Song Birds and Water Fowl 



differs from all his kindred in being very much 

 of a society bird ; that is, he is commonly very 

 gregarious, which is the animal name for soci- 

 ability. The members of almost every bird 

 species are, to be sure, banded together, more 

 or less, during the migrations of spring and fall, 

 and throughout the winter ; but, as the breed- 

 ing season approaches, the land-birds pair off, 

 and generally nest quite independently of each 

 other. The water fowl, however, as a class, 

 live in large communities throughout the year far 

 more than the land species, and the night herons 

 are a very conspicuous instance of this neigh- 

 borly spirit. But it is unfortunate that this 

 commendable trait is not conducive to their 

 best reputation. Some people shine best in 

 society ; but society life seems to have de- 

 veloped the more objectionable characteristics 

 in heron nature, particularly the disposition for 

 gossip and bickering ; so that the ' ' qua- bird ' ' 

 shows off best when seen solitary, or in pairs ; 

 when he becomes meditative and melancholy, 

 and seems something rare and almost spiritual. 

 Early in June I visited a large community 

 of night herons, located in the town of Ros- 

 lyn, on the northwest end of Long Island. 

 This is one of the corners of the island that 

 238 



