By Marsh and Mere 



bite" in all directions, testify to their frequent 

 visits. 



Evening is, perhaps, the best time to see them, 

 for then they come out to feed on the neighbour- 

 ing meadowland, walking daintily about in search 

 of seeds, insects, and tender shoots, constantly 

 erecting their short tails and showing a conspicu- 

 ous, triangular mark of white beneath. During 

 the daytime they keep nearer to cover, but, as 

 you go quietly along, you will probably hear a 

 curious sound, half crowing, half clucking, pro- 

 ceeding from the reeds ahead of you, and, if you 

 wait a while, you may see the bird swim across 

 from one bank to the other, nodding its head at 

 every stroke, solicitously convoying a little fleet 

 of black downy young ones. 



The nest is made of flags and rushes plaited 

 neatly together, placed usually among the reeds 

 bordering a pond, lake or river, but occasionally 

 situated in a bush or tree a few feet above the 

 water, and contains from six to ten eggs, of rusty 

 buff ground colour, spotted and speckled with 

 reddish brown. Several of these nests are con- 

 structed in which the Moorhen never intends to 

 lay eggs, but uses them as convenient roosting 

 places for its young when they leave the nest, 

 a proceeding which takes place not many hours 

 after they emerge from the shell. 



The Coot is best described as a Moorhen on a 

 larger scale, but is cindery grey, not olive brown, 



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