148 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-G0SS1P. 



THE DOINGS OE A PAIR OE WATER-HENS. 



i^iNE is so accustomed to look upon the Water- 

 ^ hens much as we do the thrushes and black- 

 birds in our gardens, that any peculiarities in them 

 become on that account the more noticeable even 

 to casual observers of nature ; and therefore I 

 venture to send the following facts about a pair 

 of Water-hens which live under our own windows. 

 In front of the house, not more than 50 yards away, 

 is a piece of water bounded on one side by, and fully 

 exposed to, the road, and a small piece at the top of 

 this pond is fenced off with wire netting. Eor some 

 two or three years Water-hens have been scin 



to time flying up from the water and dropping 

 again some distance away. On several occasions 

 the Water-hens have been heard crying out at 

 night, and what was attributed to the fox, we 

 suppose was nothing more than a "row" between 

 the swans and Water-hens, in which the latter 

 always came off scatheless, for the morning found 

 them none the worse. In due time the eggs were 

 hatched, and the cares of a family devolved on the 

 two small but plucky birds, which soon found 

 out that it was one thing to take care of a nest 

 and eggs, but a far different duty to keep a large 

 brood out of harm's way ; so the young birds were 

 taken thr-u »h the corner of the wire fence into the 



Fig. 80. Water or Moor Hen {Gallinula chloropus). 



here, and this year a pair have taken possession 

 again, and made their nest in the bank adjoining the 

 road. Eor some time after making the nest, things 

 went on very well, and the birds had undisputed 

 possession ; but, ere long, two swans which live on 

 the same piece of water (only last year's birds) 

 found out the nest, and seldom ceased doing all 

 they could to annoy the Water-hen when she was 

 sitting, by going up to the nest and trying to turn 

 her out vi et armis ; they were, however, outmatched, 

 and on several occasions had to beat a retreat ; 

 sometimes the Water-hen would spring into the 

 water and swim away, keeping just out of reach 

 of the two swans that were following, by from time 



part of the pond out of the reach of the swans, and 

 another nest was made for them, where the Water- 

 hen has been seen sitting, and from her shape the 

 young birds were evidently being kept warm under- 

 neath her wings. This interesting family are now 

 flourishing, and may be seen any day, or, if not seen 

 the well-known call may frequently be heard ; they 

 are also very fond of bread, which disappears very 

 shortly after being thrown near their new home. 

 The birds must be now (May 26) quite three weeks 

 old, and by the appearance of a new nest in another 

 part of the pond, quite open to the attacks of the 

 swans, the Water-hens seem to be not the least 

 daunted by their experience ; but, perhaps, they 



