Book Notices and Reviews. 
159 
" neck and carried bini off. So rapid and unexpected was this nianceuvre 
" t}iat I had barely time to secure niy picture (Phite VI.), but the attitude 
"in which she is caught sliows to advantage the real elegance of the 
"Water-Rail, for on the nest she fluffs herself out and looks twice her 
"natural size, whereas she is really slim and dainty. No sooner had I 
" changed my plate than she was back again, and this time seized the 
"second unfortunate and bedraggled-looking chick by the head, and 
"whisked him off (Plate VII.). She then returned for the third, not yet 
" out of the shell, and seizing him by the shoulder removed him shell 
"and all (Plate VIII.), and the fourth also in like manner (Plate IX.). 
" There remained only one addled egg, but though this formed a very 
"difEcult task, after several unsuccessful efforts she succeeded in getting 
"a firm graspof it (Plate X.), and disappeared. All these five photographs 
"were taken in less than ten minutes. 
"After this the bird returned twice and just peeped into the nest, 
" and, thus apparently satisfied as to its emptiness, we saw her no more. 
" We diligently searched the reeds for the missing birds, but found 
"only theaddled egg, some eight feet away, and one half-fledged chick, 
" that must have been in the water many hours, evidently one of those 
" removed from the nest on the 27tli. We replaced the egg, covered up 
" the nest and went away, hoping that, like the Great Crested Grebe and 
"Coot, the Water-Rail would bring back her young to the old home for a 
"day or two; but on the agtli the nest was wet and cold, evidently there 
"had been no return ; and thongh we made a long search in its vicinity, 
" no trace of the birds, old or young, could be found. 
" I can give no explanation of the cause of this behaviour on the part 
"of my Water-Rail, and do not know whether it is ordinary or extra- 
" ordinary; the fact that two young ones disappeared before the 28th 
" seems to show that these birds are in the habit of removing their newly- 
" hatched or partly-fledged young. . . . Perhaps another season, by 
" carefully watching and not attempting to photograph the Water- Rail> 
"some further light may be thrown upon this very interesting point." 
We do not know of any .sucli habit having been previously 
noted. The photcs are certainly unique. 
There i.s also an inten.sely interesting paper by F. J. 
Stubbs on "Red Grouse, Heatlier and Crowberry," which is 
worth careful reading and further observation on same lines, as 
it may probably be a step toward the elucidation of the cause of 
Grouse Disease. 
Other interesting Notes and Records complete one of the 
most important numliers yet issued of this interesting and re- 
liable Magazine. 
British Birds: Wilherby & Co. Monthly, i/- net. 
