258 BIRDS, BEASTS, AND FISHES 



the younger brood to the gladen-bush on the southern 

 side of the broad, and chased their first-born back to the 

 gladen-bush on the northern side of the water. And if 

 the hen ever caught them feeding in the clear, as she 

 often did for they were fond of feeding on the lily-leaves 

 and hills in the broad she would peck and thrash them 

 back to their gladen-bed. But, with all her care, her 

 younger brood suffered. One day I heard a flop in the 

 water, and saw a stoat swim a dike near-by, and scamper 

 into the straggly reed-jungle on the rond her preserves. 

 Presently I heard her shriek, and there was such a com- 

 motion in the dry reed-stalks the stoat was helping him- 

 self. When next I saw the brood, three youngsters had 

 gone the way of all flesh. Nor are they devoid of courage, 

 as I have said. I have known them, after being chased and 

 maimed, turn on their backs, and spring at their captor's 

 hands like game-cocks. They will do this sometimes before 

 they can fly. 



Like the rail, they build many " cock's" nests, and year 

 after year they choose the same nesting-places, building and 

 laying three or four times, if robbed ; but if not mulcted, 

 they generally rest content with two broods. But they often 

 have to build many times for many of them are careless, 

 building in the most exposed positions by water-dikes, thus 

 often prolonging their family cares into the month of July. 

 But they have to thank the rooks, crows, hawks, and 

 "buzzards/' as well as the eggers, for their unnecessary 

 labours and cares. As the nights draw in, they begin to 

 fly up on the reed and gladen and into low bushes to 

 roost, out of the way of the vermin ; indeed, they will even 

 fly up to roost into hawthorn-trees, and I have known of one 

 nesting in a low thorn-bush by a broad. If the weather 

 be cold and frosty, they go up the drains, and wander 

 to the foot of the land in search of food and corn, which 

 they dearly love. Should the frosts get severe and the 

 broads freeze, they will, if not eaten by otters or stoats, 



