488 



British Cage Birds. 



Its local habitations are the sides of ponds, pools, mill races, 

 bourns, and rivers and their tributaries, where there is plenty 

 of cover, such as rushes or aquatic plants, which afford them 

 a kind of harbour of refuge. It rarely forsakes its haunts 

 excepting through stress of weather, when the pools and lakes 

 are frozen over entirely. It then travels at night time in 

 search of open streams, and remains in the neighbourhood of 

 these until the weather changes and its native haunts are 

 again tenantable. The Moorhen is a moderate and awkward 

 flyer, never essaying to go far by a single effort. Its legs 

 dangle loosely in the air as it flies. Overland it makes rapid 

 progress, being a fast runner. Both parents assist in the 

 construction of the nest, which is a rather large and roughly- 

 put-together structure, composed of rushes and the leaves of 

 herbaceous plants. It is readily found, as it is built on the 

 stump of a tree, in a bush or shrub, or among the sedges or 

 reeds by the side of a pond, pool, lake, or river ; and little 

 or no attempt is made at concealing it. The hen lays from 

 six to eight yellowish white or dull reddish white eggs, variously 

 marked, spotted, or smeared, with reddish brown ; the eggs are 

 large, being Ifin. in length. The hen incubates the eggs 

 about twenty-one days, and has from two to three broods in 

 the year, according to the season. The young take to the 

 water about twenty-four hours after they emerge from the 

 shell, and in a fortnight are quite able to take care of them- 

 selves, by which time the parent birds are preparing for 

 another brood. 



Methods of Capture. — The Moorhen may be taken by 

 fixing a herring net round the sides of a pond which it 

 frequents. Sink the outer edge of the net a few inches in the 

 water by the use of lead weights, and fasten to the other parts 

 a few short poles, at a distance of about 10ft. apart; keep 

 a close watch, for when the bird attempts to leave the water 

 to procure food it will get its feet entangled in- the net, 

 and, by raising the nearest poles when the bird is found in 

 this dilemma, and throwing the outer portion over it, the 

 prize is easily secured. Other methods are resorted to, such 

 as placing gins and other traps, and limed sticks, about the sides 

 of a pond or pool. 



The Moorhen is naturally wary, and difficult to capture. 

 When secured, tie its wings, and keep it cooped with poultry 



