86 Forest Birds. 



ments for some time, when suddenly onr companion 

 a young retriever rushed after it. We called 

 him back in vain, and as soon as the Waterhen 

 discovered that it was being pursued, it took to 

 flight. So straight and low did it fly that as it 

 reached the water its legs, which were hanging 

 down, trailed along the surface, leaving a track of 

 bubbles. The bird did not fly far, but soon dropped 

 into the water, and when the retriever saw this he, 

 too, jumped in, and then began a race between dog 

 and bird, the one for enjoyment, the other for life. 



The Waterhen resorted to every conceivable 

 artifice in its attempt to elude its persistent pursuer. 

 It dived and swam under water, coming up at the 

 most unexpected spots, and sometimes only just 

 putting its head out of the water to take a breath 

 of air, it dived down again ; then, half sinking, it 

 swam along, with only its head and neck and the top 

 of its back above the water, hoping thus to escape 

 notice, but in vain, for the dog gradually got nearer 

 and nearer to its prey. 



At length, as a last resource, the plucky little bird 

 ran into a clump of reeds, out of which it refused 

 to be driven. But the retriever's blood was up, 

 and he was not to be so easily beaten. Disappear- 

 ing into the bed of reeds, he began to make a 

 systematic hunt for his quarry, and presently a 



