"He narrowed his eyes in fierce concentration, held his breath, forced one ... single ... more ... inch ... of curve ... Then his feathers ruffled, he stalled and fell.

"Seagulls, as you know, never falter, never stall. To stall in the air is for them disgrace and it is dishonor." Part 1, pg. 12.

"When he came to, it was well after dark, and he floated in moonlight on the surface of the ocean. His wings were ragged bars of lead, but the weight of failure was even heavier on his back. He wished, feebly, that the weight could be just enough to drag him gently down to the bottom, and end it all." Part 1, pg. 21.

"Get down! Seagulls never fly in the dark! If you were meant to fly in the dark, you'd have the eyes of an owl! You'd have charts for brains! You'd have a falcon's short wings!" Part 1, pg. 23.

"'Jonathan...