in the vicinity of fmall running ftreams that are overgrown 
with grafs or fedge, where it feeks both food and fhelter : it 
runs with fpeed through the thickeft grafs, or on the foft 
flimy mud on the margins of ponds, which eafily fuftain its 
weight owing to the extent of furface occupied by its toes 5 
in (hallow water it wades v»^ithout fwimming ; it fwims and 
dives with confiderable dexterity ; is but rarely routed to take 
wing, as it depends on its legs for efcape from danger ; when 
on wing it flies with very great exertion, and only to a fliort 
diftance, with its legs hanging down, and is then an eafy 
mark for the fportfman ; when running it is continually 
flirting up its tail. 
This bird builds among the thickefl tufts of reeds or ruflies ; 
the neft is compofed of coarfe grafs, fedge, reeds, and decayed 
willow leaves, thickly put together ; it lays five or fix eggs 
of a fpotlefs white, very fmooth, rather larger than thofe. 
of a blackbird ; the fliape is a (hort oval, with both ends nearly 
alike the young ones begin to provide for themfelves almofl 
as foon as hatched, quitting the parents and neft in a few hours ; 
their principal food is flugs, worms, infers, and fmall fiih ; 
when full grown on the failure of animal, they take vegetable 
food, fuch as the roots and feeds of aquatic plants ; in the 
winter feafon they will fometimes venture upon cultivated land, 
particulary turnip fields. It has been confidered a migrative 
fpecies, but we doubt whether it makes more than partial 
migrations in fearch of food ; we had one fent to us at 
Chriftmas, which had a fhell near an inch and a quarter 
long in its ftomach, from which circumftance we conceive 
it propable this fpecies reforts to the fea-fhore during fevere 
weather. 
