PL'RPLE WATERHEX. 81 



The eggs are stated by Degland to be two to four, 

 which agrees with Mr. Tristrain's account. He also 

 describes the egg very correctly. The colour is cer- 

 tainly richer and deeper than that of our Waterhen, 

 with spots and small dots of reddish brown and purple, 

 particularly at the larger end, and with cretaceous 

 deposits more or less apparent on the siirfacc. Baldamus, 

 in '^Naumannia," 1853, p. 41, et seq., says: — "These 

 eggs belong to the most beautiful of the order. They 

 vary little in size or form, or, especially, in colour 

 and markings." 



This beautiful Waterhen, says Degland, is by nature 

 gentle and timorous, and does not leave its solitude 

 unless driven from it by hunger or danger. Its sim- 

 plicity is such that it will allow itself to be taken 

 alive by the boatmen, as it plunges to escape from 

 them. 



It has a heavy flight, like the Waterhen, and it 

 only has recourse to its wings when frightened by a 

 gun, or to pass from one marsh to another. It generally, 

 when pursued, dives or squats down among the rushes. 

 It is also, according to the same authority, easily 

 tamed, and is brought up in some countries in the 

 poultry yards among the fowls, and it is contented 

 with the same food that they have. When anything 

 is given it which is too large to be swallowed, it takes 

 it up with its foot, and so carries it to its beak, where 

 it crushes it with its hard and robust mandibles. 



The male and female have the head, nape, scapularies, 

 upper wing and tail coverts, outer web of primaries, 

 and upper tail feathers indigo blue; inner web of 

 primaries and secondaries rich hair brown; cheeks, 

 fr'ont and sides of neck, and upper part of crop 

 torquoise blue; rest of crop, abdomen, flanks, and 



