300 THE MOOR HEN. 



OBSERVATIONS. It is easy to obtain this bird, which has many attractions 

 for the amateur. It runs quickly, continually shaking the back part of its 

 body, and repeating, particularly towards evening, its loud and tender call, 

 " hiduizt." 



When wild it eats insects and worms, found near the water. In the 

 house it will soon eat the universal paste, if a few meal-worms and ants' 

 eggs are at first thrown amongst it. If there are other birds in the same 

 room, the water vessel should be removed from the food, or another vessel 

 devoted to it, for not being able to swallow what is not soft, it carries all its 

 food to the water to soak, and thus renders it dirty. It catches insects very 

 dexterously ; it advances slowly like a cat, its head bent down, and then 

 darts forward swiftly and slily. I admire their habits so much that I have 

 one generally in my house. I have observed that all the species of snipes 

 have the habit of turning over any stones they meet with, to look for 

 insects under. It is very easy to take the purr as soon as the stakes, sticks, 

 and other places where they most commonly alight, are known ; it is only 

 to put bird-lime on them and drive the birds gently towards the part. 

 This and the corn crake are the only two marsh birds that should properly 

 be reckoned among house-birds. 



THE MOOR HEN. 



Fulica chloropus, LiNiraus ; La Poule d'Eau, BUFFON ; Die griinfussiges 

 Meehuhn, BECHSTEIN. 



THE length of this species is ten or twelve inches. The 

 beak is greenish at the tip, red towards the base ; the naked 

 spaces above the knees are of the same colour ; the feet are 

 olive green ; the claws are very long ; the head, the upper part 

 of the neck, the body, and the wing- coverts are dark olive 

 green ; the anterior quill-feathers and the tail are dark brown ; 

 the breast and belly are ash-grey ; the vent and edges of the 

 wings are white. 



In the female the beak is olive brown towards the base, 

 instead of red. 



OBSERVATIONS. Though not web-footed, this species swims as well as 

 those birds that are, and has this advantage over them, that it can rest on 

 trees and bushes by the water-side, like land birds, and can also run when 

 inclined. Its nest is placed among bushes that are in the water, or on 

 reeds, and is built of water plants, especially reeds well interwoven ; it is 

 so firmly fastened, that if the water rises it floats, but is not carried away ; 

 the eggs are often surrounded with with water. It feeds on insects, seeds, 

 and aquatic plants. It is easily tamed, particularly when taken young ; it 

 likes white bread soaked in milk. I often have these birds in my poultry- 

 yard among my fowls ; they go to a neighbouring pond, and regularly return 

 after a short time. I never took any trouble to tame them ; they always 

 kept near the water, by the dunghill, seeking after insects and grubs. 



