THE PIRATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20656, 30 August 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE PIRATE.

By M. G. DOREHIIJi.

The K roy sea lashed interminably against the frowning cliffs, and seethed round massive rocks. Mighty and untamoable, her children were as wild as she, and gulls screamed as they congregated in noisy crowds over shoals of small fry. It was the spring of the year, and near by were their nests containing eggs and, in sonio cases, already young birds. These required feeding, so tho parents were busy skimming across tho heaving waters, ever ready to snatch a fish from tho bosom of the deep.

Then, all at once, there appeared among them a sea-hawk, flying low with heavy (lapping of it's roundish wings. With cold, cruel eye, it watched the efforts of tho mackerel gulls; then, suddenly, it darted upon one which had just secured a fish, driving it up from tho water; when sufficiently high, it. made a furious dash at it, causing the gull to shriek with fright and sn drop its prey. But, ere the falling fish had reached tho waves the cum iug pirato had caught it and made off.

Inland ho flew, to bis own neat nest hidden in tho grass not far from tho seashore. Soon a pair of lusty young hawks were partaking of some poor nestling gull's breakfast, and not for the first time either, for their callous parents plundered without mercy, and wounded and sick birds, and helpless fledglings were received with gusto by tho young hawks.

But like all creatures mean and thieving in their habits, the pirates, though dreaded by the small mackcral gulls, were cowards at heart.

On ;i rocky ledge towards the upper part of tho cliff was u nest belonging to a pair of black-backed gulls. In the. middle of the untidy structure were three young birds gaping and clamouring for food, and these tho parents vainly sought to satisfy with fish and animal food. No sooner had the nestlings swallowed what was; brought them than they would be crying lustily for more, and so the liarrasped parents wauld search and search the sea-shore for all kinds of odd tit-bits. Pip-is they removed from their cumbersome shells by carrying up aloft and hurling to the beach below. The black-hacked gulls were seldom bothered by the sea-hawk, being so much bigger and stronger than their smaller cousins the mackerel gulls. But 0110 day a pair of mighty wings brought the pirate like an arrow from out of the blue. He hovered in the air above the cliff ledge; and his eagle eye, ever searching for a victim, espied the brown baby down of the little nestlings as they lay huddled in their big nest. Then the young gulls, hearing the beat of his wings, stretched up eager, gaping beaks, to find it was no mother but a hideous monster como to devour them. The cruel pirate siezed one poor mite and made off with it to his nest, where he filled his own young with the young of another.

Few minutes had elapsed before the two remaining fledglings again heard tho rush of bis great wings, as, like some fabled ogre, he darted down upon the fated nest and stolo a second young gull away. There was now ono poor little bird left all alone. Very forlorn it looked as it cowered down, trying to make its small comic form invisable.

And this was all the mother gull found when she returned from her foraging. She perched on the ledge, looking round suspiciously, flew off, returned again, hovering round her nest in an undecided way. alio knew that a robber had been there. At length, however, she fed the lone little survivor and flew uneasily awav.

She had not gone far when a rush of mighty wings made her wheel in the air and turn. Hovering low over her nest was the robber, come for her last young one. She saw its streaked body hanging on great wings, pulsing, as, heedlessly cruel, it prepared to swoop down on the helpless bundle of down. Then, with a cry of rage and without a thought for herself, the brave mother dashed upon the formidable monster.

What fortune was it that decreed the sea-hawk should bo born the lowest of cowards? Tho gull hurled herself upon him liko a white-winged fury, battling with him, but tho pirate offered little fight. Again and again the gull dashed at him, beating and half blinding him with her wings; and, when she was almost exhausted, help came in the shape of the father gull. Before their combined strength, the foe beat a hasty and undignified retreat. The gulls driving him far from their nest with angry cries. Hie hawk knew better than to return again, and the remaining nestling grew up in safety to fish and hunt with tho joyous crowd of gulls frequenting the coast. But when ho sees a sea-hawk skimming over tho water or hanging, threatening in the air, ho shows much rage and scold.-, angrily at it. Perhaps ho has vague memories of tho awesome pirate's visit in his nestling days and is determined to show as much spirit as did his brave mother when she saved him from the terrible doom of being served up as the young hawks' breakfast.