Although the water-hen is nowhere very numerous, yet one species or other of them is met with in almost every country in the known world. It is not yet ascertained whether they ever migrate from this to other countries, but it is well known that they make partial flittings from one district to another, and are found in the cold mountainous tracts in summer, and in lower and warmer situations in winter.
On examination of several specimens of this bird, in full feather, they were found, like most birds of plain plumage, very little different from each other.—Bewick.
Water Ousel, Water Crow, Dipper, or Water Piot, (Sturnus Cinclus, Linn.; Le Merle d’Eau, Buff.) s.
The length of the water ousel is about seven inches and a half from the point of the beak to the end of its tail, which is very short, and gives the bird a thick and stumpy appearance. The mouth is wide; the bill black, about three quarters of an inch long; the upper mandible rather hollow in the middle and bent a little downwards at the point; the eyelids are white, and irides hazel. The upper parts of the head and of the neck are of a deepish rusty-brown; the back, rump, scapulars, wing coverts, belly, vent, and tail are black; but each feather on these parts is distinctly edged with a hoary grey colour. The breast, forepart of the neck, and throat, are of a snowy white; and the black and white on the belly and breast are separated by a rusty brown. The legs and toes are short and strong, the scales pale blue, the hinder part and joints brown; the claws are curved, and the toes are distinctly parted without any membranous substance between to join them.
This solitary species is removed from the place it has hitherto holden in all systems among the land birds: it ought not to be classed any longer with the ousels and thrushes, to which it bears no affinity. Its manners and habits are also different from those birds, and are peculiar to itself. It is chiefly found in the high and mountainous parts of the country, and always by the sides of brooks and rocky rivers, but particularly where they fall in cascades, or run with great rapidity among stones and fragments of broken rocks; there it may be seen perched on the top of a stone in the midst of the torrent, in a continual dipping motion, or short courtesy often repeated, whilst it is watching for its food, which consists of small fishes and insects. The feathers of this bird, like those of the duck tribe, are impervious to water, whereby it is enabled to continue a long time in that fluid without sustaining the least injury. But the most singular trait in its character, (and it is well authenticated) is that of its possessing the power of walking, in quest of its prey, on the pebbly bottom of a river, in the same way, and with the same ease, as if it were on dry land. The female makes her nest in the banks of the rivulet, of the same kind of material, and nearly of the same form as that of the common wren; and lays four or five eggs, which are white, lightly blushed with red.—Bewick.
Water Rail, Bilcock, Velvet-Runner, or Brook Ousel (Rallus Aquaticus, Linn.; Le Rale d’Eau, Buff.) s.
This bird, though a distinct genus of itself, has many traits in its character very similar to both the corn crake and the water crake; it is migratory, like the former, to which it also bears some resemblance in its size, its long shape, and in the flatness of its body: its haunts and manner of living are nearly the same as those of the latter; but it differs from both in the length of its bill, and its plumage. It weighs about four ounces and a half, and measures twelve inches in length and sixteen in breadth. The bill is slightly curved, and one inch and three quarters long: the upper mandible is dusky, edged with red; the under reddish orange; the irides red. The top of the head, hinder part of the neck, back, scapulars, coverts of the wings and tail are black; edged with dingy brown. The ridge of the wings is white, the bastard wing barred with white, the inside barred with brown and white, and the quills and secondaries dusky. The side feathers are beautifully crossed with black and white, and slightly tipped with pale reddish brown. The inner side of the thighs, the belly, and the vent are pale brown, and in some specimens specked with bluish ash. The sides of the head, chin, forepart of the neck, and breast, are of a dark hoary lead colour, slightly tinged with pale rufous. The tail consists of twelve short black feathers, edged and tipped with dirty red; some of those on the under side barred with black and white. The legs which are placed far behind, are a dull dirty red; the toes long and without any connecting membrane. Latham says, “the eggs are more than an inch and a half long, of a pale yellowish colour, marked all over with dusky brown spots, nearly equal in size, but irregular.”
The water rail is a shy and solitary bird. Its constant abode is in low wet places, much overgrown with sedges, reeds, and other coarse herbage, among which it finds shelter, and feeds in hidden security. It runs, occasionally flirting up its tail, through its tracks, with the same swiftness as the corn crake runs through the meadows and cornfields, shows as great an aversion to take flight as that bird, and has more of the means in its power of disappointing the sportsman. It generally exhausts his patience, and distracts and misleads his dog, by the length of time to which it can protract its taking wing: and it seldom rises until it has crossed every pool, and ran through every avenue within the circuit of its retreats. It is, however, easily shot when once flushed, for it flies but indifferently, with its legs dangling down while on the wing. This bird is not very common in Great Britain, but is said to be numerous in the marshes of the northern countries of Europe, whence, partially and irregularly, it migrates southward, even into Africa, during the severity of the winter season. Buffon says, “they pass Malta in the spring and autumn,” and to confirm this, adds, “that the Viscount de Querhoent saw a flight of them at the distance of fifty leagues from the coasts of Portugal, on the 17th of April, some of which were so fatigued that they suffered themselves to be caught by the hand.” The flesh of the water rail is not so generally esteemed as that of the land rail, and yet by many it is thought rich and delicious eating.—Bewick.