ON THE SHORE 



361 



may do so in lakes, rivers, bays, or the ocean, according 

 to their individual habits. In fact, some members of 

 a single family prefer fresh water, while their brothers 

 are more fond of the salt sea. This is the case in the 

 family of the Night Heron." 



"Where does he belong?" asked Rap, "with the 

 paddling birds or the swimming ones? " 



" With the paddlers and waders." 



" See, here comes the moon up out of the water and 

 it makes a shiny path up to our feet and Olaf is rowing 

 back right down it and the stars have stopped winking 

 and are getting dim," said eager little Dodo, with an 

 " and " wherever she ought to have stopped to breathe, 

 as usual. "Hark ! the Herons are squawking again — 

 won't you tell us about them now. Uncle Roy ? " 



A LONG -NECKED FAMILY 



"The long-necked, long-legged, 

 long - billed Heron family, to 

 which these squawkers belong, 

 contains many marsh - loving 

 birds. They are not exactly what 

 we call shore birds, but live con- 

 tentedly near any water, wliere 

 they can wade and splash about 

 pools and shallows for their food. 

 For they eat meat, though they 

 never kill birds, like the canni- 

 bals. Their taste is for frosfs, 

 lizards, snakes, snails, crabs, fish, and other small fry ; 

 they very seldom eat any warm-blooded animal§. 



Black-crowned Night 

 Heron. 



