282 GRALL.E. RALLID^E. 



The whole plumage, when immerged, is coated 

 with a thin pellicle of air, which has a singular 

 and beautiful effect. In a small cover, if it sus- 

 pect the continuance of danger, it will remain 

 beneath the water for an incredible space of time, 

 probably holding fast by the stalks or roots of the 

 sedges. 



With all its native shyness and susceptibility 

 of alarm, the Moor-hen soon learns to disregard 

 intrusion, when it finds that no danger accrues, 

 and becomes tame and confiding. Pennant speaks 

 of a pair in his grounds, which never failed to 

 appear when he called his ducks to be fed, and 

 partook of their corn in his presence. Mr. Yar- 

 rell observes that among the many aquatic birds 

 with which the Ornithological Society have stocked 

 the canal and the islands in St. James's Park, are 

 several Moor-hens ; in the course of the summer 

 of 1841, two broods were produced, the young of 

 which were so tame that they would leave the 

 water and come up on the path, close to the feet 

 of visitors, to receive crumbs of bread. 



The fry of fishes, water-insects and their larvae, 

 especially the grubs of the larger Dragon-flies, 

 water-snails, and Crustacea, as well as the seeds 

 of aquatic plants, afford food to the Moor-hen in 

 its more proper element ; but it seeks analogous 

 substances on the land also, walking on the grassy 

 borders of lakes, or through the low-lying mea- 

 dows, at morning and evening dusk, particularly 

 after warm rains. In winter they perhaps find 

 other resources, as suggested in the following in- 

 teresting note by Mr. Jesse. " The disappearance 

 of Water-hens from ponds during a hard frost 

 has often surprised me, as I could not make out 



