WATER-BIRD WAIFS 



pulled. I finally "got" her, three times on the nest 

 and once just stepping upon it. 



These are the five common herons that are ordinarily 

 seen in the Eastern and Middle States. A number of 

 other species are well known in the South, and nearly 

 all of them have appeared accidentally as far north as 

 New England, particularly the Little Blue Heron, the 

 A-merican Egret (celebrated for its aigrette plumes), 

 and more rarely the Yellow-crowned Night Heron. 



We come now to the swimming-birds, and find the 

 AnatidcB, or ducks and geese, in order. Almost every- 

 one is interested in wild ducks. If a flock are known 

 to alight in a pond, it is the talk of the neighborhood, 

 and, unfortunately, every person owning a gun is crazy 

 to get a shot. Consequently they are scarce in our 

 Eastern districts, and with the growth of population 

 are becoming more and more so. It seems so strange 

 and delightful out in the Northwest to see companies 

 of wild ducks swimming about in small ponds or pools 

 right by the homes of settlers, fearless and unmolested, 

 raising their broods in the neighboring grassy sloughs, 

 practically in the barnyard pasture. How delightful 

 if it could be so here! Once, indeed, recently, I came 

 upon a brood of young Black Ducks, with their mother, 

 within two minutes' walk of my house, on the edge of 

 a meadow, but that was a rare treat. 



This species just mentioned, properly the Dusky 

 Duck, but popularly known as the Black Duck, is the 

 best known and most common fresh-water duck of the 



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