( mm
The Bald Coot. Fulica.
Numb. LXXXIII.
ITS Length from the Tip of the Bill to the End of the Tail- is eighteen
Inches; Breadth when the Wings.are expanded, two Foot fevèn Inches
; Weight thirty one Ounces ; the Bill is one Inch and a half long,'
is white, with a light Tincture of blue, iharp pointed, and a little compref-
fed or narrow ; both Mandibles equal ; the Feet are blewiih, or of a dusky
green ; the back Toe little, with one only Membrane adhering, and that
not fcallop’d, but extending all the Length of the'Toe ; the inner fore Toe-
is a little ihorter than the outer, but all the Toes are longer than in Whole
Footed Birds; about the Joints of the Toes are . Sémi-circular Membranes
appendent ; on the inner Toe two, on the middle three, arid- on the outer
four. Thefe circular Membranes are bigger, and more diftin'a on thé in-
fide oftheToes; fo that the intermediate Incifures or Nicks reach to thé
Very Joints. This may be thus briefly expreflêd ; the. three fore Toes have
lateral Membranes on each Side fcallopéd, thé inner'with two, the middle
Toe with three, and the outer with four Scallops ; from the Bill almoft to
the Crown of the Head, arifes an Excrefcency or Lobe of Fleih, bare of
Feathers, foft, fmooth and round, which they call the Baldnefs ; the Feathers
about the Head and Neck are low, ioft and thick ; the Colourallover
the Body black, deeper about the Head; theBreaft and Belly are of a lead
Colour ; the Thighs covered with Feathers almoft down tothe Knees, and
juft beneath the Feathers is a Ring of yellow about the Leg; thefirft ten
quill Feathers are of a dark, duflcy or black Colour, the eight next are
lighter, with white Tips, and the laft or thofe next the Body are of a deeper
black: The Tail confifts of twelve Feathers, and is two Inches long.
The Liver is great, divided into two Lobes,, having a large Gall-bladder t
the- blind Guts are nine Inches long, their Ends for an Inch’s Space being
ieflefted or double backwards :.Tt builds its Neft of Grafs, broken Reed,
Kjg floating on the Top of the Water; fo that it rifes and falls together
with the Water. The Reeds among which it is built ftop it from being
carried down by the Stream: It feldom fits upon Trees. The Fleih is not
Accounted good Meat, but in Italy it is moft efteemed.