MOOR-HEN. 167 



some means, been removed from the nest by the birds, 

 and were then deposited upon the grass, about a foot or 

 more from the margin of the water. He watched them 

 for some time, and saw the nest rapidly increase in height ; 

 but I regret to add, that he did not remain long enough, 

 fearing he might create alarm, to witness the interesting 

 act of the replacing of the eggs, which must have been 

 effected shortly afterwards ; for upon his return, in less 

 than an hour, he found the hen quietly sitting upon them 

 in the newly-raised nest. In a few days afterwards the 

 young were hatched, and, as usual, soon quitted the nest 

 and took to the water with their parents. The nest was 

 shown to me in situ very soon afterwards, and I could then 

 plainly discern the formation of the new with the older 

 part of the fabric." 



The eggs are usually seven or eight in number, of a 

 reddish-white colour, thinly spotted and speckled with 

 orange-brown, measuring 1*65 by 1*2 in. Incubation lasts 

 three weeks, and two, if not three broods are produced in 

 a season, the first of which is generally hatched by the end 

 of May. Lord Lilford says that he has several times 

 observed young birds of the first brood assisting their 

 parents in building a second nest ; and Mr. J. M. Boultbee 

 mentions an instance in which the chicks of the second 

 hatch left the old birds, and were adopted by the young 

 ones of the first hatch, who each took care of, and fed one 

 of the chicks, leaving only one young one with the old hen. 



In winter, during hard frost, when ponds are frozen 

 over, Moor-hens resort to running streams, and harbour in 

 plantations, hedgerows, and thick bushes ; roosting in 

 firs, thorn-trees, and others that are covered with ivy, 

 feeding probably on the berries. On the disappearance of 

 the ice, they return to the ponds. When the bird is in 

 good condition, the flesh is considered by some people to 

 be well-flavoured, but to the majority it is distasteful. 

 The Moor-hen is very pugnacious, both as regards its 

 own species, and also with respect to other water-fowl, 

 which it will attack and drive from their food; it will 



