78 THE LAND'S END 



The spectacle of many gannets fishing, all moving 

 in a perpetual series of curves, wavering lines and 

 half circles, at exactly the same altitude, and all per- 

 forming the same set of actions on spying a fish, 

 produces the idea that they are automata moved by 

 extraneous forces, and are incapable of varying their 

 mode of action. As a fact, they vary it constantly 

 according to the state of the atmosphere and the sea, 

 and probably also the depth at which the fish are 

 swimming. But whatever the method for the day 

 may be, one is impressed and amazed at the marvellous 

 energy of the bird, and this strikes us most when we 

 see gannets and gulls together. 



The gull is a waiter on the tide, and on wind and 

 rain and sunshine and any change which may bring 

 him something to eat a sort of feathered Mr. 

 Micawber among sea-birds. His indolent happy- 

 go-lucky way of making a living reminds you 

 of his friend the fisherman who, when not fish- 

 ing, can do nothing but lounge on the quay with 

 his hands in his pockets, or stand leaning against 

 a sunny wall revolving the quid in his mouth and 

 making an occasional remark to the idler nearest to 

 him. His brief and furious fits of activity are 

 followed by long intervals of repose, when he floats 

 at the will of wind and wave on the sea or sits 

 dozing on a rock. He also spends a good deal of 

 his time in a kind of loitering, probably waiting for 

 something to turn up, when he is seen in a loose 

 company scattered far and wide about the sea, one 

 here, two or three a little distance off, and a few more 



