BY MILL- POND AND MEADOW. 169 



" I never saw it upon the pond," the miller replied ; 

 " but the little smooth-headed devil-divers are com- 

 mon enough, and often there's the blue coot and 

 another one that runs along the shore." 



The miller meant a gallinule by the one " running 

 along the shore," a not uncommon bird, though 

 rather shy ; but I was glad to hear of the common 

 coot: "crow duck" the gunners call it. I have 

 long known that they breed here and in Crosswicks 

 Creek, near by ; but those wonderful bird-men who 



Buffle-headed Duck. 



have reduced ornithology to a "science" have also 

 reduced the number of birds that belong to this 

 locality. I imagine that the birds do not care 

 much. 



"All these water-birds seem to know it's un- 

 healthy for 'em about here," remarked the miller, 

 "and only show up after sundown, when they think 

 everybody's gone home ; but they miss it sometimes. 

 I wonder any bird stays about that's bigger' n a 

 pigeon. If I'd told about that diver with whiskers, 

 H 15 



