60 MOOR-HEN 



Davidson, of Muirhouse, has informed me of a nest he found, 

 thirty feet from the water, near the river Blackadder, at 

 precisely the same height in the same kind of tree. 



The nest has been seen quite unattached to any fixture, 

 though surrounded by loose sticks, and thus at the mercy 

 of the winds and waves. Moor-Hens have been known to 

 hatch their eggs after being removed in part of the nest to 

 another place, and also themselves to remove them, when 

 threatened with destruction by the rising of the water ; 

 fresh materials being in each case brought together. Mr. 

 J. H. Gurney and Mr. W. R. Fisher have recorded an 

 instance in which they knew the nest of a Moor-Hen 

 placed in a fir plantation at a distance of a quarter of a 

 mile from any water. I have seen one myself placed at 

 some height above the water on a fallen branch of a tree, 

 which formed a natural bridge over a river. 



The eggs are usually seven to nine in number ; ten 

 have, however, been often seen in one nest. They are 

 of a reddish or yellowish white colour, spotted and speckled 

 all over with reddish brown ; they vary exceedingly in size. 

 Two if not three broods are commonly reared in the 

 year. The first eggs are laid the end of April or in May, 

 and are, in early seasons, or localities, hatched in the latter 

 month, but usually not till June. It is a curious fact that 

 the youngest brood is carefully and kindly attended to by 

 that which is its elder, as both are at the same time by 

 the parents. 



Incubation continues three weeks. The young soon 

 leave the nest, still attended by their mother, who leads 

 them to the water, but, for a time, they return to the nest 

 at night for shelter. The hen takes the young at times 

 under her wings. 



