WANDERERS. 267 



weathers, looming out through a sea-fog, resting on 

 the sands in fine weather, and beating about when it 

 is rough. He is a bird that you will not forget after 

 you have once seen him. With our coast people he 

 used not to be a favourite. When the small gulls 

 left the tide for the fields, they looked for rough 

 weather ; but it might pass over, and they hoped it 

 would. But when they saw the cob on the flats they 

 were sure of it, and pulled their boats up on the 

 beach. 



It is curious how perfectly innocent creatures 

 should by some folks get inevitably associated with 

 the causes of misfortune. The bird only obeys his 

 instincts of self-preservation in coming on the flats 

 for a time ; but the very fact of the creatures being 

 one of the means of warning them of the coming 

 storm, caused it to be regarded as something uncanny. 

 I should like to see him again where I have watched 

 him in past years ; but he will come there no more in 

 my time. Where he wanders it would be hard to 

 say. The cob's eyes are very different from those of 

 the raven ; but they see much more than you can 

 fathom, and they have the look of old, experienced 

 eyes. 



