Down between the cliffs in the lowliest tenements8 dwelt the snipe and petrel families, the latter seldom at home except during their nesting season. Along the shelf-like places of the rocks above dwelt the gannets, the terns and all other tribes belonging to the gull9 family. High up in their home crannies the sea birds could always catch the pearly shimmer10 of the breaking of an approaching school of herrings, even before they reached the line of tossing foam11 below. Then, swift and sure, they would dart12 out to meet them. It was wonderful to watch the herring gulls13 at their fishing, now skimming low over giant, green waves, now sinking into the trough of the sea. Then, with a sudden swift splash of feathery spray, behold14 the sharp-eyed gull secures the fish and is back again in his own nest upon the cliff. Strangely enough, although the cliff was swarmed15 with other gull families, each cranny bearing its nest looking precisely16 like another, never did a returning gull make a mistake or intrude17 upon another family.
For many seasons the gulls and their kindred had nested upon Lonely Island, but one year hunters discovered their retreat, and set up a temporary camp upon the barren sands. They had come to hunt for terns, killing18 and slaughtering19 them by hundreds, just for the sake of their beautiful, delicate feathers for which they were to be paid much money. Finally the hunters abandoned the island, leaving behind them many wounded, besides scores of deserted20 young birds, not out of the pin-feather age, who would finally pine and die alone upon the lonely ledges, when the parent birds failed to come back to feed them.
For a season, fear and chaos21 reigned22 among the gull settlements. Day after day the frightened sea fowl circled wildly about their cliffs, their weird23, lonely calls alone breaking the silence, ringing even above the noise of the breakers below them. So many of the colonies were broken up and disturbed that they flew off in detached numbers, perhaps seeking some safer retreat inland.
High up, perched upon one of the topmost crags of Lonely Island, sat all alone a solitary24 gull. Below, within sight, upon a shelf-like rock, a smaller bird, his mate, sat disconsolately25 upon the very edge of her dismantled26 nest, unwilling27 to tear herself away from two featherless young gulls, her babies, who would never stretch out their long necks to her for food again. They were limp and dead—the hunters had wantonly thrown down loose rocks and broken up the nest.
Although Silver Wing, the old leader of the gull tribe, felt badly enough over the loss of the little gulls, he was much older and wiser than his mourning mate; he had lived through many seasons and similar tragic28 events in his life. So even while his mate sat mourning, his sharp eyes had been fixed29 upon a certain wave crest30 out beyond the breaker line.
With a sudden swift rush of his wide wings he launched himself from the cliff; a wild plunge31 and he rose from the great wave bearing aloft a glistening32 herring. With a graceful33 sweeping34 detour35, he swerved36 in toward the cliff, and finally landed close beside his mate, where he dropped the fish beside her with a little crooning, plaintive37 cry, which meant, of course, "Take this nice herring which I have brought you, and be comforted, little mate." With another swirl38 of his wings he flew to fish for another herring before the school could get away.
HE ROSE FROM THE GREAT WAVE, BEARING ALOFT A GLISTENING HERRING.
HE ROSE FROM THE GREAT WAVE,
BEARING ALOFT A GLISTENING HERRING.
In spite of the efforts of Silver Wing, who tried for days to rouse his mate and tempt39 her to fly off over the water upon fishing trips, she continued to linger around the old nest until he became almost discouraged. Finally he determined40 to leave Lonely Island, start off and found a new home, as many of his kindred had already done after the invasion of the cruel hunters. Accordingly, Silver Wing, in some manner known to his tribe, induced his companion to accompany him upon a long flight. One fine day, in company with others of the colony who decided41 to follow their old leader, they started for the far distant coast.
Occasionally they would halt upon some small, lonely island, but, as it happened, none of them proved to be exactly suited to the gulls' needs. The islands were often flat and sterile42, mere43 strips of white sand and beech grass, with no rocky ledges suitable for nest building. So on and on flew the gulls, with heavy wings. Sometimes they would sight what appeared to be a small island, from which would trail long streamers of smoke. When the gulls came up close to these islands they would be terrified by strange, uncanny hootings and tootings. Besides, whenever they gained courage to hover44 over these strange, floating islands, they always proved to be filled with people, creatures like the hunters. One thing they discovered was that by following in the wake of the floating islands they always found plenty to eat, strange food of all kinds upon which they eagerly fed.
