meat. In a day or two it became perfectly tame, and would
eat out of his band. More recently Mr. F. D. Godman obtained
a specimen, taken in October, 1867, in 46° 48* N. lat.,
and 11° 80' W. long., or well outside tbe line of the Bay of
Biscay.
Tbe food of this species is worms, snails, 'slugs, with
some Vegetables; Dr. Fleming mentions bating seen tbe
stomach of one that was filled exclusively with -the young
snails of Helix lucida. One of these birds, -’Which' Mr.
Selby kept for some time, was fed entirely with earth-worms,
upon which -it continued to thrive, till an accident put an end
to its life. It refused bread and the" larger kinds of grain.
In confinement this bird is observed to jerk its tail up while
walking, like the Common Moor-hen ; and-1 have'heard of
one that had so far conquered its timidity as to have become
pugnacious;?'
During the nesting-season the birds are very noisy,, uttering
a loud and somewhat explosive Cry; The nest, which Is
well concealed, is made of sedge and coarse grass, amongst
the-thickest'aquatic plants1; sometimes in wiliow*beds. dg&e
eggs are of a cream-coloured white, with small specks of
ash-grey and reddish-brown, measuring about 1*4'by 1 in.
The usual complement' appears to? be? about - seven ;(%but
clutches of tern and -eVem eleven eggs have been found.
Mr. A. H. Evans,- obtained eggs, which were*», slightly
incubated, from East Norfolk'"; so early as April llslh
(ZooiL ■ 1879, p. 268); and bn the 1st May, 1863?
Stevenson - was shown three young: fWater; Bails in black
down; nests withveggs are also frequently found in?Jaine
and July, so that it .appears probable .that-two broods are
produced in the season.
The beak of the adult male-us- red, one inch and three-
quarters in-length; the irides hazel ;• top of the-hfetf^- neck,
back, wing-coverts, %nd upper surface . of ,the body generally
olive-brown; each feather nearly black in the centre, ;with
broad brown margins ; primaries dusky; tail-feathers ■ also
dusky, with olive-brown margins; cheeks, chin, sides- and
front of the neck, and- the breast,, leadrgrey; the sides and
flanks very dark slate, barred with white; vent buff colour ; '
under tail-coverts dull white.; legs and toes brownish flesh
colour. The whole length is eleven inches and a half.
From tbe carpal joint to the end ofi-the wing four inches,
and three-quarters.
The’sexes do not differ much in plumage, but the female
generally exhibits some white bars on the wing-coverts, the
tail-feathers are somewhat browner, the bill is often a trifle
shorter, and the colour less bright^ „„
Young birds have the under parts-.of a dull buff-white,
■with b r o w n is h -grey bars, n a r ro w above, and broader on the
f la n k s ,.fo rm in g transverse bars ; the flanks and thighs not
so - d a r k 'in c o lo u r , and without ;tbe white bands. The nestlings
.are covered with black down- ?,
Isabel-Line varieties ?6f the-Water Bail are occasionally
taken, and pure white examples are not unknown.