AND NEIGRBOURHOOD. 327 



sufficient to account for the very frequent and 

 generally quite recently-killed Waterhens that were 

 so constantly met with. The Peregrine Falcon 

 almost always takes its quarry in the air, cats avoid 

 wet places as a rule, and the Waterhens are well 

 able to avoid the attacks of the miu'derous Grey and 

 Black Crows, so that for some time we were puzzled 

 as to the real nature of the culprits, till at length we 

 found the fresh tracks of a fox in the snow all about 

 one of the bodies in question, and since that time 

 have almost always discovered them or other un- 

 mistakable proofs of the recent presence of one of 

 the sacred quadrupeds on such occasions. The 

 Waterhen has another great enemy in the shape of 

 the otter, whose numbers have of late years con- 

 siderably increased in our neighbourhood, and the 

 omnivorous pike no doubt takes his share of such 

 easy prey ; but as our birds usually nest twice, 

 and often three times, in the season, there is little 

 fear of the species becoming extinct in the Nen 

 valley *. 



The nests and eggs of this bird are so well known, 

 and the latter so much sought after for their excel- 

 lence, that I feel that any description of them would 

 be superfluous. With us, about Lilford, the Water- 

 hen often builds in the thorn-bushes by the riverside 

 at a considerable height above the land or water, and 

 in the summer months we often see birds of this 

 species of all ages drop into the water from over- 

 hanging boughs. We have on several occasions 



* Since the above paragraph first appeared in print, I have proof 

 positive that, with regard to this species, the Peregrine very 

 frequently makes exceptions to its usual habit above mentioned, 

 and picks up Waterhens either from or close to the ground. 



