THE WATER HEN. 



717 



l^:^J^^- 



struck through the head with a shot ; I believe that in such cases the powers of vohtion are 

 suddenly extinguished, .and that the bird continues to act according to the last impression 

 upon the brain. Many birds, as every sportsman knows, will tower when shot, and I have 

 found that in such instances they exhibit a singular tenacity of animal life. 



When free from persecution, the Water Hen soon becomes familiar with man, and will 

 mix familiarly with domestic poultry, traversing the garden or farmyard with easy con- 

 fidence. It is apt, however, to be rather mischievous, eating fruit and vegetables of various 

 kinds. The Eeverend Mr. Atkinson writes : " The Moor Hens having been much 

 encouraged, were very numerous, both about the moat and in two or three flaggy ponds in 

 the adjoining pastures. I have seen as many as fourteen or fifteen at once upon one bed 

 of cabbage plants. They picked the peas, the strawberries, the currants, the gooseberries, 

 all in early stages of their growth, and they stripped the leaves of the newly planted 

 young cabbages and greens, until nothing was left but ragged fragments of the midrib 

 and stalks." 



The nesting of this bird 

 is very peculiar. The W^ater 

 Hen builds a large edifice of 

 sedges, sticks, and leaves, 

 eitlier on the bank close to 

 the water's edge, upon little 

 reedy islands, or on low 

 banks overhangingthe water, 

 and generally very conspi- 

 cuous. The mother-bird has 

 a habit of scraping leaves 

 and rushes over her eggs 

 when she leaves the nest, 

 not, as some persons fancy, 

 to keep the eggs warm, but 

 to hide them from the pry- 

 ing eyes of crows and mag- 

 pies, jays, and other egg- 

 devoiu'ing birds. 



The Moor Hen is by no means niggardly in her labour, but will build one or more 

 extra nests, or rather rafts, for the accommodation of her young brood ; and in some cases 

 will, without apparent reason, discard the nest in which the eggs have been hatched, build 

 a new one, and transfer to it her little family. When thoroughly pleased with a locality 

 the Moor Hen evinces a strong attachment to it, and returns to the same spot through 

 several successive seasons. 



Should the water rise beyond its ordinary level, this bird is equal to the emergency, 

 and rapidly elevates the nest by adding sticks and inserting tlieni into the fabric. One 

 bird generally remains by the nest and acts as builder, while the other searClies for 

 materials and brings them to its mate. Mr. Selby mentions an instance where the bird 

 removed the eggs during the process of elevation, and replaced them after the completion 

 of its labours. 



The young are able to swim almost as soon as hatched, and for some time remain 

 close to their parents. I once, to my great regret, shot by mistake several young 

 Moor Hens, still in their first suit of black puffy down, and paddling about among the 

 water lilies and other aquatic herbage where I could not see them. Pike are rather apt to 

 carry off the little creatures by coming r|uickly under the weeds and jerking tliem under 

 water before they take the alarm. 



The male bird is dark olive green above ; the head, neck, and under parts are blackish 

 grey. The under tail-coverts and edges of the wings are white. The bill is green towards 

 the tip and red at the base, the latter hue being brightest at the breeding season. The legs 

 and toes are green, and the naked part of the thigh is red. The female has not so much 

 of the olive as her mate. 



WATER B.Ey!. —Gallinula chhrropits. 



