enales like a pall.

Tumwah was indeed angry! His fiery breath had indeed swept the green
earth, parching and devastating it. And Warruk, even if the urge to
explore and to conquer new fields were not impelling him, fled the
scenes of desolation and guided by instinct made for the broad river
where food and water must be abundant.

Both by day and by night he travelled, stopping for a short rest only
during the early morning hours. Nor was he alone. Others of the larger
creatures, terrified, hungry and thirsty were heading in the same
direction, and of them he took a heavy toll.

The first sight of green trees fringing the horizon beyond the
seemingly endless expanse of brown came as a blessed relief. Upon
reaching it, Warruk found it a veritable oasis in the desert. The
vanguard of the unusual migration had already reached the spot and it
teemed with life.

The forest island covered many acres. There were deep, black pools in
the unbroken shade; stealthy deer, tapirs, peccaries, and agoutis moved
like shadows among the columnar trunks. A stream led from it into the
distance that appeared greener and still more cheerful. Overhead, in the
gnarled branches and leafy boughs were scores of snowy birds, egrets
that had chosen the place for a nesting site. Some of them squatted on
frail stick platforms; others sat motionless on the tips of the
branches. Steady streams were coming and going constantly, resembling
giant snowflakes that glistened and twinkled as the white wings fanned
the air.

Warruk looked at them longingly for, to him a bird was a bird, and he
remembered the tender partridges of more bountiful days. However, there
were other creatures to supply his fare and for a week he revelled in
the abundance.

Then the desire to push further and further into the unknown again came
with an overwhelming insistency and he turned his face eastward where
the grass was greener and low clouds hung like garlands of red and gold
upon the horizon.

The stream of birds from the rookery was flying in the same direction.
Soon he discovered its goal--a marsh of considerable extent which was
the feeding-ground. Numbers of the long-legged egrets were wading in the
shallow water, stopping now and then to dart their long, sharp bills
into the throngs of fish dashing about their feet. Others stood
motionless on the margin, like statuettes hewn out of purest marble;
though seemingly dozing, they were very much on the alert as Warru