordingly, I 

 took him in my lap, and offered him some nice 

 bits of fish. At first he professed to be angry, 

 and pecked at my fingers instead of the fish, 

 as if to ask whether I thought it possible that 

 he would condescend to accept my donations 

 under restraint. However, having accidentally-on- 

 purpose got hold of a piece of the fish, down it 

 went; and, apparently thinking that under the 

 circumstances he might do worse, he set to work 

 with no ill-will or appetite, and soon got through 

 a good part of a haddock. Then however, whe- 

 ther from eating too fast, or from his position 

 being uncomfortable, or perhaps from a feeling 

 that he had been compromising his dignity for- 

 tunately for me I had a pair of macintosh 

 overalls on up it all came again. As I had 

 been for some time engaged in feeding this 

 nursling, who thus repaid me by "puking in his 

 nurse's arms," and the fish were biting freely, I 

 left him to his own devices, and away he went. 

 On regaining his liberty however, so far from 

 appearing to resent my compulsory kindness, he 

 rather seemed to wish for a repetition of the same 

 course of treatment, for he continued to fly 



