68 THE BOOK OF A NATURALIST 



tightened their grasp ; and even if he had been 

 able to free himself, it would only have been to 

 fall that vast distance through the void air and 

 be crushed on the earth. 



Then all at once the bird's flight grew swifter 

 and rose higher, for now a second kite had appeared, 

 and had given chase to the first to deprive him of 

 his prey. 



The first, burdened with the squirrel, could not 

 escape from his persecutor, and they were soon at 

 close quarters. The marauding bird now began 

 making furious swoops at the other, aiming blows 

 at his back with his claws, and every time he 

 swooped down he uttered savage cries and mock- 

 ings. " Aha ! " he cried, " you can't save yourself 

 with all your speed and all your doublings. Drop 

 that squirrel if you don't want your back cut into 

 strips. Do you remember, you red rascal, that you 

 found me carrying home a duckling I had picked 

 up at a farm, and made me drop it ? Do you 

 remember what you said on that occasion — that 

 I was burdened while you were free, so that you 

 had the advantage of me, and would claw my 

 back to ribbons unless I dropped the duckling ? 

 Well, robber — pirate ! who has the advantage 

 now ? " 



It was awful, that battle in the sky ; the blows, 

 the shrieks, the dreadful imprecations they hurled 

 at one another ; but in the end the kite was obliged 

 to drop the squirrel to defend himself with his 

 claws, and the poor little beastie fell earthward 