For a sea bird the worst storms at sea have small terror. The petrels, or "Mother Gary's Chickens," as the sailors call these birds, love best, it is said, to ride upon the very crest of a giant wave during a wild storm, and the gulls are equally at home upon the bosom of the ocean. It is only when straying birds are adrift, seeking a new country, and are driven ahead of a storm toward the coast, that they are occasionally overcome by the elements. So it happened that a great storm arose and struck the colony of fleeing gulls, sweeping them inland. On their great wide wings they flew ahead of the gale45, on and ever on through the blackness of the inky night, until at last the poor wind-driven things finally sighted an object big and bright, beckoning46, winking47 to them out of the darkness; and toward this the gulls, and a host of other smaller straying birds who were swept ahead of the storm, made their way. Hopefully they neared the bright beacon48. The next rough, whirling gale caught them and dashed them pitilessly against the lantern of the lighthouse, and down again upon the blackness of the cruel rocks beneath them.
Fortunately. Silver Wing, the brave, giant gull, whose broad wings were still strong and unwearied, had penetrated49 the inky darkness with his sharp eyes. He had seen the danger ahead, and just at the right instant had swerved aside, with powerful wing strokes, just clearing the great lamp, which had almost blinded his eyes. So he with his mate, who invariably followed his lead, were swept coastward ahead of the mighty50 gale, but to safety.
When morning broke, Silver Wing and his mate found themselves upon the bank of a great river. Here were plenty of other gulls, but of a strange, new tribe. The river was bordered with mud flats, which at low tide formed splendid feeding grounds. Crayfish, and shoals of small, shining fish abounded51. But, to tell the truth, neither the old gull nor his mate were very happy or contented52 with the river bank. They had known only the wild life of their lonely ocean island and missed the booming breakers along the cliffs, the companionship of the sea bird colonies, the terns, the gannets, and the little roving petrels. Besides, this new, almost tame tribe of gulls was vastly different in other respects. Silver Wing and his mate felt they could never mix with these small, brownish plumaged birds who fought and wrangled53 among themselves, who were content to brood for hours in the black mud of the river flats. More than once during their stay Silver Wing had really to thrash one of these bold, foolhardy brown gulls for presuming to pay attention to his own mate, and at last he came to hate the very spot, becoming wildly jealous of every brown gull who crossed him in any way. He and his mate determined to go off and seek a new home, for it was almost nesting time again, and Silver Wing realised the importance of settling as soon as possible. So, one day he gave the starting signal, and after hovering54 triumphantly55 overhead above the gormandising brown tribe upon the mud flats beneath them, screaming back a loud, lonely challenge, off they flew.
For many days they flew along the shores of the sound, now skimming low to dip their grey wings in the blue waves, flirting56 the spray high in silvery showers, or feeding along the beaches for little tender mussels or soft-shell clams58, and playing tag with the funny little sandpipers who ran across the sands, and scattering59 them just for fun. At last they reached a desolate60, rocky strip of coast, and after much flying about they finally settled upon a convenient cliff beneath which stretched a long line of sandy beach, while out beyond tumbled their dear, familiar breakers. Down below the cliff were jagged, brown rocks, over which trailed long, emerald green and brown sea kelp, where the water came in and out with the tides, leaving in the shallow places shoals of little fish, sea anemones61, and starfish. Through these the gulls would pick their way daintily, with their pink, webbed feet, searching out the barnacles which clung to the rocks, pecking at tiny, sheltering shells where lurked62 sweet morsels63 to be had for the cracking.
The busy season came at last, however, and two young gulls had to be fed, so all day long Silver Wing and his mate foraged64 and fished for them. They brought young, tender herrings which the small gulls, as they grew older, would swallow at one gulp65. Occasionally they carried shell-fish to the nest; these they would prepare for the young gulls by dropping them upon the rocks beneath and cracking the shells.
One day the mother gull chanced to be long away. Already had Silver Wing travelled alone, so many times back and forth66 from the nest to the water with food for the little gulls, that he began to think his mate was trying to leave all the work for him, and he actually grew indignant at the very thought of such an imposition. He resolved to hunt up his lazy mate and make her do her share. With wide, swift strokes of his grey wings he started off, scanning with his sharp eyes every flashing wing to make sure it was not his mate. In vain he flew far and wide, even across to the other beach, more than a mile away; still no trace of her could he find.
Finally he began to fly low over the beach, searching in and out among the little coves67. At last he heard a shrill68 cry; plaintive and beseeching69, and it belonged to his mate. With great, wide sweeps he soon reached her side. She was down upon the sandy beach and seemed to be fluttering wildly. As Silver Wing drew near he saw her trouble; she had been caught, and was being firmly held by one foot, by nothing less than a giant clam57.
