WILD LIFE ON THE WING 
the Feather Folk only use in the love season. 
Karruck stiffened his throat and crowed again 
triumphantly, while Cearc-uise, his mate, 
preened her ample breast. Then a little spring 
wind ruffled the surface of the Pool, and the 
two reflections were no longer separately clear, 
but blurred and confluent. So, they made their 
Eden, and its bliss was not the less profound 
that at any minute of their intercourse unex- 
pected and pressing danger might threaten 
them. For three days they were unmolested : 
then the serpent came, not subtly, as of old, 
but blatantly, with force. On the third morn- 
ing Karruck woke with a repetition of his 
own challenge in his ears, and found that the 
Pool the Pool which was his by all the rights 
of prior possession was invaded, and the in- 
truder was paddling placidly about his favourite 
shallows. Cearc-uise also saw, and her mate 
knew it. He flew across the Pool with claws 
spread, and fairly dousing the newcomer as he 
passed, he dropped clucking on to the bank 
with his feathers indignantly puffed out to 
await the counter-attack. 
They threw themselves backwards on their 
outstretched wings. This is the approved 
moorhen fashion, effective in water, but less 
so on land. Each saw in perspective his rival's 
red frontal plate guarded by hooked claws, and 
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