The last in a series of 12 sailing adventures for youngsters, originally published in the 1947 and wonderfully literate. In this tale the youngsters Dick and Dorethea Callum get mixed up with a villain (who is out to get the birds of the title), meet a Scottish laird and have a blast aboard the cutter Sea Bear. Based on his own travels, Ransome's tales mix adventure, seamanship and lots of local lore. Ransome (1884-1967), who also wrote travel accounts and transcribed Russian fairy tales, was a foreign correspondent for the Manchester Guardian.  (SCT78, $14.95)