THE COMMON-' GAIT.lNUI.Ti.* 



This bird, often called the :Mo.ji--lieii or Water-laui, is disposed over J'^urope goncnilly, 

 and is also found in many parts of Asia and Africa. It inhabits ponds, slow-moving and 

 deep waters, canals, &c., where the borders are covered with luxuriant herbage, osier- 

 beds, or reeds. 



The following incident is given by Mr. Waterton :— "In 18-26, I was helping a man 

 to stub some large willows near the water's edge. There was a water-hen's nest at the root 

 of one of them. It had seven eggs in it. I broke two of them, and saw that they contained 

 embryo chicks. The labourer took up part of the nest, with the remaining five eggs in it, 

 and placed it on the ground, about three yards from the spot where wo had found it. We 

 continued in the same place for some hours afterwards, working ut the willows. In the 

 evening, when we went away, the old water-hen came back to the nest. Having no 

 more occasion for the labourer in that place, I took the boat myself the next morning, 

 and saw the water-hen sitting on the nest. On approaching the place, I observed that 

 she had collected a considerable quantity of grass and weeds, and that she had put them 

 all around the nest. A week after this I went to watch her, and saw she had hatched ; 

 and, as I drew nearer to her, she went into the water, and the iive. little ones along 

 with her." 



Tlie nest of this bird, which is rather large, is rudely formed of reeds and rushes close 

 to the water's edge, but geaerally concealed among the herbage. Frequently there are 

 two, and sometimes three, broods in a year ; but the birds are not so numerous as it 

 might be supposed, from the various casualties which diminish tlie young. Often are 

 tlie eggs washed away by the summer floods; sometimes tlie heron, contrary to its usual 

 liabit, swims a little way out to capture the young bird ; Avliilo pike and even trout will 

 banquet on the progeny of the gallinulo. Very soon after the young are hatihed, they 

 are able to proceed (o the water. 'J'lie mother leads them fortli in the morning and 

 toward evening; bnl wlicn (lie day is Iml, and duiiiig tlu'niglil, slic rolurns wilh llicm 

 to the nest, and comm-s them wilh her wings. 



Tlic llight of this bird is heavy and awkward, the legs hanging dnwn ; bul it rises 

 readily, and can keep up a long course on the wing. AMiilc walking, it flits up its short 

 tail, so as to display the white under-covcrts very conspicuously. 



* Oallinula Clilovopus. 



