THE WATER HEN. 341 



below they seem to be exposed to every blast. Yet they find 

 shelter enough, and not only find it, but make it. With the 

 generality of birds, the droppings are conveyed away by the 

 parents, but with the Ringdove they are allowed to remain, 

 when they rapidly fill up all the open interstices, and form a 

 dry scentless plaster, which effectually defends the tender bodieb 

 of the young from the wind, and has the further effect of con- 

 solidating and strengthening the nest. 



Although the nests are plentiful enough, and the eggs are 

 common in the cabinet of oologists, it is not very easy to find 

 a nest that is furnished with this curious plaster, probably be- 

 cause some one of the many foes which persecute the Ringdove 

 has discovered the nest, stolen the eggs, or killed the parent 

 before the young birds were hatched. 



It has already been mentioned that, with many branch-build- 

 ing birds, the thickness of the nest, or of the platform on which 

 it is placed, is regulated by the exposed or sheltered position of 

 the branch, and such is the case with the Ringdove. Although 

 in some instances, the platform is so flimsy that the eggs can 

 be seen through the interstices, in other cases it is from half an 

 inch to an entire inch in thickness. In all cases, the longest 

 twigs are first laid, and followed by those of smaller size ; and, 

 although the whole structure is very rude, it is always made 

 with sufficient care to assume a tolerably circular shape. 



The Turtledove (C^/«^^^^ turtiir) builds a nest of very similar 

 form, and, if possible, even slighter in construction. 



The well-known Water Hen or Moor Hen {Gallinula 

 Chloroptis) always places its nest near the water, but the bird 

 seems to be very indifferent about the precise locality. 



Sometimes it is made on the ground, and in that case is laid 

 among sedges and rushes where the water cannot reach it. The 

 Water Hen, however, is not averse to nesting in a warm and 

 comfortable place, for Mr. Waterton mentions that on one occa- 

 sion, when he had built a neat httle brick house for a duck, and 

 furnished it with dry hay for a nest, a Water Hen took posses- 

 sion of it, and the duck had to find a home elsewhere. 



