Bird Life in a Suburban Parish 



103 



sometimes cover her egos over on leaving them, as if slie 

 knew tliat they would be readily seen by their numerous 

 enemies without some concealment. 



All these gallinaceous birds show great pugnacity in the 

 pairing season. On the C'ontinent, where ideas of sport 

 differ from ours, advantage is taken of this in shooting them 

 to a decoy-bird. 



The Corn-crake, though mmierous in the I>,ea Valley, does 

 not commonly occur elsewhere, and I do not often hear 

 it. except in the marshes. A pair frequented a meadow 

 at AN^inchmore Hill in 1901, but no nest was found. 

 Xor have I myself seen the A\^ater-rail. 



The Coot frequents a pond in the neighbourhood, and 

 nests there sometimes, but irregularly. In 1901 a thorough 

 search was made by wading all o\'er the pond among the 



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