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Surprised on a sandy level, on the banks, the low reefs where he sometimes halts, the frigate-bird is defenceless;
令人惊讶的是，在它偶尔停留的沙滩上、岸堤和低珊瑚礁上，军舰鸟就完全无助了；
in vain he threatens, in vain he strikes, for a blow from a stick will overcome him.
它的威胁、它的攻击在陆地上统统都失去了效力，因为一根棍子便可以制服它。
At sea, those vast wings, of such admirable utility in ascent, are ill fitted for skimming the surface of the water.
然而，在高空中令人羡慕的巨翼，却并不适用于在海面上滑行。
When wetted, they may over-weight and sink him. And thereupon, woe to the bird!
一旦被打湿，它们可能会因为过重而沉入水中。于是，灾难就会降临到可怜的它身上！
And yet, what shall he do? His food lies in the waters.
那么，它该怎么办呢？它的食物就在水中。
He is ever compelled to draw near them, to return to them, to skim incessantly the hateful and prolific sea which threatens to engulf him.
它总是被迫去靠近它们、反复接近它们，还要冒着随时被海水吞没的危险，连续掠过那个可恶而又物产丰富的海面。
Thus, then, this being, so well armed and winged, superior to all others in power of flight and vision as in daring, leads but a trembling and precarious life.
因此，这种有着良好装备和超大双翼的生物，尽管其飞行本领和视力超越其他动物，尽管其胆量非凡，却终日过着担心受怕的危险生活。
He would die of hunger had he not the ingenuity to create for himself a purveyor, whom he cheats of his food.
如果它没有给自己找到一个可以提供食物的供应商，就会饿死。
His ignoble resource, alas! is to attack a dull and timorous bird, the noddy, famous as a fisher.
唉，可叹啊，军舰鸟那不光彩的一面就是去攻击一只迟钝又胆小的鸟——以“渔夫”之名著称的燕鸥。
The frigatebird, which is of no larger dimensions, pursues him, strikes him on the neck with his beak, and constrains him to yield up his prey.
军舰鸟追赶着体型并不大的小鸟，用自己的鸟嘴去攻击它的颈项，迫使它放弃自己的食物。
All this takes place in the air. The noddy drops the fish; but the frigate-bird catches it before it can reach the water.
这整个的过程都是在空中进行的，燕鸥终于丢下了嘴里的鱼；可是，军舰鸟却在鱼即将落入水中之前抓住了它。
