150 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [CHAP. xvm. 



leaving the water to feed with the poultry, and walking about 

 all day on the grass, with an air of the greatest confidence and 

 sociability. I know nothing prettier than the young ones, as 

 they follow their parents in their active search for flies and 

 insects. When first hatched they are perfectly black, with a 

 small spot of bright red skin on the top of their beaks. 



These birds remain with us all the winter, only changing their 

 location from the pools to the open ditches in severe frosts. 



The water-rail I only see in the winter, and even then rarely. 

 I do not think that it is a regular visitor to us, for were it so, 

 notwithstanding its habits of concealment, my dogs would, 

 when looking through the wet places and ditches for snipes, cer- 

 tainly find it oftener than they do. I sometimes see it in frosty 

 weather, feeding at all hours of the day in a running stream or 

 ditch, busily searching amongst the weeds for its food. 



