THE HERON'S HAUNT. 105 



which they need in order to secure their rapid- 

 swimming prey all these things make the 

 waders, almost in spite of themselves, hand- 

 some and shapely birds. Their feet, it is true, 

 are generally rather large and sprawling, with 

 long, widespread toes, so as to distribute their 

 weight on the snow-shoe principle, and pre- 

 vent them from sinking in the deep soft mud 

 on which they tread ; but then we seldom 

 see the feet, because the birds, when w r e 

 catch a close view of them at all, are almost 

 always either on stilts in the water, or flying 

 with their legs tucked behind them, after 

 their pretty rudder-like fashion. I have often 

 wondered whether it is this general beauty of 

 form in the waders which has turned their 

 aesthetic tastes, apparently, into such a sculp- 

 turesque line. Certainly, it is very note- 

 worthy that wherever among this particular 

 order of birds we get clear evidence of orna- 

 mental devices, such as Mr. Darwin sets down 

 to long-exerted selective preferences in the 

 choice of mates, the ornaments are almost 



