PADDY-BIRDS AND EGRETS 237 
the exhortation, “ Think of ’er,’ would scarcely raise a 
smile from him. 
As he stands and contemplates his image in the 
murky waters of the village pond, he forms a strange 
contrast to dhobis—the other denizens of the tank—who 
seem to work with might and main, the livelong day, 
trying to dash garments to pieces against a rugged 
stone, under the impression that they are doing a little 
washing. The look of silent contempt which the paddy- 
bird bestows on the perspiring, grunting washerman 
would make the latter feel very uncomfortable if he only 
had the leisure to notice it. The dhodi and the paddy- 
bird form perfect contrasts ; yet they have one common 
feature, They are both anomalies. The washerman is 
the exception which proves the rule that Orientals are 
placid individuals who never do a stroke of unnecessary 
work, The blind heron is the exception which proves 
the rule that birds are active, busy, bustling creatures, 
The paddy-bird, to adapt one of Mr. Phil Robinson’s 
happiest phrases, sits all dingy gray and flies all white. 
As he loafs on the margin of the murky water he is an 
inconspicuous object. His brownish plumage, dirty 
yellow beak, and dingy green legs are all of the hue 
of the environment. As he takes to his wings the 
bird is transfigured. He is changed, as if by fairy touch, 
into a beautiful milk-white bird. His pinions are large, 
their under surface is snow-like, and they are so con- 
spicuous as he floats through the air that they distract 
the eye from all else. The human eye is able to obtain 
only a general impression of a moving object. A flying 
kingfisher is a flash of light blue, and a redstart one 
