102 Transactions, —Miscellaneous, 
same. They both dived repeatedly, seeking food for themselves, for they 
were hungry ; indeed, the river-bird dived ten times, and caught nothing, 
Then the river-bird said to his companion, ** If it were but my own home, 
I should just pop under water and find food directly ; there never could be 
a single diving there without finding food.” To which remark his com- 
panion simply said, “Just so.” Then the river-bird said to the other, 
** Yes, thy home here in the sea is one without any food.” To this insulting 
observation the sea-bird made no reply. Then the river-bird said to the 
other, * Come along with me to my home; you and I fly together." On 
this both birds flew off, and kept flying till they got to a river, where they 
dropped. Both dived, and both rose, having each a fish in its bill; then 
they dived together ten times, and every time they rose together with a fish 
in their bills. This done the sea-bird flew away back to its own home. 
Arriving there it immediately sent heralds in all directions to all the birds 
of the ocean, to lose no time but to assemble and kill all the fresh-water 
birds, and all the birds of the dry land and the forests. The sea-birds 
hearing this assented, and were soon gathered together for the fray. In 
the meanwhile, the river-birds and the land and forest birds were not idle ; 
they also assembled from all quarters, and were preparing to repel their 
foes. ; 
Ere long the immense army of the sea-birds appeared, sweeping along 
grandly from one side of the heavens to the other, making such a terrible 
noise with their wings and cries. On their first appearing, the long-tail fly- 
catcher (Rhipidura flabellifera) got into a towering passion, being desirous 
of spearing the foe, and danced about presenting his spear on all sides, 
crying “Ti! t?"* Then the furious charge was made by the sea-birds. 
In the first rank came, swooping down with their mighty wings, the 
albatross, the gannet, and the big brown gull (ngoiro), with many others 
closely following ; indeed, all the birds of the sea. Then they charged 
at close quarters, and fought bird with bird. How the blood flowed and 
the feathers flew! The river-birds came on in close phalanx, and dashed 
bravely right into their foes. They all stood to it for a long time, fighting 
desperately. Sucha sight! At last the sea-birds gave way, and fled in 
confusion. Then it was that the hawk soared down upon them, pursuing 
and killing; and the fleet sparrow-hawk darted in and out among the 
fugitives, tearing and ripping; while the owl, who could not fly by day, 
encouraged, by hooting derisively, ** Thou art brave! thou art victor!" ;+ 
and the big parrot screamed, “Remember! remember! Be you ever 
remembering your thrashing !"1 
* Its faint little note, uttered as it hops, and twirls, and opens its tail. 
+ ** Tod koé! toä ko# !" was the owl’s cry, which the words a little resemble. - 
i “Kia iro! kia iro koe!” was the cry of the parrot, 
