WATER-HEN or MOOR-HEN, 
GALLINULA CHLOROPUS (Linn). 
Fulica chloropus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 258 (1766). 
Gallinula chloropus, Naum. ix. p. 587; Macg. iv. p. 547; 
Hewitson, i. p. 878; Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 164; Dresser, 
vil. p. 313. 
Poule deau, French; Teich-huhn, Griinfiissiges Wasser- 
huhn, German; Polla de Agua, Gallineta de laguna, 
Spanish. 
This bird, perhaps more generally known as Moor- 
Hen, is so common throughout our country that very 
little description can be required at my hands by those 
sufficiently interested in British Birds to do my artist 
the justice of examining his pictures. It is hardly too 
much to say that the Water-Hen may be found almost 
wherever there are water and aquatic plants of sufficient 
growth to afford concealment and shelter, for it is 
naturally of a skulking and wary disposition, although, 
when unmolested, it soon acquires confidence, and often 
becomes exceedingly tame and fearless. ‘These birds 
build large nests of dry flags and sedge amongst river- 
or lake-side vegetation, on rushy islands, ditch-banks, 
and by no means uncommonly in bushes at a consider- 
