Birds. 757 



If, then, W. H. S. maintains that moorhens or any other birds can 

 keep themselves in what I call a state of submergence, without the aid 

 of weeds or flags, or other objects external to themselves, I beg leave 

 to differ from him. If he means only that the moorhen, together with 

 various other birds, is capable of maintaining itself in what I call a 

 partially submerged state, I cordially agree with him. But as his 

 remarks at least appear to favour the former supposition, I will state 

 some of my reasons for differing with them. 



And first, I would ask, did W. H. S. ever actually detect a moorhen, 

 or any individual of " the various classes of water-fowl," so sub- 

 merged in " deep water, and where there were no weeds or flags what- 

 ever near the surface ?" If he has not, and I feel confident he never 

 has, I must take the liberty to remind him that I do not give my 

 " explanation" as a theory, but as the result of close and repeated 

 observation. I have again and again seen the feet of the moorhen 

 holding on by weeds or flags. 



I apprehend that no moorhen — that no bird whatever, indeed, could 

 put itself into this posture (of submergence, namely), and retain it, 

 independently of external assistance."* (Zool. 498). I have not seen 

 cause to change the opinion here recorded, albeit I have read and 

 re-read W. H. S.'s communication. For it is obvious that a bird, in 

 order to keep itself submerged without external assistance, must be 

 able to reduce its body, including its feathers, to as nearly as possible 

 the same specific gravity with the water : it must be specifically 

 lighter by the veriest trifle possible. And as to the feathers, it should 

 be observed, that even the downy covering of the young coots and 

 moorhens is not affected by the water, until the little creatures have 

 quite exhausted themselves by repeated efforts to escape danger by 

 diving. W. H. S. himself, without any such buoyant equipment as a 

 suit of feathers, without a frame specially and wonderfully con- 

 structed for the purpose of cleaving its way through the liquid air, 

 but with, on the contrary, a framework of bone, for the most part 

 solid, and of great weight, will yet find it impossible to sink in the 

 water, so long as he keeps his chest free from the liquid ; and with a 

 vest of waterproof feathers, at all in proportion to the moorhen's 

 covering, would try in vain to get his shoulders, much more his head, 



* It should be remembered that the moorhen, when thus concealed, is ii . a state of 

 profound rest. I do not dispute that a water bird, when in the act of progression 

 under water, may from time to time thrust its beak, or little more than its beak, above 

 the surface, for the purpose of respiration, for it is a well ascertained fact that they 

 do.— Selby Orn. TIL ii. 380, 395, 408. 



