184 THE LAND'S END 



its tinkling sound, into the very midst of the com- 

 pany of hovering gulls. No sooner was it among 

 them than the angry, alert leading bird, half closing 

 its wings, swooped down on the little tinkler, and 

 instantly a frantic chase began, with lightning-quick 

 doublings, now over the sea, now the land, the gull 

 with its open beak almost touching the terrified little 

 fugitive. " Save yourself, pipit ! " I exclaimed, for 

 another inch and the small spotted singer would have 

 been in the big hungry yellow beak and flight and 

 tinkling song ended for ever. And in another mo- 

 ment the tension was ended, for the little thing had 

 gained the rocks and was safe : but it sang no more 

 that evening. 



Now, strange as all this may seem that the pipit 

 should live and breed just by or among the herring 

 gulls, ready at all times to seize and devour any 

 living creature that comes by chance in their way, 

 and that it should go on ascending and descending, 

 singing and singing, every day and all day long, just 

 where the gulls are perpetually floating and flying 

 hither and thither, always on the look-out for some- 

 thing to devour it is but acting in accordance with 

 its known character. The small bird is without fear 

 of its big rapacious neighbours : it has its own quick- 

 ness and adroitness to save it from all natural dangers 

 of winds and waves and killing birds ; it was only the 

 rare chance of that gust of wind striking it just when 

 it paused in mid-air before dropping, and carrying it 

 away sideways into the midst of the herring gulls, 

 which so nearly cost it its life. On the following 



