THE MOOR-HEN. 



Gallinula chloropus (Linnaeus). 

 Plate 59. 



Known also as the Water-Hen, this very common bird is widely spread over the 

 British Islands, being also distributed far and wide over Europe, Asia, and Africa. 



The rather large and bulky nest, begun early in the year, and composed of 

 the dry blades of sedge and flags, is usually placed amongst the cover of marsh 

 vegetation, and often, but not always, low down on the branches of thorn, alder, or 

 other trees overhanging the water. The seven to nine eggs are pale buff in ground- 

 colour, spotted and marked with reddish-brown and grey. 



The food consists of worms, slugs, insects and their larvae, as well as shoots and 

 seeds of plants. 



The birds may often be seen on meadows near water, on the least alarm usually 

 running for cover, as they are by nature shy and timid. 



Their call-note is a loud and shrill cry, which may often be heard in the 

 evening. 



In the male bird, used for the drawing on Plate 59, the scarlet colour of the 

 garter, usually only a band on the upper part of leg, was extended downwards along 

 the middle of each side of the tarsus. 



Mr. Robert J. Howard has drawn my attention to the fact that the female is not, 

 " as a rule, rather larger and more vividly coloured than the male," as stated in 

 Yarrell (vol. iii. p. 169), the average length of eleven males he measured being 

 14.26 inches, whilst the measurements of eight females averaged 13.14 inches, and 

 not only is the shield of the cock larger than that of the hen, but the colour is 

 brighter. 



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