WINTER SHIFTS. 277 



the fields, where they have been searching for 

 beetles and worms, to the seashore. Here they 

 seize shell-fish, and flying into the air to some 

 height, drop them on rocks in order that they 

 may be fractured and thus rendered vulnerable 

 to attack. Whilst on the west side of Scotland 

 in the winter I have watched members of the 

 species engaged in this interesting pursuit, which 

 was mentioned by a writer as long ago as the 

 twelfth century. 



When pools beloved by water-hens are arm- 

 oured in ice and the adjoining meadows are 

 hidden deep beneath wreaths of snow, the birds 

 are sometimes emboldened by want to the point 

 of entering farmyards and scrimmaging with the 

 fowls, like boys in a football match, for a share 

 of their food. During such times of scarcity a 

 potato or an apple is greatly relished, and will 

 entice even the shyest of " sitters/' as our illus- 

 tration on the next page testifies, to pose in front 

 of a well-hidden camera. 



I know a small spring-fed stream amongst 

 the Westmoreland Fells which is a favourite 

 rendezvous for wild ducks, snipe, and water-hens 

 during cold snaps, and one day, whilst wandering 

 along its banks, witnessed a strange accident. A 

 sheep-dog that had followed me from the farm- 

 house at which I was staying scented a water- 

 hen hiding beneath an overhanging bush, and 



