but he had opened an avenue for attack , and velocitas flung himself to the defendeur 's rear , baiting the slashes of his tail and swerving this way and that , so the other anglewings and the grey coppers could make darting attempts on the defendeur 's head ; and when the riflemen had all been flung off their feet , minnow threw herself into the melee , landed upon the big dragon 's back , and snatched away one of the men in her talons .