cup. xu1.] Wounded Pichetar Rescued. 219 
report of the gun, together with his cries, brought together 
the party he had left, in order that they might ascertain 
the cause of the alarm. After surveying their wounded 
brother round and round, as he was drifting unwittingly to- 
ward the shore with the flowing tide, they came flying in a 
.body to the spot where I stood, and rent the air with their 
screams. These they continued to utter, regardless of their 
own individual safety, until I began to make preparations 
for receiving the approaching bird. I could already see 
that it was a beautiful adult specimen; and I expected in 
a few moments to have it in my possession, being not very 
far from the water’s edge. 
“While matters were in this position, I beheld, to my 
utter astonishment and surptise, two of the unwounded 
terns take hold of their disabled comrade, one at each wing, 
lift him out of the water, and bear him out seaward. They 
were followed by two other birds. After being carried 
about six or seven yards, he was let gently down again, 
when he was taken up in a similar manner by the two who 
had been hitherto inactive. In this way they continued 
to carry him alternately, until they had conveyed him to 
a rock at a considerable distance, upon which they land- 
ed him in safety. Having recovered my self- possession, I 
made toward the rock, wishing to obtain the prize which 
had been so unceremoniously snatched from my grasp. I 
was observed, however, by the terns; and instead of four, 
I had in a short time a whole swarm about me. On my 
near approach to the rock, I once more beheld two of them 
take hold of the wounded bird as they had done already, 
and bear him out to sea in triumph, far beyond my reach. 
This, had I been so inclined, I could no doubt have pre- 
vented. Under the circumstances, however, my feelings 
would not permit me; and I willingly allowed them to per- 
form without molestation an act of mercy, and to exhibit 
an instance of affection, which man himself need not be 
ashamed to imitate. I was, indeed, rejoiced at, the disap- 
