1917-] Birds in the Ancre Valley. 537 



Rallus aquaticus. Water-Rail. 



Common, even in those parts of the marshes which were 

 shelled. 



Gallinula chloropus. Moorhen. 



This species was present in great numbers between Hamel 

 and Aveluy, and it was almost equally numerous in the river 

 below Beaucourt shortly after we had advanced through 

 this village. 



These birds suffered great distress during the spell of hard 

 frost in January and February. On 24 January, when it 

 had been freezing for some ten days and there remained but 

 little open water, they were found huddled together in little 

 companies amongst the long grass near the river. They 

 would fly off clumsily and heavily and, when they alighted 

 on the ice and began to run, they would frequently slip 

 and fall and, where the ice was thin, would struggle along 

 putting their feet through at every step. Lumps of ice of 

 varying sizes hung from their breast-feathers aud impeded 

 their movements. By 30 January they had taken to 

 congregating with the Coots round a few shallow patches 

 of running water, into which they crowded to feed on the 

 water-weeds when no one was near. They were persecuted 

 by the soldiers, who considered them a welcome addition to 

 the bill of fare, and great numbers were killed with sticks 

 and caught by dogs. On 15 February, after it had been 

 thawing for some days, they seemed to have quite recovered 

 from their late vicissitudes. 



There were very few Moorhens as far up the river as 

 Miraumont, 



Fulica atra. Coot. 



This species was even more numerous than the preceding 

 one in the Ancre marshes. These birds were, as a rule, 

 much tamer and not so much given to skulking in the reeds. 

 Towards the end of December, however, when lai'ge numbers 

 had been shot by passing infantrymen, they became very 

 wary, and, as one approached, they would scurry away over 

 the water to take cover. 



