484 THE MOOE HEN. 



part of its body in continual motion, and utters its call, Hidutzi! 

 incessantly, especially in the evening twilight. In a wild state it 

 eats aquatic insects and worms ; and in the aviary is soon content 

 with the universal paste, if fed when first caught with a few 

 meal worms, or ants' eggs. It will also eat poppy and rape seed, 

 and is a greedy bird, carrying all its food to the water vessel, in 

 order to make it as moist as possible, and thus incommoding the 

 other birds kept with it. Its mode of catching flies is very 

 curious. It creeps slowly up to them, with its head down, and, 

 when fairly within reach, darts on them with the rapidity of 

 lightning. Like all birds of its species, it is also in the habit 

 of turning over all the stones in its way, in order to see if there 

 be any insects beneath. 



The Purr may easily be caught, by setting limed twigs near the 

 places on the sea side where it is observed habitually to perch. 

 To these it may then be gently and cautiously driven. 



195. THE MOOE HEN. 



Fulica Chloropus. LIN. La Ponle d'Eau, BUF. Das Grunfussige Meehuhn, 



BECH. 



Description. This bird, which is found on almost every pool 

 in Germany, is one foot in length ; the beak is orange with a 

 greenish tip ; the bare forehead, and the naked spaces above the 

 knees are also orange. The feet and claws, which are dispro- 

 portionally long, are olive green ; the head, the upper part of 

 the neck, body, and wing coverts are dark olive green; the fore- 

 most pen feathers and the tail dark brown ; the breast and belly 

 ashen grey ; the vent and the edges of the wings white. In 

 the female also, the forehead is bare, but olive brown. 



Observations. Although the Moor Hen is not web-footed, it is 

 an excellent swimmer ; and possesses the additional advantage of 

 being able to perch and roost upon the bushes at the water side, 

 and to run upon the ground. Its nest, which is composed of 

 water plants finely interwoven, is so strongly attached to the 

 bushes or reeds by the water side, as to float in case of an inunda- 

 tion, without being carried away, and so preserve its contents from 

 harm. Its food consists of aquatic insects, and the leaves and 

 seeds of aquatic plants. It is easily tamed, especially when young, 

 and will eat bread and milk. I have myself kept several of these 

 birds in the farm-yard with the poultry, which were tamed with 

 very little trouble, and though in the habit of paying a daily visit 

 to the nearest pool, they never failed to return. Their usual sta- 

 tion throughout the day was the dunghill, where they were always 

 occupied in picking up insects or grubs. 



