THE WATER-HEN. 299 



into it again ; but, as a substitute, within an hour after they 

 leave the nest, the cock bird builds a larger and more roomy 

 nest for them, with sedges, at the water's edge, which they can 

 enter or retire from at pleasure. For about a month they are 

 fed by the old birds, but soon become very active in taking 

 flies and water-insects. Immediately on the second hatch 

 coming out, the young ones of the first hatch assist the old 

 ones in feeding and hovering over them, leading them out in 

 detached parties, and making additional nests for them, similar 

 to their own, on the brink of the moat. 



On the appearance of the third brood, the old ones invari- 

 ably drive the first away to a neighbouring pond, where they 

 remain till September, when the last hatch is about half- 

 grown. About this time a fresh party of birds makes its 

 appearance, which, from their tameness, is, no doubt, com- 

 posed of broods formerly bred there; and in the moat the 

 united families remain till the following spring, when the ori- 

 ginal pair drive all the rest away, but not without many severe 

 and curious contests, frequently in the water, when they throw 

 themselves on their rumps, and strike at each other with theii 

 feet. When either of the combatants begins to find himself 

 worsted, he dives, and does not reappear thus eluding his 

 adversary, by hiding his whole body under water, and merely 

 exposing his beak for respiration. 



During the breeding season, they are constantly adding mate- 

 rials to their nest, making sad havoc in the flower-garden ; for, 

 though straw and leaves are their chief ingredients, they seem 

 to have an eye for beauty, and the old hen has been seen sur- 

 rounded with a brilliant wreath of scarlet anemones. As in 

 this case, so do they usually build their nests on stumps of 

 trees, or convenient bushes, by the side of the water; and art- 

 lessly formed as it is of a few rushes, one might suppose that 

 it would be easily discovered, which would be the case but for 

 the caution adopted by the bird, who, before she quits her eggs, 

 covers them carefully up for the purpose of concealment. A per- 

 son fishing on the banks of the Thames, when passing a willow- 

 bed, heard a slight rustling motion : suspecting it to proceed 

 from some water-bird, he kneeled down and remained perfectly 



