360 CITIZEN BIRD 



" I must ask Uncle Roy to tell us, and why the earth 

 down here on the shore stays sharp and gritty when 

 it is wet ; for when the earth up at the Farm is wet, it 

 makes sticky mud," said Dodo. 



" Yes," said Nat, '' and why the stars are of such 

 different sizes, and seem to stay quite still, except some 

 that go along like that big bright one over there." 



" Quok ! Quok ! " cried a strange voice from the 

 marshes back of the beach. " Quok, quok, quok, 

 quok ! " answered other voices. 



"What can that be?" said Nat; "it isn't a Whip- 

 poor-will, or a Nighthawk — it must be one of the 

 cannibal birds. Uncle Roy, what kind of birds are 

 those calling away over in the marshes ? " But the 

 Doctor was not within hearing, and it was some time 

 before they found him, sitting by the cabin door smok- 

 ing his pet outdoor pipe, which was made of a corn-cob. 



" Did you hear the Night Herons calling as you came 

 up? " he asked. 



" We heard a very queer squawky sound, and came 

 to ask you what it was, for we couldn't guess," said 

 Nat. " What is a Night Heron — a cousin of the 

 Nighthawk, who lives near tlie water ? " 



" I don't think it's a water bird," said Rap, " because 

 I have heard that same squawking up by the mill." 



"But is not the mill close to the pond?" said the 

 Doctor, smiling. 



" Wliy, yes, to be sure — but I was thinking of salt 

 w\ater." 



" That is a distinction that applies to few of our 

 water birds; Avhen we speak of the birds that wade, 

 paddle, swim, and dive, we must remember that they 



