THE MOOK HEN. 203 



ing the white under coverts. In the morning and even- 

 ing it often ventures out on the adjoining grass or meadow 

 land to pick up worms and snails. 



During the terrible severity of the winters of 1878-81, 

 Water Hens suffered greatly ; for all their usual resorts were 

 frozen up, and in many cases the poor birds were reduced 

 to such weakness for want of food that they allowed them- 

 selves to be caught by the hand in the snow. 1 



When severe frost occurs in winter and ponds are 

 frozen over, this species frequents running streams, and 

 also occasionally comes about places where poultry are 

 fed, to pick up what it can get. In some parts of the 

 county, such as about Oldcambus, it leaves the ponds in 

 winter, and does not return to them until March, or the 

 early part of April, to breed. 2 



The nest of the Water Hen is usually placed amongst 

 herbage by the side of the water, or about the roots or 

 low branches of overhanging alders and other bushes. I 

 have, however, occasionally seen it placed on a branch 

 at some height above the ground ; also on the open shallow 

 water of a pond, the foundation in this case being made 

 with sticks. 3 The nest is made of reeds, sedges, rushes, 

 and other water plants, and the eggs usually from five 

 to ten in number are of a cream-coloured white, spotted 

 with reddish-brown. 



1 On the 31st of December 1874 I found a Water Hen lying dead amongst the 

 snow at Paxton, and several so weak that they allowed me to take them up in my 

 hand. Writing on the llth of February 1881, Dr. Stuart, Chirnside, says : 

 "Coming home one day when at Broadhaugh I observed a Water Hen fly and 

 alight on the top of a wall opposite the window of a cottage, where it allowed me 

 to put my hands upon it." Hist. Ber. Nat. Club, vol. ix. p. 390. 



2 Mr. Hardy in his MS. Notes gives various dates between 24th of February 

 and 7th of April, as the time when it returns to Oldcambus. 



3 In the spring of 1886 a Water Hen built its nest in an open wooden spout 

 used to flood the curling pond at Paxton. 



