446 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
olive-brown ; quills darker brown; tertials and tail- 
feathers dark brown in the centres, margined with 
olive-brown; chin, cheeks, throat, breast and belly 
dull lead-blue; flanks black, each feather rather 
broadly streaked with white; under tail-coverts 
white, mixed with pale buff; legs and toes brownish 
flesh-colour. Young birds have the feathers of the 
neck and breast edged with pale brown, forming 
transverse bars; the flanks and thighs not so dark 
in colour and without the white streaks. 
The eggs are of a pale cream-coloured ground, 
speckled with ash-grey and reddish brown: they are 
very large for the size of the bird. 
Mooruen, Gallinula chloropus. This pugnacious, 
lively bird is to be found in considerable numbers 
mm all our ponds and pools, and by the side of every 
running stream. Though by nature rather shy it 
often becomes very tame, and I find that, without 
being actually domesticated, it lives in my pond with 
the tame Wild Ducks and other water fowl, and 
comes up to feed with them, stealing great pieces of 
meat and potatoes from under the very beaks of the 
Gulls, who are never sufficiently quick to regain 
possession. ‘There is a nest also every year in a 
laurel-bush, within less than twenty yards of the 
croquet-ground and immediately opposite to it, in 
which, in spite of the croquet players and noisy 
children, three broods are brought up every year. 
In the spring tremendous battles take place between 
