584 THE RAILS 



Whether or not two broods are reared in the season is a vexed 

 question. Eggs have been found by James Vincent, head-keeper 

 of Hickling Broad, from April 1st to June, and occasionally even in 

 July ; but these later broods may of course owe their existence to the 

 untimely destruction of earlier clutches of eggs. 



In the spring of 1909 I had the nest of a water-rail under obser- 

 vation for a month, being particularly anxious to secure photographs 

 of the young when fledged. On June 28th, as two out of the seven 

 eggs showed signs of breaking, I took up my position in my hiding- 

 tent to await results. The female was still brooding, but over five 

 eggs only, although there had been seven the night before. Her 

 whole attitude showed intense nervous excitement, which apparently 

 had nothing to do with the proximity of my camera. Almost as 

 soon as I was ready for her the bird returned to the nest, not with 

 doubtful hesitancy, but with an entirely self-absorbed business-like air. 

 During the whole of the first two hours while I sat watching her she 

 incessantly uttered a curious purring noise exactly like the sound 

 a happy contented squirrel makes when it comes to be petted. This 

 sound seemed to be ventral, and not guttural, for there was absolutely 

 no movement of the throat, only a continuous slight jerking of the 

 tail. Whether running to the nest or brooding, this " purring " was 

 unceasing, except when now and again she gave forth the usual 

 "sharming" call-note, which her mate would respond to either by 

 "sharming" or "groaning," whenever he came near; the male bird 

 also " purred." Whenever he approached the nest I also heard a faint 

 " cheep, cheep," which led me to suppose he had with him the first 

 two newly hatched chicks, though I did not actually see them. Once 

 the male changed places with the female and settled down to brood, 

 but the sharp rattle of my shutter drove him away. 



The moment her mate fled the female returned, and seizing 

 one of the already chipped eggs, enlarged the hole considerably, and 

 then contentedly settled down, "purring" and jerking her tail all the 

 time ; a position which she maintained for an hour while I watched. 



