WATER-BIRDS 277 



his favourite tree, an old black poplar growing outside 

 the sweetbriar hedge in front of the cottage. 



About this bird of a brave and cheerful disposition, 

 more will have to be said in the next chapter. It is, or 

 was, my desire to describe events in the valley at this 

 changeful period from late July to October in the order 

 of their occurrence, but in all the rest of the present 

 chapter, which will be given to the river birds exclu- 

 sively, the order must be broken. 



Undoubtedly the three commonest water birds in- 

 habiting inland waters throughout England are the 

 coot, moor -hen, and dabchick, or little grebe; and on 

 account of their abundance and general distribution 

 they are almost as familiar as our domestic birds. Yet 

 one never grows tired of seeing and hearing them, as we 

 do of noting the actions of other species that inhabit 

 the same places ; and the reason for this a very odd 

 reason it seems ! is because these three common birds, 

 members of two orders which the modern scientific 

 zoologist has set down among the lowest, and therefore, 

 as he tells us, most stupid, of the feathered inhabitants 

 of the globe, do actually exhibit a quicker intelligence 

 and greater variety in their actions and habits than the 

 species which are accounted their superiors. 



The coot is not so abundant as the other two ; also 

 he is less varied in his colour, and less lively in his 

 motions, and consequently attracts us less. The moor- 

 hen is the most engaging, as well as the commonest a 

 bird concerning which more entertaining matter has 



