343 
THE WATER HEN. 
weeds and other debris that have floated down the stream and 
been arrested by the branch. 
The similitude is increased by a curious habit of the bird. 
When she leaves her nest, she pulls over her eggs a quantity of 
the same substances as those which form the materials of the 
nest, so that they are completely hidden from sight, and the 
form or the nest is quite obscured. It is true that the nest is not 
unfrequently found with the eggs exposed, but this apparent 
negligence is always caused by the frightened bird dashing off 
at the approach of the intruder, and having no time to cover 
her eggs properly. The object of covering the eggs was once 
thought to be the retention of heat, the neighbourhood of water 
being imagined to be injurious. As, however, many birds build 
as close to the water as does the Water Hen, and do not cover 
the eggs, it is evident that concealment and not warmth is the 
object to be attained. 
I may mention that the illustration was sketched from a nest 
before it was removed, and that most of the nests have been 
drawn in the same manner from actual objects. 
The eggs are many in number, seldom less than six, and 
often eight, and their united weight is far from inconsiderable, 
as they are fully proportioned to the size of the bird. The 
young are the oddest little beings imaginable, looking like 
spherical puffs of black down, rather than birds. They take 
to the water at once, and if the reader can manage to watch 
the mother and her little family, he will see one of the quaintest 
and prettiest groups that our country can supply. The little 
black balls swim about quite at their ease, keeping within a 
short distance of their parent, and traversing the water with a 
rapidity that reminds the observer of the gyrini, or whirligig 
beetles. In spite of the prolific nature of the bird, it is not so 
numerous as it might be, having many enemies in its youth, 
the worst of which is the pike, which comes up silently from 
below, opens its terrible jaws, and absorbs the unsuspecting 
bird. 
