THE MOOR-HEN. 335 



near its haunts, it is often, when frozen out, seen running about 

 in a half-bewildered state seeking protection. At such times it 

 may easily be captured, as it seems reluctant to take flight for its 

 own safety, even when pursued. When caught, it soon becomes 

 reconciled to a life of captivity. Mr Graham mentions having had 

 one at lona which he kept in the house, allowing it full liberty to 

 run about the rooms. It was very amusing to see it unconcernedly 

 stalking through the apartments, picking its steps enquiringly 

 among the dogs and cats basking on the hearthrug, and with as 

 much apparent freedom as if it were merely reconnoitring the 

 banks of a duck pond. 



According to Sir William Jardine, white varieties of this bird 

 sometimes occur. I have 'observed remarkable differences in 

 the size of specimens some measuring within a fraction of twelve 

 inches in length, while others were little more than nine inches 

 and a-half. 



THE MOOR-HEN. 



GALLINULA CHLOROPUS. 

 Cearc uisge. 



THE familiar Moor-hen is abundant everywhere on the western 

 mainland, and also throughout both groups of islands. In the 

 Outer Hebrides, and, indeed, in many of the less frequented parts 

 of the mainland, it is much more tame than in other places where 

 sportsmen are in the habit of shooting wild fowl, and is sometimes 

 found associating freely with barn-door fowls, feeding and even 

 roosting with them. I recollect seeing in the island of Benbecula 

 one of these birds perched on a rope in one of the native huts. It 

 came to the hut every night and took up its position among the 

 cackling poultry, preferring, however, this curious perch where it 

 sat alone and swung itself to rest. In the morning it left for the 

 lakes, a short way off, where it spent the day in pursuit of shells 

 and water beetles. For ease and dexterity, the most proficient 

 ropewalker could not have excelled the performances of this 

 feathered Blondin. 



Mr Graham, writing from the island of lona, says : "Two pairs 

 came regularly to breed upon a little marshy lake among the hills 

 of lona. I suppose the natives are not very familiar with it, for 



