134 Poachers and Poaching. 



Many birds show that they have the power of 

 not only cleverly adapting themselves to circum- 

 stances in matters concerning their nesting, but 

 that they are also equal to unforeseen accidents, 

 which not unfrequently occur. From the 

 secluded haunts and hideling habits of birds of 

 the rail kind, it would hardly be imagined that 

 they were endowed with much intelligence. 

 Here is a striking instance, however, to the 

 contrary. A pair of waterhens built their nest 

 upon an ornamental piece of water of considerable 

 extent, which was ordinarily fed from a spring, 

 and into which another large pond was occasion- 

 ally emptied. This upon one occasion was done 

 while the female was sitting, and, as the nest had 

 been built at low water, the sudden influx from 

 the second pond caused the water to rise so 

 rapidly as to threaten the destruction of the 

 eggs. This the birds seemed aware of, and 

 immediately took precautions against it. The 

 gardener on the estate, knowing of the sudden 

 rise of water, went to look after the nest, though 

 quite expecting to find the eggs ruined. Instead 

 of this he saw both birds busily engaged about 

 the nest, and adding, with all possible despatch, 

 fresh materials to the fabric to bring it above the 

 impending flood. This they not only succeeded 

 in doing, but it was observed that upon the first 

 rush of water they had removed the eggs to a 



