the west of Picton, my attention was attracted by the warbling of a little bird, which appeared to be entirely new, and which proceeded from a small thicket a short way off. Whilst crossing an intervening meadow, I accidentally raised a Spotted Sandpiper from its nest, and having marked the spot, I hastened forwards; but the shyness of the object of my pursuit rendered all my efforts unavailing, and, returning to the nest I had just left, I expected to find it still unoccupied ; but the sandpiper had resumed her place, and left it with great reluctance on my near approach. The nest contained four eggs, which I determined to remove on my return at night, and for the purpose of preventing the bird sitting again upon them, I placed a number of stones in a slanting position over the nest, and so close that it was impossible for the bird to get into it. On my return in the evening, however, I observed the little creature rise from beside the stones apparently in greater trepidation than ever, and more anxious to draw me away by the exhibition of all those little arts which they practise for this purpose. On examining the spot, I was very much surprised to find that the poor thing had not only hollowed out a new nest, but had actually succeeded in abstracting two eggs from the other nest. How the bird had contrived to move the eggs I cannot conceive, as the stones remained unaltered. This attachment to

its nest and eggs appeared to me more singular, as the bird had but just commenced incubation, the eggs exhibiting very little appearance of the young.'

THIS bird, often called the Moor-hen or Water-hen, is disposed over Europe generally, and is also found in many parts of Asia and Africa. It inhabits ponds, slow-moving and deep waters, canals,

&c., where the borders are covered with luxuriant herbage, osier-beds, or reeds.

The following incident is given by Mr. Waterton :-"In 1826, I was helping a man to stub some It large willows near the water's edge. There was a water-hen's nest at the root of one of them. had seven eggs in it. I broke two of them, and saw that they contained embryo chicks. The labourer took up part of the nest, with the remaining five eggs in it, and placed it on the ground, and about three yards from the spot where we had found it. We continued in the same place for some hours afterwards, working at the willows. In the evening, when we went away, the old water-hen came back to the nest. Having no more occasion for the labourer in that place, I took the boat myself the next morning, and saw the water-hen sitting on the nest. On approaching the place I observed that she had collected a considerable quantity of grass and weeds, and that she had put them all around the

* Gallinula chloropus.

nest. A week after this I went to watch her, and saw she had hatched; and, as I drew nearer to her, she went into the water, and the five little ones along with her."

The nest of this bird, which is rather large, is rudely formed of reeds and rushes close to the water's edge, but generally concealed among the herbage. Frequently there are two, and sometimes three, broods in a year; but the birds are not so numerous as might be supposed, from the various casualties which diminish the young. Often are the eggs washed away by the summer floods; sometimes the heron, contrary to its usual habit, swims a little way out to capture the young bird; while pike and even trout will banquet on the progeny of the gallinule. Very soon after the young are hatched, they are able to proceed to water. The mother leads them forth in the morning and toward evening; but when the day is hot, and during the night, she returns with them to the nest, and covers them with her wings.

The flight of this bird is heavy and awkward, the legs hanging down; but it rises readily, and can keep up a long course on the wing. While walking, it flits up its short tail, so as to display the white under-coverts very conspicuously.

This bird is found also in many parts of Asia and Africa. It is about the size of a pigeon, and it weighs about a pound. The upper plumage is dark olive-green, inclining to black; the under plumage is deep bluish-gray, with white on the under tail-coverts and the edges of the wings, and there is also some dull white on the belly and thighs. The feathers on the flanks, which are loose and pendant, and hang over the upper parts of the thighs, are black, with streaks of white. The bill, which is about an inch in length, is thick and strong, arched in both mandibles towards the tip, and with the upper projecting a little; it is greenish at the tip, and reddish towards the base.

This bird swims gracefully, and dives not only to avoid danger, but often to obtain food, as it has been taken by lines baited for eels. It feeds habitually on insects, aquatic worms, the larvæ of dragonflies, &c. When suddenly surprised on the bank, where it may often be seen at rest, it dashes into the water, where, half flying, half running over the surface, it makes its retreat. Its actions are smart and lively, and render it an interesting appendage to ornamental sheets of water.

THE Spotted Gallinule is extensively known. It is found in the southern parts of Russia; it is rare in the north of Germany and in Holland; it is more common in France and Provence; but it is most frequently met with in the southern and eastern parts of Europe.

The spotted gallinule is one of Britain's summer visitants, breeding in marshes overgrown with reeds and sedges. Its nest, formed of coarse aquatic plants, but having a lining of softer materials, is

* Rallus porzana : Linnæus.

2

built on the wet ground, and often at the edge of the water. Here it deposits eight or ten eggs, of a pale reddish-white, spotted and speckled with dark reddish-brown. A naturalist says: "There can be no doubt that the spotted gallinule breeds in the marshes of Norfolk. We have seen a considerable number of its eggs in Yarmouth, which, as well as its young, were found in the neighbourhood of that place."

