3S6 ENGLISH BIRD LIFE 



the railway, moving with nid-nodding head on the 

 reedy waterways, quite undisturbed by the rush 

 of the passing trains. 



It is, too, far more terrestrial in its ways than the 

 Coot is, and wanders out into the meadows, especi- 

 ally in the morning and evening, where, with its 

 white under tail-feathers conspicuous, it moves 

 jerkily in search of its food. 



The outlet from the lake where it merges into 

 the stream is thickly surrounded by bushes and 

 overhanging trees. In the lower branches of a 

 willow, which grows from the water, the Moorhen 

 finds a place for its nest. From one point only, 

 and that by no means easy of access, can it be 

 approached, but here the movements of the home- 

 coming bird can be easily watched. The nest 

 clears the current by a bare six or eight inches, 

 the base being constantlv awash, and from our 

 higher point of view the eggs can be clearly seen. 

 Although the eye can cover the whole expanse of 

 water around, no trace of the parent bird can be 

 made out. Still she must be near at hand, for the 

 eggs are still warm, so we possess our souls in 

 patience. Crouching in waders, pressed against 

 the bank, the time seems long, but she comes at 

 last. ^Moving swiftly in the underwood, and with- 

 out crackling of twig or rustle of leaf, she steals 

 to the nest. Then, after pausing a moment to con- 

 vince herself that nothing has been disturbed, she 

 settles complacently upon the eggs and resumes 

 her task, with the current gently swirling about her. 



In the nesting habits of the Waterhen many 

 interesting facts have been observed. The nest is 



