"What is a Night Heron--a cousin of the Nighthawk, who lives near the water ?" "I don't think it's a water bird," said Rap, "because I have heard that same squawking up by the mill." "But is not the mill close to the pond ?" said the Doctor, smiling.
"Why, yes, to be sure--but I was thinking of salt water." "That is a distinction that applies to few of our water birds; when we speak of the birds that wade, paddle, swim, and dive, we must remember that they may do so in lakes, rivers, bays, or the ocean, according to their individual habits.

In fact, some members of a single family prefer fresh water, while their brothers are more fond of the salt sea.

This is the case in the family of the Night Heron." "Where does he belong ?" asked Rap, "with the paddling birds or the swimming ones ?" "With the paddlers and waders." "See, here comes the moon up out of the water and it makes a shiny path up to our feet and Olaf is rowing back right down it and the stars have stopped winking and are getting dim," said eager little Dodo, with an "and" wherever she ought to have stopped to breathe, as usual.

"Hark! the Herons are squawking again--won't you tell us about them now, Uncle Roy ?" A LONG-NECKED FAMILY [Illustration: Black-Crowned Night Heron.] "The long-necked, long-legged, long-billed Heron family, to which these squawkers belong, contains many marsh-loving birds.

They are not exactly what we call shore birds, but live contentedly near any water, where they can wade and splash about pools and shallows for their food.