446 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



olive-brown ; quills darker brown ; tertials and tail- 

 feathers dark brown in the centres, margined with 

 olive-brown; chin, cheeks, throat, breast and belly 

 dull lead-blue ; flanks black, each feather rather 

 broadly streaked with white; under tail-coverts 

 white, mixed with pale buff; legs and toes brownish 

 flesh-colour. Young birds have the feathers of the 

 neck and breast edged with pale brown, forming 

 transverse bars ; the flanks and thighs not so dark 

 in colour and without the white streaks. 



The eggs are of a pale cream-coloured ground, 

 speckled with ash-grey and reddish brown : they are 

 very large for the size of the bird. 



MOORHEN, Gallinula chloropus. This pugnacious, 

 lively bird is to be found in considerable numbers 

 in all our ponds and pools, and by the side of every 

 running stream. Though by nature rather shy it 

 often becomes very tame, and I find that, without 

 being actually domesticated, it lives in my pond with 

 the tame Wild Ducks and other water fowl, and 

 comes up to feed with them, stealing great pieces of 

 meat and potatoes from under the very beaks of the 

 Gulls, who are never sufficiently quick to regain 

 possession. There is a nest also every year in a 

 laurel-bush, within less than twenty yards of the 

 croquet- ground and immediately opposite to it, in 

 which, in spite of the croquet players and noisy 

 children, three broods are brought up every year. 

 In the spring tremendous battles take place between 



