GREEN-FOOTED WATER-HEN. 551 



neck erect, and its tail obliquely raised. It dives with equal 

 facility, and in travelling among the reeds, sedges, and other 

 aquatic plants, makes its way with surprising ease, owing to 

 the compression of its body, and its elongated toes. When 

 surprised in a narrow stream or ditch, it usually dives, and 

 conceals itself among the plants or beneath the banks, often 

 remaining for a long time submersed, with nothing but the 

 bill above the water. I have seen it thus betake itself to the 

 margin, when, on my going up to the spot, thinking the motion 

 among the grass had been produced by a water rat, it sprung 

 up from under the water, and flew away. On other occa- 

 sions I have traced it under the overhanging earth, in a hole 

 among the stones, and behind a waterfall. When disturbed 

 in a large pool or lake, it either swims out to the open water, 

 or betakes itself to the reeds or sedges, among which it re- 

 mains concealed until the danger is over ; and from its hiding- 

 place it is not easily scared, for as its power of flight is not of 

 a high order, it prefers the asylum of the water. 



In swimming, it moves its head backward and forward, 

 as a pigeon does when walking, a circumstance which be- 

 comes remarkable in this and some other birds, when com- 

 pared with the Swan, Geese, and Ducks, which keep the 

 head steady while advancing on the water. In general, it is 

 not so ready on being disturbed to betake itself to the open 

 water as the Coot, but prefers skulking along the shores. 

 W 7 hen a shot is fired at one, and has not hit, it often flies off, 

 but often also keeps steadily swimming on. Being one even- 

 ing with a friend at Seaton Marsh, on the Don, near Aber- 

 deen, I started a Water-hen, and fired at it, on which it 

 alighted at a very short distance, and concealed itself. My 

 companion, however, having discovered it, took it up, when we 

 could see no injury inflicted on it. We carried it home, and 

 having satisfied ourselves with observing its form and atti- 

 tudes, carried it back next day, and let it loose, when it flew 

 directly off to a great distance. It had evidently been para- 

 lyzed by terror, as was the case with the Corn Crake al- 

 ready mentioned. I have seen another, when swimming 

 right down the wind, after a shot had been fired near it, raise 

 up the hind part of its body, and spread out its tail like a fan, 



