Page:Natural History, Birds.djvu/295

282 The whole plumage, when immerged, is coated with a thin pellicle of air, which has a singular and beautiful effect. In a small cover, if it suspectsuspects [sic] the continuance of danger, it will remain beneath the water for an incredible space of time, probably holding fast by the stalks or roots of the sedges.

With all its native shyness and susceptibility of alarm, the Moor-hen soon learns to disregard intrusion, when it finds that no danger accrues, and becomes tame and confiding. Pennant speaks of a pair in his grounds, which never failed to appear when he called his ducks to be fed, and partook of their corn in his presence. Mr. Yarrell observes that among the many aquatic birds with which the Ornithological Society have stocked the canal and the islands in St. James's Park, are several Moor-hens; in the course of the summer of 1841, two broods were produced, the young of which were so tame that they would leave the water and come up on the path, close to the feet of visitors, to receive crumbs of bread.

The fry of fishes, water-insects and their larvæ, especially the grubs of the larger Dragon-flies, water-snails, and crustacea, as well as the seeds of aquatic plants, afford food to the Moor-hen in its more proper element; but it seeks analogous substances on the land also, walking on the grassy borders of lakes, or through the low-lying meadows, at morning and evening dusk, particularly after warm rains. In winter they perhaps find other resources, as suggested in the following interesting note by Mr. Jesse. "The disappearance of Water-hens from ponds during a hard frost has often surprised me, as I could not make out