E. L. TURNER : THE WATER-RAIL. 67 



considerably larger, and the upper mandible a much 

 brighter red, than that of the female. 



The moment her mate fled the female returned and 

 seizing one of the already chipped eggs she enlarged the 

 hole, as shown in Plate IV., and then contentedly settled 

 down, purring and jerking her tail all the time. I wish 

 to call particular attention to the third photograph 

 (Plate V.), which shows the hen brooding contentedly, 

 a position she maintained for an hour while I watched ; 

 because it seems to me that my presence was not sufficient 

 to account for her subsequent extraordinary behaviour. 

 As a rule the Water-Rail is one of the most wary of 

 sitters — more keenly alert and sensitive to the slightest 

 sound than any bird I know ; but on this occasion she 

 more than once allowed me to change my plate without 

 disturbing herself in the slightest. The nervous anxiety 

 she did display was purely maternal ; wrapt in her own 

 meditation, she seemed lost to outside influences. As 

 for me, I was keenly interested and not willing to disturb 

 her ; however, seeing the keeper, James Vincent, 

 approaching at the end of the appointed two hours, 

 I dropped the shutter ; the Rail did not move till foot- 

 steps approached. 



I asked Vincent to examine the eggs and report progress. 

 Two of the young were out, and he removed the broken 

 shells. Then the excitement began. The female 

 returned, stood on tip-toe, peeped into the nest, and 

 quick as thought seized one youngster by the neck and 

 carried him off. So rapid and unexpected was this 

 manoeuvre that I had barely time to secure my picture 

 (Plate VI.), but the attitude in which she is caught shows 

 to advantage the real elegance of the Water-Rail, for 

 on the nest she fluffs herself out and looks twice her 

 natural size, whereas she is really slim and dainty. No 

 sooner had I changed my plate than she was back again, 

 and this time seized the second unfortunate and 

 bedraggled-looking chick by the head, and whisked him 

 off (Plate VII.). She then returned for the third, not 



