\ 
Ss MOOR-HEN. 
would, when attacked, fly to her for refuge; and whenever she 
calls, the whole flock, as tame as barn-door fowls, quit the 
water and assemble around her, to the number of seventeen. 
(November, 1833.) 
They have also made other friends in the dogs belonging 
to the family, approaching them without fear, but hurrying 
off in great alarm on the appearance of any strange dog. 
The position of the water, together with the familiarity of 
these birds, have afforded many interesting particulars respecting 
their habits.’ 
They increase in numbers very rapidly, as will appear only 
natural from the account to be presently given of the number 
of broods produced in the year. The old birds, nevertheless, 
are very combative among themselves, and extremely tenacious 
of their territorial rights. If protected they will keep long 
to the same situation. They are excellent eating. 
If they have not oftener been known to come to doors, to 
forage with fowls, it is only because they have met with 
discouragement instead of the contrary. In gardens they 
will do, it must be allowed, considerable damage sometimes 
both to fruit and vegetables. 
These birds have the power of submerging their bodies 
beneath the water, while only the bill, or little more than 
the bill, is kept above it. This has been conclusively proved 
by W. H. Slaney, Esq., of Hatton Hall, Shropshire, in the 
‘Zoologist.’ They have also been known, when pursued, to 
dive to the bottom and remain there till almost dead, sooner 
than be taken. { remember once hooking one accidentally 
when fly-fishing, as it was swimming from one side of the 
brook to the other. They take part of their food also below 
the surface, as is proved by their having been captured by 
means of baits set for fish—‘the thief caught with the 
mainour.’ The one just mentioned was, I think, diving at 
the time. They spend most of their life in the water. 
The late Bishop of Norwich records the following very 
curious instance of apparent reasoning power in one of these 
birds:—‘But it is not only in their instinctive attachments 
and habits that they merit notice. The following anecdote 
proves that they are gifted with a sense of observation ap- 
proaching to something very like reasoning faculties:—At a 
gentleman’s house in Staffordshire, the Pheasants are fed out 
of one of those boxes described in page 3808, the lid of 
which rises with the pressure of the Pheasant standing on 
- . 
EN Se eS 
* Eer> va /— oe 
Mieitare 
