226 BIRD WATCHING 



new," where they might be expected to fear and 

 distrust in a higher degree than amidst surroundings 

 with which they were famiHar. This, perhaps, may 

 be the case, but one must distinguish between 

 timidity and a wary caution or prudence, which 

 may be combined with an independent, perhaps 

 one may even say a bold, spirit. 



The moor-hen is an example of such a combina- 

 tion. I have watched these birds for hours browsing 

 over some meadow-land, bordering a small and very 

 quiet stream, near where I live. Sometimes there 

 would be a dozen or twenty scattered over a wide 

 space, and every now and again, when something 

 had alarmed them, the whole troop, one taking the 

 cue from another, would run or fly pell-mell to the 

 water, most of them swimming across and taking 

 refuge in a belt of reeds skirting the opposite bank, 

 whilst some few would remain floating in mid- 

 stream, ready to follow their companions if neces- 

 sary. In two or three minutes, or sometimes less, 

 they would all be back browsing again, and so 

 continue till, all at once, there was another panic 

 rush and flight. The cause of these stampedes was 

 generally undiscoverable ; but sometimes, when the 

 birds stayed some time down on the water, the* 

 figure of a rustic would at length appear, walk- 

 ing behind a hedge, along a path bounding the 

 little meadow. Of such a figure rooks and many 

 other birds would have taken no notice, even when 

 considerably nearer. One cause of alarm I fre- 

 quently noted, and this was where another moor- 

 hen would come flying over the meadow, either to 

 alight amongst those upon it, or making for a more 



