PADDY-BIRDS AND EGRETS 
HE paddy-bird, adas the pond heron, alas 
the blind heron, alas Azdeola grayit, is one of 
the few animals that really understand the 
art of loafing. Unlike the majority of the 
feathered tribe, he makes no pretence of being busy. 
He does nothing all day, and does not try to hush up 
the fact. Nor does he endeavour to delude himself into 
believing that the day is not long enough for the work 
he has to get through. The paddy-bird lives chiefly on 
frogs. 
I do not know the extent of the appetite of a pond 
heron, never having had to cater for one. Nevertheless, 
were I given the contract to feed a number of them, 
I would not allow more than three frogs per head er 
diem. \f any bird clamoured for more, I would promptly 
set him down asa glutton, and make him mortify the 
flesh by fasting once a week. 
Now, to a professional fisherman, the capture of three 
frogs per day is not an Herculean task, yet this con- 
stitutes the average daily labour of a paddy-bird; it is 
not sufficient to debar the bird from belonging to a 
trade union. I am of opinion that every pond heron, 
when about to die, might say with truth, “I have never 
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