176 BRITISH BIRDS. [ VOR Xx. 
weather. Under the most adverse circumstances they can 
generally find something to eat, the only thing that does upset 
them is, when frozen out, the absence of any means of 
bathing. For instance, when the thaw came last winter they 
revelled in the water. On February 20th it rained all day, 
and, though the ponds were still covered with ice, water stood 
about on the paths in puddles. As soon as it was light the 
Moor-Hens were trying to wash in these shallow places, but 
the attempt was not satisfactory, so, having been up to the 
house for food—the cold had made all the birds pitiably 
tame—they spent the rest of the morning standing on a piece 
of wood on the lawn with their wings spread out catching the 
rain. They were from 8.30 to 12.30 preening and dressing 
their feathers and spreading out their wings to let the rain- 
drops run into them. 
Undoubtedly they had suffered from the cold during the 
worst weather, but not as much as the majority of birds. 
Those which did not leave when the severe weather set in had 
a very bad time, and the Moor-Hens, too, felt it, but there 
was no indication of any migratory movement among them, 
though such movements take place in many localities every 
year, the breeding-ponds being left for running streams 
and rivers. All my birds remained in their autumn haunts, 
and the tamer ones came up to the house to be fed. They 
followed the example of the ducks, warming their feet at 
every opportunity by sitting down and drawing them up into 
their feathers. They even ate in this attitude, and if dis- 
turbed would run off a little way, only to sit down again 
in the snow as soon as they could. But if they felt the 
cold it did not always depress their spirits, for one morning 
I watched a young bird have a sparring match with a cock 
Pheasant which wanted to eat with it. The Moor-Hen drew 
itself up, looking no match for its opponent, but a moment 
or .two later the Pheasant had beaten a retreat, leaving 
the Moor-Hen in possession of the food. 
Considering what highly successful birds they are in most 
respects, it seems strange that Moor-Hens are not more 
numerous. Probably the heavy mortality which befalls the 
chicks in the first fortnight of their existence is the most 
powerful factor in keeping the numbers of the species within 
reasonable limits. Of course, pike, rats, etc., take toll. 
And their quarrelsomeness in the spring may also have some 
effect, for, after all, the number of suitable nesting-sites in 
any given area is not unlimited ! 
