590 THE RAILS 



in even an exaggerated manner, curving the bill so much inwards, 

 with the head held so low down that it may even overbalance, and 

 have to make a quick step forward, or two, in order to recover itself." 

 This display is seen to the greatest advantage, not before, but imme- 

 diately after the act of pairing. 1 It will be noted that both sexes take 

 part in it, and that they perform in exactly the same way. In a 

 second form of display the male and female swim round each other, 

 pecking meanwhile at imaginary trifles on the water ; the male 

 now and then stands semi-upright, to flap his wings or peck, or seem 

 to peck, at his breast, a ritual concluded on his part by a " feeble 

 squeak." 2 



Another display, of which the meaning is obscure, has been 

 witnessed by Miss E. L. Turner. 3 It is apparently confined to the 

 males, of which two or more may take part. Each bird, with neck 

 outstretched and with its tail spread wide like a fan, sometimes like two 

 fans, the second being formed chiefly by the white lower tail-coverts, 

 which are very conspicuous, twirls wildly round and round like a 

 teetotum, or makes rushes at one of the other performers in the 

 dance. It seemed to Miss Turner that during the display the red of 

 the frontal plate was more brilliant than usual. This feature, com- 

 bined with the outspread tails, gave to the birds the appearance 

 of diminutive turkey-cocks having a fling. 



Both sexes share in the construction of the nest, which is usually 

 built at night, 4 and placed on or near water among rushes and the like. 

 It is occasionally found in trees and bushes. (See "Classified Notes.") 

 In one case a pair which had commenced a nest on the ground left it, 

 apparently owing to the cutting down of surrounding cover except for 

 a small patch round the nest, and, during the following night, built, 

 two feet from the ground in a thick bush, a new nest, which was found 

 with an egg in it. 4 The material used consists, as a rule, of water- 

 plants, reeds, sedges, and the like. These are trampled into position 



1 Bird-life Glimpses, p. 288. 2 M. C. H. Bird, in litt. 



3 In litt. * J. L. Bouhote, in litt. 



