IIO CASSIiLL'S EOOK OF BIRDS. 



hatched, and, as usual, soon quitted the nest and took to the water with their parents. The nest," 

 continues Mr. Selby, " was shown to me soon afterwards, and I could then plainly discern the 

 difference between the new and the older part of the fabric." 



The construction of the Moor-hen's nest is a serious operation, in which both parents assist. The 

 materials made use of are leaves of various kinds, both dry and fresh ; these are piled upon each 

 other, sometimes apparently in a very slovenly manner, but at others with more care, so that when 

 completed the structure looks like a coarsely-made basket of leaves, in the centre of which is a basin- 

 shaped depression, wherein the eggs, from seven to eleven in number, are deposited in the course of 

 about a fortnight. The eggs are of moderate size, the shells hard, fine-grained, and smooth, but 

 dull-looking. Their colour is pale rusty yellow, spotted with violet-grey and ash-grey, and besprinkled 

 with cinnamon and reddish brown specks. Both sexes take a share in the incubation of the eggs, 

 which are hatched after the lapse of twenty or twenty-one days. The young remain in the nest about 

 twenty-four hours after their escape from the egg, at the end of which time they are introduced by their 

 mother to their new element, the water, to which they are heartily welcomed by their male parent. 

 The family now begins to be a very interesting spectacle ; the young brood swims about, closely 

 following the movements of the old birds, all of them eagerly watching for worms or insects that their 

 affectionate caterers pick up for them ; and as soon as they see one caught, all simultaneously rush 

 forward to obtain the coveted morsel. After a few days, however, they learn how to obtain their own 

 food, although they are still carefully watched and protected from danger. At the slightest warning 

 they vanish ; indeed, it is wonderful to see the celerity of their movements. In about a fortnight 

 they are able to shift for themselves, and their elders begin to make preparations for rearing a second 

 brood, which, after the lapse of a few weeks, make their appearance upon the water, and the scene we 

 have just described is enacted over again, but with additional circumstances that make it still more 

 interesting. By the time the second family show themselves, those of the first brood are half grown 

 up, and might be supposed to trouble themselves very little about the additional members of their 

 family ; such, however, is by no means the case ; small and great, old and young, seem to meet each 

 other in the most affectionate manner. The half-grown birds at once begin to share with their 

 parents the labour of providing for their new brothers and sisters, to whom they bring food in their 

 beaks, and watch over them with the greatest assiduity, just as their parents had done to them a few 

 weeks previously. As the number of the second brood is usually smaller than that of the first, and 

 the parent birds are not a bit less assiduous in helping their younger than they were in providing for 

 their elder children, the latter grow rapidly j they generally swim in the middle of the little flock, and 

 are fed and cared for by all. 



The COOTS (Fulica) are distinguished from the above birds by the structure of their feet, the 

 Water-hens having the toes bordered by simple folds of the integument, whilst in the Coots these 

 membranous folds are scalloped, and more elaborately constructed. In conformity with such enlarge- 

 ment of their feet, which make excellent oars, the members of this group spend more of their time in 

 water than on land. During the course of the day, however, they frequently come on shore in order 

 to repose and preen their feathers. Upon level ground they run with considerable facility, and in their 

 powers of diving might compete with many of the really web-footed birds. If alarmed, they at once 

 plunge to a very considerable depth, and when under water, row themselves along by means of their 

 feet and wings for a considerable distance before again rising to the surface. It is probable that 

 during these immersions they obtain the greater part of the larvae, worms, mollusca, and vegetable 

 matter on which they principally subsist. Although the flight of the Coots is somewhat superior to that 

 of the Common Gallinules, they but seldom take wing, and when about to do so are compelled to run 



