“Don’t forget me, master!”

At the end of about three weeks I ventured to take the bandage off “Flap’s” wing-stump, when I found, to my surprise, that it was so nearly healed as not to require further treatment from me, Harry Nilford, M.D.

“Flap’s” domain was the homestead, about which he would hop and flap with his one wing in a most comical manner.  If I threw down half a rabbit and called him, he would dash across the lawn at a gait that would defy description, while his voracity was wonderful to behold.  He would take down half a rabbit in two or three fierce gulps, skin, bones, and flesh; and I have known him, when very hungry, to eat a whole one at a meal, which would only take a couple of minutes for him to discuss.  It was simply a matter of Hey Presto! and his meal was consumed.  If a man could eat in the same proportion, half a sheep would make a meal, while a goose or turkey would only be a snack.  Thank goodness, our appetites are less keen, or a fat bullock would only serve a large family for dinner, with the odds and ends left for supper.

“Begum” and “Flap” were fast friends, and the dog would allow the bird to take many liberties with him, such as taking quietly some pretty sharp pecks if he attempted to eat a bit of “Flap’s” food; but on the other hand, “Flap” would take “Begum’s” food from under his very nose without a protest of any kind from the dog, except a look out of the corner of his eye, as if he thought “What impudence!”

I found sea fowl of all kinds to be very tenacious of life, especially the common large gull.  One case of this occurs to me as I write.  I fired at a gull and brought it down on the rocks; but it was only winged, and picking it up, I wrung its neck, and flung it down, thinking it was dead, but in a couple of minutes it gave such signs of returning animation that I put the butt of my gun on its neck, which was upon the hard pathway, and pressed with all my might.  But the thing would not die, so I got cross with both it and myself, with the bird for not dying and myself for causing it so much unnecessary pain.  Thinking to kill the bird instantaneously, I took out my penknife, and ran it (or supposed I was in the right spot) quite through the brain, so that the blade projected half an inch on the other side.  Just then some more gulls came within shot, and I threw the bird on the ground, and made an onslaught on the others.  I dropped one, and scrambled down the cliffs for it, and at length having secured it, climbed laboriously up the steep rocks again.  Judge of my surprise when, purring and blowing from my exertions, just as my head rose above the ledge of the pathway where I had left the transfixed bird, I saw it rise to its feet, give a loud Quah! and before I could prevent it, away it went, half flying and flopping, half running and scrambling, with my knife still in its skull, and was quickly out of sight.

The different kinds of gulls visiting Jethou are very numerous, and some of them very pretty.  One of the finest being the swift sea swallow, with its lovely grey feathers, forked tail, and long graceful wings.  Another is the sea-pie, a very shapely black and white gull, which makes a noise quite peculiar to itself when hunting among the rocky inlets for its food, thus betraying its presence.