168 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



Head and neck dark bluish-grey. Back, wings, 

 rump, and upper tail-quills dark olive-brown. Breast 

 and sides dark bluish-grey ; belly and vent grey ; 

 ilanks streaked with white. Under tail-coverts 

 black. The under tail-quills are white. Legs and 

 feet greenish-yellow ; claws rather long and brown. 

 Above the knee is a broad garter of red. 



The female is rather larger, and brighter in the 

 coloration of her plumage than the male. 



Situation and Locality. Generally on the ground, 

 amongst flags, rushes, reeds, low bushes growing 

 from the w r ater; reeds and coarse aquatic plants 

 growing in and on the banks of rivers, small streams, 

 canals, ponds, lakes, and reservoirs. I have, how- 

 ever, met with it at considerable heights above the 

 water, amongst rubbish left by an abnormally high 

 flood in a tree. Our illustrations were procured on 

 a small island in the middle of the Biver Mole. 

 Common throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and 

 Ireland. 



Materials. Flags, reeds, rushes, and grass. 

 Generally in small quantities where the situation 

 is dry, but often in a fair-sized matted mass where its 

 base is in the water. 



Eggs. Seven to ten. Buffish- white or rusty 

 buff, spotted and speckled with reddish-brown of 

 various shades. The markings are not very large, or 

 profusely distributed. Size about 1'7 by 1/2 in. 



Time. March, April, May, June, July, and even 

 as late as August sometimes. 



Remarks. Eesident, and partially migratory. 

 Notes : call, crek-rek-rek. Local and other names : 

 Water Hen, Marsh Hen, Moat Hen, Gallinule. 

 Not a very close sitter, slipping quietly off the 

 nest and instantly hiding on the approach of any 

 intruder. 



