32 Coward, Faunal Survey of Rosthenie Mere. 



a really good view of the bird, but its size and appearance 

 suggested this species. We saw it running through the 

 reeds and swimming in the open beyond the bed. 



The Water Rail is a 

 Rallus aquaticns Linnaeus. not uncommon resident, 



but it is easier to see 

 and flush in the winter than in the summer. On many 

 occasions we have heard its loud scream, almost like that 

 of a rabbit in distress, in the reed-beds. On one occasion 

 we flushed the bird immediately after hearing the call. 

 This call note is similar to but not so loud or prolonged 

 as the spring " sharming." 



The Moorhen 

 Gallinula chloropus cJiloi'opus Linnaeus, is an abundant 



resident at Ros- 

 therne ; it nests in the bushes at some distance from the 

 mere, as well as in the vegetation close to the water. 



The Coot is exceeding- 

 Fulica atra atra Linnaeus. ly abundant on the mere 



and most of the nests 

 are built in the reeds, where these already bulky structures 

 are added to if the water rises. It is difficult to say if any 

 immigrant Coots reach Rostherne, but the numbers un- 

 doubtedly rise in winter ; this, however, may be due to 

 the wanderings of birds from mere to mere. Almost any- 

 time in winter from 80 to lOO Coots may be counted on 

 the water or the banks, where the birds frequently feed. 

 We saw a mob of 188 on January 29th, 1909. 



Reptilia and Batrachia. 



Only one of our Reptiles, the Ringed Snake, has 

 aquatic habits, and it has not been found, so far as we 

 know, at Rostherne. 



