450 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



she was hovering the last one, which I suppose ulti- 

 mately recovered also. 



The nest of the Moorhen is usually placed under 

 cover by the side of the water, and occasionally 

 floating upon it. I have also seen it huilt on a con- 

 venient branch of a laurel overhanging and close to 

 the water. It is generally made of dry grass, flags, 

 rushes, laurel and other leaves. As they have three 

 broods in the year the old nest is often repaired for 

 the expected family, and by the time the third brood 

 is hatched the nest has become rather a serious 

 structure, consisting of several layers of materials. 

 When there is another brood expected no time is 

 lost in repairing the old nest, and I have seen the 

 old birds busily engaged in feeding their young and 

 repairing their nest at the same time ; indeed some- 

 times the broods follow each other so quickly that 

 I have seen the elder family coming up to the old 

 birds expecting to be provided for as well as the 

 younger ones, and sometimes by dint of perse- 

 verance they do manage to get a little. 



The food of the Moorhen consists mostly of 

 worms, slugs, grasshoppers and other land insects, 

 as well as various kinds of aquatic insects which it 

 picks up out of the weed floating on the surface, or 

 which it obtains by diving, at which it is very expert. 

 It has no objection to corn if it happens to be 

 located in a place where it can get it. 



The Moorhen is a conspicuous, lively bird, and is 



