frequents lakes and ponds, marshes, bogs, and heaths, but 

 is of more retired habits, shunning more the abode of man ; 

 it likewise makes its nest upon the ground amongst whins or 

 heath, reeds, rushes, or long grass, of the latter of which it 

 is chiefly composed, and is lined with feathers and its own 

 soft down ; the eggs are from ten to twelve, as represented 

 at Fig. 1, of the annexed Plate. Temminck, though usually 

 very accurate, is quite under a mistake with regard to the 

 eggs of this bird ; he describes them as " of a rosy-white, 

 indistinctly spotted with brown," a character quite at variance 

 with every species of this genus with which I am acquainted. 

 Bewick commits a like mistake, but increases it by adding, 

 " that the eggs are of the size of a Pigeon's,"" taking his 

 description, I suppose, from those of the Water-hen. 



