484 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



18th. — 6.30 p.m., two eggs in the new nest. 



19th. — 1 p.m., two eggs. 7.30 p.m., three eggs. 



20th. — 7 a.m., three eggs. 5.30 p.m., four eggs. 



21st. — -5.30 p.m., four eggs, and hen bird flushed from the nest. 

 5*34 p.m., she returned to her nest. 6.30 p.m., five eggs. It is 

 evident this bird lays her eggs between 5 and 6 o'clock in the 

 evening. From investigations made subsequently with other Moor- 

 hens, it seems probable that their eggs are usually laid about this 

 time of day. 



22nd. — Sixth egg laid, and the last one of the clutch. 



June 10th. — 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., I could hear at some little dis- 

 tance from the nest the cheeping of a young one within one of the 

 eggs. 



11th. — 7 a.m., one young Moorhen hatched. 3.30 p.m., two 

 young ones hatched, one of which descended on to the water eighteen 

 inches below the nest. 



12th. — Four young hatched ; two addled eggs left in nest. Incu- 

 bation therefore appears to be about twenty days in duration. 



14th. — All the young take freely to the water. 



17th. — The first nest, constructed on April 12th, has now been 

 made up with some fresh green rushes, and it is now used as a 

 roosting-place by the hen bird and her young. The cock bird sleeps 

 close at hand at the pond also. 



24th. — The adult birds during the daytime take an equal share 

 in their attention to the young. Either of the parent birds may be 

 observed accompanied by one or more of the young busily searching 

 the pond, brook, or adjoining grassland for their food. 



25th. — I came rather suddenly upon the Moorhens with their 

 chicks feeding in the orchard among the newly-mown grass ; the 

 young immediately sought cover under the swaths, the old birds 

 walked sedately down to the pond without giving the least indication 

 or betraying any anxiety that their young were present. The two 

 addled eggs are missing from the nest in which the young were 

 reared. 



26th. — I killed with a rifle a Eabbit that was feeding within a 

 few yards of one of the Moorhens and its young. The Moorhen was 

 from its actions evidently very surprised at the collapse of the 

 Eabbit without apparent cause. It went up to the dead Eabbit and 

 walked around within about eighteen inches of it, and spent some 

 considerable time trying to satisfy its curiosity. The young Moor- 

 hens are now showing a very independent spirit, and can often be 

 seen foraging about the grassland unaccompanied by either parent. 



