MOOK-HEN. 87 



disturbed, heedless of near approach, and tolerant of passers-by 

 on an adjoining public road. The Rev. R. P. Alington has 

 had them come of their own accord into this hall, and pick 

 up . crumbs, and on being disturbed, they would quietly run 

 out of the door, stop, turn a wistful glance of regret back, 

 and commence feeding outside. 



Pennant mentions a pair which would come to him to 

 feed with poultry when called; and there are some now so 

 tame on the ornamental waters in St. James' Park, that 

 they will come close to those who offer them food. 



Bishop Stanley writes of the Moor-Hen: 'In the middle 

 of any such little open space she may usually be detected 

 swimming about with a joyous sort of jerking motion, but on 

 the least rustle exciting a suspicion that an enemy is near, 

 gliding silently through the narrow channels, or running with 

 a light tread over the floating leaves, to seek invisible shelter 

 under the roots or hollows of the bank. Not that she always 

 prefers the water, for often in the evening she may be seen 

 wandering in the new-shorn grass of a hayfield, easily dis- 

 tinguishable by the white feathers underneath, and a peculiar 

 jerk or flirting of the tail. But with all her shyness, she is, 

 nevertheless, a tame and sociable bird; and if treated with 

 kindness, will shew a marked confidence. We have seen 

 Water-Hens visiting the lawn of an enclosed garden, and 

 remaining there, notwithstanding the constant intrusion of 

 parlour dogs, peacocks, and tame pheasants; and again, not 

 unfrequent intruders in a barn-yard, mixing in a party of 

 poultry. 



But at the residence of a clergyman near Cheadle, in 

 Staffordshire, a much more striking instance of familiarity has 

 for some years occurred. Adjacent to the lawn there is a 

 moat, on which a pair of Water-Hens were observed for 

 several seasons, always, however, leaving it in the spring. By 

 being constantly fed they in time became quite tame, and at 

 length were induced to breed there, from the circumstance of 

 a thorn bush, covered with ivy, having fallen into the water, 

 in which they afterwards continued to build their nest. When 

 the young are a few days old, the old ones bring them up 

 close to the drawing-room window, where they are regularly 

 fed with wheat: and as the lady of the house pays them the 

 greatest attention, they have learned to look up to her as 

 their natural protectress and friend, so much so, that one 

 bird in particular, which was much persecuted by the rest, 



