262 BRITISH HIIIDS. [vol. ix. 



They hopped down from the fields, taking cover and 

 crouching suspiciously every few steps. They seemed to 

 like the shelter provided by my tent, and hid behind it 

 when alarmed, every now and again peeping round to 

 see if they were pursued. One bird was minus a foot, 

 while the ligaments M^ere torn right up to the thigh. 



Fig. I. MOUKHENS UISPLAYINU. 

 (Photographed by Miss E. L. Turner.) 



The other had one leg twisted outwards from behind the 

 knee. Both were feeble and shrunken, and entireh' 

 lacking the da])per, self-satisfied air characteristic of 

 JVIoorhens generally. They kept near me all that day, 

 but I did not see them afterwards. 



No Coots appeared on the Holy Island mere between 

 October and February 4tli, when seven arrived, and 

 eventually three or four pairs bred there. With their 



