GALLINULE. 405 



smaller, and the colour paler; the chin, and sometimes throat, white; 

 the bill scarcely red at the base, and the bare skin of the forehead 

 olive-brown ; the whiteness or the chin and throat, however, is not 

 constant, and as to the colour of the forehead, it appears more or 

 less red according to the season. 



Inhabits England at all times, frequenting the borders of the 

 rivers and ponds, where weeds grow, concealing itself behind the 

 latter. It makes the nest on a low stump, or shrub, not far from 

 the water side, of flags, rushes, or the like : the eggs, sometimes 

 nine or ten in number, almost two inches long, yellowish white, 

 marked with irregular, reddish brown spots, with a few smaller 

 interspersed ; it is said to breed twice in the season. It is an 

 active bird, and frequently lifts up the tail, shewing the white vent, 

 and this it does also when running on the ground : it flies, however, 

 awkwardly, and with the legs hanging down, and seldom far at a 

 time ; and though not a web-footed fowl, will swim and dive well, 

 but often pays dearly on the latter occasion, as it not unfrequently 

 falls a prey the pike, especially the young birds. The nests, too, 

 are often swept away by the summer floods, when too near the water. 

 This bird is by some called the Moor-Hen, Water-Hen, and Cuddy ; 

 is for the most part wild, but may be brought up tame ; and we have 

 known it, in retired places, so familiarised, as to come up to the 

 poultry yard with the Ducks, which frequented the ponds, near the 

 house.* This bird, when shot on the wing, will frequently shelter 

 itself in the nearest tree, especially if much wounded. 



It is a common species on the Continent of Europe, to the north 

 in Russia, and the west of Siberia, also Denmark, but rare : we 



* Mr. Jefferys, of Maidstone, related to me a singular circumstance. In the year 17S7, 

 on hearing an uncommon fluttering on the outside of a chamber window, near that place, 

 in which there was a light, about two o'clock in the morning, some one went out, and 

 caught one of these birds, which had made an attempt to get in ; it was full grown, and 

 having a wing clipped, was kept afterwards in a garden for two years, but for the most part 

 hid itself on the sight of any one, though it would suffer itself to be taken occasionally. 