Meantime, slowly but surely the tide was coming in; each wave that broke upon shore swirled70 just a little closer to his trapped mate. Soon she must be caught by the tide, and, entrapped71 as she was, held as if in a vice72 by the giant shell-fish, she would surely drown.
At first Silver Wing rose in the air in bewilderment, calling wildly for his mate to join him, beating up and down the beach, hovering over her, then rising high in the air and screaming his commands. Still she did not follow him. At last the great gull seemed to have sized up the situation, and like a plummet73 he fell from the air and began a savage74 attack upon the hard shell of the clam. With his strong beak75 he hammered, while his mate continued to beat her wings helplessly upon the sand, screaming wildly.
Smash, smash, rang the beak of the gull, while in swirled the creeping tide, each time a little nearer the struggling gulls. It broke now in little foamy76 ripples77 close beside them. If the shell-fish failed to loosen its hold, the tide would soon cover them all. Down like a chisel78 came the strong beak of Silver Wing, while with his great webbed, sinewy79 feet he held the shell of the clam firmly, delivering his blows now always upon the one spot.
Another blow, still another. Would the great shell-fish never loosen its grip? Another ringing, cracking blow, and just as a larger wave came creeping stealthily inshore and broke over them, the giant clam loosened its awful hold upon the foot of the little mother gull, and the two birds with long, plaintive cries mounted into the free air. Dipping low just once over the incoming tide to snatch a herring from the waves in their beaks80, away they flew swiftly back to the little gulls, who were impatiently awaiting their coming back upon the lonely ledges, far above the breakers.
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收听单词发音
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1
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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hummock
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| n.小丘 | |
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stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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ledges
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| n.（墙壁，悬崖等）突出的狭长部分( ledge的名词复数 )；（平窄的）壁架；横档；（尤指）窗台 | |
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fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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tenements
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| n.房屋，住户，租房子( tenement的名词复数 ) | |
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gull
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| n.鸥；受骗的人；v.欺诈 | |
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shimmer
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| v./n.发微光，发闪光；微光 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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gulls
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| n.鸥( gull的名词复数 )v.欺骗某人( gull的第三人称单数 ) | |
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14
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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15
swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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16
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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17
intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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18
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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19
slaughtering
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的现在分词 ) | |
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20
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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21
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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22
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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23
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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24
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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25
disconsolately
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| adv.悲伤地，愁闷地；哭丧着脸 | |
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26
dismantled
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| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
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27
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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28
tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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29
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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30
crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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31
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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32
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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33
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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34
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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35
detour
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| n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道 | |
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36
swerved
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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38
swirl
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| v.(使)打漩，(使)涡卷；n.漩涡，螺旋形 | |
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39
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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40
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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41
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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42
sterile
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| adj.不毛的，不孕的，无菌的，枯燥的，贫瘠的 | |
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43
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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44
hover
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| vi.翱翔，盘旋；徘徊；彷徨，犹豫 | |
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45
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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46
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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47
winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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48
beacon
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| n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔 | |
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49
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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50
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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51
abounded
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| v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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53
wrangled
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| v.争吵，争论，口角( wrangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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55
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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56
flirting
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| v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的现在分词 ) | |
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57
clam
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| n.蛤，蛤肉 | |
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58
clams
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| n.蛤；蚌，蛤( clam的名词复数 )v.（在沙滩上）挖蛤( clam的第三人称单数 ) | |
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59
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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60
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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61
anemones
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| n.银莲花( anemone的名词复数 )；海葵 | |
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62
lurked
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| vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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63
morsels
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| n.一口( morsel的名词复数 )；（尤指食物）小块，碎屑 | |
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64
foraged
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| v.搜寻（食物），尤指动物觅（食）( forage的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指用手）搜寻（东西） | |
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65
gulp
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| vt.吞咽，大口地吸（气）；vi.哽住；n.吞咽 | |
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66
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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67
coves
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| n.小海湾( cove的名词复数 )；家伙 | |
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68
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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69
beseeching
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| adj.恳求似的v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的现在分词 ) | |
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70
swirled
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
entrapped
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| v.使陷入圈套，使入陷阱( entrap的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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73
plummet
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| vi.(价格、水平等)骤然下跌；n.铅坠；重压物 | |
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74
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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75
beak
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| n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻 | |
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76
foamy
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| adj.全是泡沫的，泡沫的，起泡沫的 | |
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77
ripples
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| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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78
chisel
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| n.凿子；v.用凿子刻，雕，凿 | |
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sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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beaks
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| n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 )；鹰钩嘴；尖鼻子；掌权者 | |
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