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Nest and Eggs. — The nest is some- 

 times placed on the ground, but mora 

 often in the tangle of vegetation which 

 covers so much of the surface of our 

 shallow ponds or lakes. It consists of 

 a pad of grass, leaves and other similar 

 materials often placed ui^on a founda- 

 tion of small twigs. 



The eggs, from four to eight in 

 number, are a deep cream-color, or 

 even pinkish at times, spotted, streaked, 

 and blotched with brownish red and 

 violet. 



Notes. — This bird is rather common 

 throughout the summer in the fields 

 planted with the rice or other thick 

 growths that form so much of the 

 Chinese food crops and occasionally 

 they perch in low trees and utter their 

 call. They begin their calls early in 

 the morning and they are taken up 

 again late in the afternoon. They are 

 easy to hear, but difificult to see, for they 

 hide away in the deep growth and are 

 so shy that they rarely come out. Our 

 usual view of this bird alive has been 

 the hurried glimpse as it ran across the 

 little ridges that divide one field from 

 another. When one approaches, the 

 call ceases and it is hard even to flush 

 the bird from its hiding place. 



But twice we have had it sit in plain 

 view on the water near the edge of the 

 reeds bordering a small pond allowing 

 itself to be watched for some minutes. 

 In both cases it showed considerable 

 curiosity as to our movements and 

 evinced very little fear. 



WATEE COCK. 



GALLICREX CINEREA (gM.) 

 Description.— Length 17 inches. 

 In males the bill and shield are red, 



