BIRD LEGEND AND LIFE 



had flown to his usual post of watchfulness, and, perching 

 on the accustomed limb, had begun his solitary vigil with no 

 thought of danger to himself. Motionless he sat, with a calm 

 born of faith in his own powers. Though the time of wait- 

 ing might have seemed long to others, he was not dis- 

 couraged. Believing fviUy that all things come to him who 

 waits, and, at the same time, attends to business, he kept his 

 eye on the water till finally his faith was rewarded by the 

 sight of a large fish coming down the stream — larger than 

 any he had seen for days — and close behind it a smaller one. 

 Prompt in decision, and impelled by hunger, he quickly made 

 up his mind that the larger fish should be his own dinner, 

 while the smaller one, more suited to their size, should be 

 taken to the babies at home, if he could manage to catch 

 both. 



A shiver of expectancy ruffled his crest, a nervous jerk 

 of his tail betrayed his eagerness as he waited a moment for 

 the coveted prey to come under his watch tower. Then, with 

 open bill and head down, he dropped like a shot into the 

 water. Though he had captured the prize his grasp was not 

 secure. The captive almost escaped, for, in his excitement, 

 his bill had barely closed on the tail. Emerging from the 

 water, he deftly tossed his catch into the air and caught it 

 again, as it fell head-first into his open bill, which, closing, 

 crushed out life. The great distensible throat caught the 

 mangled form in its grasp and drew it out of sight. No es- 

 cape for any victim after reaching that, with its lining of 

 downward-pointing papillae. 



After waiting a moment for the fish to become settled, 

 he started in pursuit of the smaller one he had seen. With a 

 rattle of satisfaction he flew down the stream, casting his keen 

 eye into every nook and corner. No lack of grace about the 



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