on the Moorhens and Coots of India. 169


Moorhens are found in India almost anywhere where there is any

water, though they show a decided preference for small reedy

ponds thickly overgrown with weeds. When feeding on water

the Moorhen is constantly dipping its head below the surface and

plunges forward with a distinct and audible splash. Common as

the birds are, their nests I have not found easy of discovery.

They breed at such a time when the whole country is covered

thickly with vegetation, and if you wish to find the nest for your-

self it means wading almost knee-deep in water through paddy

fields or else hunting around the edges of ponds among the

undergrowth, and as this is somewhat warm work with the tem-

perature considerably over a ioo°, one's enthusiasm is apt to be

damped, and nest hunting is left to natives who, also not caring

for the trouble the search ensues, will return after a short time

(which is in all probability spent in their own houses !) saying

that there is no nest, which of course is not surprising. I did,

however, on one occasion find myself in the possession of an un-

doubted nest, and on my handling one of the eggs was surprised

to see the head of a chick appearing, the egg being on the point

of hatching. One nest I knew of was built on a tree quite 15,

feet up, and I wondered how the old bird would have conveyed

her brood to the water when hatched. I have found Moorhens

fair eating, but they must be skinned first as their skins are as a

rule so saturated with oil as to quite destroy the flavour and

render them very nasty indeed. But I imagine few sportsmen

would waste a cartridge on them, especially in a country like

India where so many and much more valuable fowl can be

obtained so easily. The wily native however often passes them

off on some unsuspicious Sahib as " teal." The Moorhen is not

subject to much variation though pied specimens have been re-

corded from time to time, and the curious " hairy" form is not

uncommon in England, though I am not aware of any Indian

records of this variety.


4. Gatlicrex cinerea Gm. The Water Cock.


The Water Cock is by no means common anywhere in


India, except — as Blanford says — in damp warm and swampy


plains. I saw some specimens once on a large Jheel near Darb-


hanga in Tirhoot, and my friend Mr. C. M. Inglis has procuredr



