1886.] The Torture of the Fish-Hawk. 229 
for the event to occur. A hawk, quite differently marked and 
much larger than those usually seen, crossed from the opposite 
key and struck a fish from the passing school, which was promptly 
seized by the waiting frigate-bird. The hawk fled in terror, as 
usual, and was confronted by another of the band and, on exam- 
ing the sky, still another, three in all, was seen. After the con- 
fronted hawk had turned, it seemed to lose its terror, its cry 
denoting submission, a sort of querulous surrender to the inevi- 
table. To my surprise, it resumed its fishing, while the rover 
retired. It soon secured another from the teeming waters, for all 
it had to do was to pick it up. This was captured and the scream- 
ing retreat once more arrested. A simple hint was quite enough. 
The slave returned to its task with many an unnoticed murmur, 
until each bandit had secured a feast. The hawk then escaped 
hungry, and disappeared from sight. 
After witnessing this way of getting a living, a black garment 
seemed lifted from nature. The method was so like that practiced 
by man, as shown in history, that it quite contented me. These 
frigate-birds are the banditti of the air. During a residence of 
five years on that coast, I never saw one get an honest living. 
They seem to be the especial favorites of nature, as the cosmical 
force of gravity is placed at their disposal, which is a little like 
giving them the lamp of Aladdin. Small use would it be for a 
Creature required to provide its own motive power to sustain 
Itself in air, and also that required to fight a battle for life, to 
oppose such odds. The relation to success such combatants 
would stand in would be almost infinity to one, 
A familiar sight along that coast, at all seasons of the year, is 
that of gulls riding on the backs and heads of pelicans and feed- 
ing on the fish from their gullets. There is a good understanding 
between these creatures, and I never saw them quarrel. Some- 
times when fish were scarce and the small intruders wanted all, a 
contest as to which could swallow.the most in the shortest time 
took place, to the usual discomfiture of the little ones, who 
never seemed to understand how nor why the food disappeared. 
This Scheme of subsistence-supply gave the missing link needed 
to acquit nature of deliberately plotting the torture of her crea- 
tures. Away back in the great secondary age, when reptiles — 
navigated the air on wings, the characteristics of a frigate-bird — 
may have been initiated. In the life-struggle, habits of the gull 
