122 THE WATER-HEN. 



over them, leading them out in detached parties, 

 and making additional nests for them, similar to 

 their own, on the brink of the moat. 



On the appearance of the third brood, the old 

 ones invariably drive the first away to a neighbour- 

 ing pond, where they remain till September, when 

 the last hatch is about half-grown. About this 

 time, a fresh party of birds makes its appearance, 

 which, from their tameness, is no doubt composed of 

 broods formerly bred there; and in the moat, the 

 united families remain till the following Spring, 

 when the original pair drive all the rest away, but 

 not without many severe and curious contests, fre- 

 quently in the water, when they throw themselves 

 on their rumps, and strike at each other with their 

 feet. When either of the combatants begins to find 

 himself worsted, he dives, and does not reappear, 

 thus eluding his adversary, by hiding his whole 

 body under water, and merely exposing his beak for 

 respiration. 



During the breeding season, they are constantly 

 adding materials to their nest, making sad havoc 

 in the flower-garden; for, though straw and leaves 

 are their chief ingredients, they seem to have an eye 

 for beauty, and the old hen has been seen surrounded 

 with a brilliant wreath of scarlet anemones. As in 

 this case, so do they usually build their nests on 

 stumps of trees, or convenient bushes, by the side of 

 the water; and, artlessly formed as it is of a few 

 rushes, one might suppose that it would be easily dis- 

 covered, which would be the case, but for the caution 

 adopted by the bird, who, before she quits her eggs, 

 covers them carefully up, for the joint purpose of 



