to the list. Although not web-footed, the Water-IHen 
is a rapid and graceful swimmer and an excellent diver ; 
its flesh is by no means bad, and its eggs very good; its 
cries, though not musical, especially when the bird is 
engaged in a hostile encounter, are somewhat cheery, 
and its chuckling note when conducting its brood on a 
foraging excursion is anything but unpleasent. Besides 
the enemies above mentioned, our poor bird is a very 
favourite morsel for the omnivorous pike; we took a 
full-grown freshly caught young Water-Hen from the 
stomach of one of these fishes of about 6. lbs. weight, 
who, in spite of this very recent meal, came ravenously 
at our bait—a fair-sized perch. 
