WILD LIFE ON THE WING 
but the rest of the band were more rash, and 
time and again only the ceaseless vigilance of 
their leader saved their lives. While they 
fought over the sodden remains of rat or 
rabbit the foxes' leavings Fionog-liat stood 
sentinel on some neighbouring tree, meanwhile 
imploring the gluttonous gang to follow him 
to the safety of the bogs. Once during such a 
feast, Driscoll crept near enough to wing one 
of the band, who was too heavily gorged to 
retreat as quickly as her fellows. They found 
the battered corpse next day and feasted 
hideously all, that is, except Fionog-liat, who 
hated a gun, and said so all day long until the 
rest of the band wearied of his warnings. 
The cold red sunrise was generally the fore- 
runner of a bleak day with an iron-coloured 
sky. Even when the wind veered a point or 
two the rain which fell was sleet, colder than 
the wind. Then the shoulders of the mountains 
were hidden under the driving skirts of the 
cloud, and their flanks were ribbed with the 
streaks of snow-dust which was swept into the 
lee of the rocks. But wind or snow, either 
meant starvation to the crows. They, who in 
times of plenty were wont to gorge to repletion 
and spend the following day in a pleasant 
lethargy of digestion, now went fasting for 
days together. Fionog-liat took first toll of 
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