140 HISTORY OF THE 



cultivated bottom and meadow lands, its habits and actions are 

 more generally known; its natural haunts, however, are on 

 marshy, reedy, boggy grounds, bordering sluggish streams and 

 ponds of water. These birds are timid, and keep well out of 

 sight, and, if they think they are observed, run swiftly into the 

 thickest growths of reeds and rushes; but their curiosity is great, 

 and if the intruder will stand motionless, or hide, the birds as a 

 rule will cautiously come back, with head well forward on the 

 lookout, bowing gracefully at each step, but showing their intense 

 excitement by the quick, nervous jerk of their short, upright tails; 

 they, however, soon forget' their fright, and I have had them 

 feed within ten feet of me, but off like a flash at the first mo- 

 tion. Where the birds are often hunted, fear overcomes their 

 curiosity, but by thumping loudly with a paddle on the boat, or 

 making a sudden noise in their haunts (which is usually answered 

 by their startled "Kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk"), I have often been 

 able to catch a glimpse of one here and there peeking out of 

 their cover; but in this case it requires both time and patience. 

 Their long, slender toes enable them to run upon the surface 

 water plants and to climb to the tops of reeds and rushes for 

 snails, insects, etc., and in the same way to follow the stems be- 

 neath the water to their roots; and, while their feet are not 

 adapted to swimming, they readily cross short openings, can 

 dive, and have the faculty of slowly sinking out of sight in the 

 water. 



Their flight when startled is tremulous and slow, with dang- 

 ling legs just clearing the growth beneath, into which they 

 quickly drop (an easy mark for the poorest of wing shots). 

 They are, however, capable of sustaining themselves for a long 

 time in the air, flying directly, with head and feet stretched out 

 in a line with the body. 



Their nests are placed on marshy grounds, at the border of 

 ponds and old channels of streams, in elevated tussocks of grass, 

 a shallow or platform nest, made loosely of grass, weeds and 

 rushes. Eggs six to ten, 1.20x.90; grayish to olive drab, 

 specked and spotted with purple and reddish brown; in form, 

 oblong oval. A set of nine eggs, collected June 4th, 1876, at 



