WILD LIFE ON THE WING 
some foray of their own. However, two half- 
starved birds, newly arrived from overseas, had 
joined the band, and these flying within hail of 
the leader accompanied him to the scene of 
the previous feast. 
There was a pale luminous sun-spot in the 
southern sky, and whereas the wind had blown 
keenly through the Gap on the previous day, 
to-day there was no wind, and the smoke rose 
straight up in grey columns from the chimneys 
of Kilcool village. Commergar, the ridges of 
whose spurs had been swept bald by the wind 
during the preceding night, stood out black 
and grim against the white lowlands. As 
Fionog-liat rose to avoid an "air-pocket," a 
flock of teal passed high above him towards 
the north, and he croaked, for he knew that 
there was to be a change in the weather. 
What was left of their late banquet was littered 
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