374 



Birds. 



yet it can seldom be entirely deprived of its fishy taste. 

 They build their nests amongst reeds, long grass, roots, 

 and stumps by the water-side, breeding twice or thrice 

 in the course of a summer ; the eggs are white, with a 

 tint of green, dashed with brown spots. 



There are very few countries in the world where 

 these birds are not to be found. They generally prefer 

 the cold mountainous regions in summer, and lower and 

 warmer situations during winter. 



' The fish are leaping, and the Water-hen 

 Dives up and down. A storm is coming on." 



SCHILLER. WILLIAM TELL. 



THE COKN-CKAKE, OK LAND-KAIL, 



(Ortygometra 



Is a migratory bird, appearing in England in April, and 

 departing in October. At the time of its arrival it is 

 very lean, but becomes excessively fat before it quits the 

 island. Their favourite haunts are cold and humid 

 upland districts, corn-fields in the vicinity of water, and 