The flesh of a water-hen, in good season, when accustomed to a neighbouring wheat or barley stubble, is juicy and well-flavoured.

THE CORN-CRAKE OR LAND-RAIL.*

In the rich meadows of some parts of Britain, the peculiar cry of this bird may be heard resounding on every side, during the whole or greater part of May. Now the Land-rail seems close at hand, as if the bird were not a yard off; now it is far distant, while other voices in different parts of the meadow

keep up the reiterated note, crake, crake, crake, from which the English and the Latin names are derived.

Mr. Jesse, in his remarks on this bird, says: "I have met with an incident in the natural history of the corn-crake, which I believe is perfectly accurate, having been informed the bird will put on the semblance of death when exposed to danger from which it is unable to escape. The incident was this: a gentleman had a corn-crake brought to him by his dog, to all appearance quite dead. As it lay on the ground he turned it over with his foot, and was convinced it was dead. Standing by however, in silence, he suddenly saw it open an eye. He then took it up; its head fell, its legs hung

* Gallinula crex: Pennant.

VOL. III.

47

loose, and it appeared quite dead. He then put it into his pocket, and before long he felt it all alive, and struggling to escape. He then took it out; it was as lifeless as before. Having laid it upon the ground, and retired to a distance, the bird in about five minutes warily raised its head, looked round, and decamped at full speed. I have seen a similar circumstance take place with a partridge, and it is well known that many insects will practise a similar deception."

THE HORNED SCREAMER.*

THE Linnæan genus of birds, called Palamedea, has been placed by Mr. Vigors among the GrallaThe Palamedea cornuta, or horned screamer, is a South American bird, larger than a common

tores.

goose, having a long spear-shaped horn projecting from the forehead. It lives in marshy or inundated places, which it makes to resound with its wild and loud cry.

It does not enter the great woods, perching only momentarily on dead branches. It sends forth shrill and piercing cries, which may be heard at a considerable distance; whence its English name. Bajou states that its food consists only of aquatic plants and seeds; though others, before him, have averred that it also feeds on reptiles. It never attacks other birds, and the only use it makes of its arms is, when the males dispute for the possession of the females. Once paired, however, the two quit each other no more; and when one dies, the other soon pines away with grief. The screamers construct their nests in the form of an oven at the foot of a tree, according to Pison; but Bajou tells us that they make it in bushes, at some distance from the ground, and often in reeds. The female in general lays but two eggs, of the size of those of a goose, and there is but one brood-in the month of January or February, except when the eggs are destroyed by any accident, and then a second takes place in April or May. As soon as the young are in a fit state to fly, they follow the mother, who gradually accustoms them to seek subsistence alone, after which they quit her. The flesh of the young, though black, is good eating; but that of the old is hard, and less agreeable to the taste.

* Palamedea cornuta: Linnæus,

The Kamichi, or screamers, resemble the Jacanas in many respects, but are much larger. They resemble them in the two strong spurs on each wing; in the long toes and strong claws, especially that of the thumb, which is long and straight, as in the larks; but their bill, not much cleft, is but slightly compressed, not swelled, and the upper mandible is but slightly arched. Their legs are reticulated.

THE NOTORNIS.*

THIS is a specimen of one of the curious birds found only in Australia.

The one represented by Mr.

Gould, from whose splendid work our engraving was taken, was captured near the Isle of Resolution

by the seal-fishers.

THE NOTORNIS.

Having noticed the marks made by the bird on the snow, they followed it to the place whither it withdrew, when it took flight, running rapidly before the dogs which followed it, and at last captured it. It uttered piercing cries and struggled for a long time. It was kept alive for four days; its body was roasted and eaten by the sailors, who found its flesh of an agreeable flavour.

The Notornis Mantelli of Owen, named after the traveller Mantell, who was the first to observe it alive, approaches the Rails in the form of its beak and the general colour of its plumage, and is unlike them in the weakness of its wings; its primary feathers are very short. It cannot fly, but it runs with great speed. It probably has the power of swimming; the thickness of its plumage leads to the belief that he has a preference for damp spots. The head, neck, breast, and upper part of the belly and sides are of a beautiful purple-blue; the back, rump, and upper part of the tail are of a deep green olive, tipped with copper-green; a beautiful blue stripe separates the purple blue of the neck from the green of the back; the lower part of the belly and the thighs are of a dull bluish black; the wings are of a beautiful deep blue; the long feathers are tipped with green, forming a crescent where the wing is extended. The tail is deep green; its under-part white. The beak, talons, and iris are of brilliant red. The height is two feet.

Much has yet to be learned in reference to this bird. The ornithology of Australia, though far from being so peculiar and anomalous as its mammalogy, contains, nevertheless, many new and singular forms, of which the Notornis is an example. Its limited range is a formidable barrier to acquaintance with it, but much will doubtless be accomplished by the sagacity and intelligence of naturalists.

*Notornis Mantelli: Owen.