young from the frequent attacks of large and predaceous
Gulls.
Of their habits in autumn and winter, when pursued by the
sportsman or the fowler, Colonel Hawker says, “ Coots' found
in rivers are scarcely thought worth firing a t; yet they are
in great requisition when they arrive for the winter on the
coast,, from the immense numbers that may be killed at a
shot, as they roost on the mud-banks. Coots, when On the
coast* usually travel to windward; so that a west-wind brings
them to the. west, and an easterly wind to the east, instead
of the contrary, as with .other fowl. :The plan that I have
found best for slaughtering the Coots, by wholesale is, either
to listen for them before daylight, and. rakè them, down at
the grey, of awvhite frosty morning, or watch them at some
distance in the afternoon, and set into them as late in the
evening as you nan seel to level, your^ gun, taking care, if
poêsi|3|j4o keep them under the west^rnT^liglst. Co.otsy’in-
stead-.of drawing together before they fly, like .geese and
many Other fowl, always disperse, on being alarmed^ . and, is
they generally fly to windward, the gentlemenTa“-system-? of
wild-fowl shooting~answers“Weir, which;.is|vtp embark with a
party, sail down on them, and, asifhe^ cross, luff up and fire
all your barrels. When a beginner at wild sport, I used to
be mightily pleased with, this diversion. When on the. coast,
you may easily distinguish .Coots from wild?fow! by the
scattered extent, of fheir lin e ,. their high rumps, their rapid
swimming, and their hèads being poked more forward.t
. “ They, are generally sold for eighteen pence-a couple, previously
to which .they are what is called cleaned. The recipe
for this is, after picking them,.-to take off all the black down,
by means of powdered resin and boiling water, and then to
let them soak all night in cold spring water; by which they
are made to look os white and as delicate as a chicken, and
to eat tolerably well| but, without this.process, the skin in
roasting produces a sort of oil, with-a fishy taste and smell;
and if the skin be taken off, the bird becomes dry, and good
for nothing. A Coot shot in the morning, just after roosting,
is worth three killed :in. the day when fall of grass, because
die will then be whiter, and milder in flavour. A Poole man
is very particular about this, as the sale of his Coots much
depends on it,1*
The Coot; as observed by Sir William. Jardine and Mr.
Selby, is a summer visiter to Scotland. Dr. Neill and Mr.
Dunn mention it as visiting occasionally the lochs of some of
the islands of Orkney. If is found during summer on the
coasts of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, going as far as the
•Faroe Islands, and even to Iceland, as noticed' by Faber and
other-authorities,-but not? farther to the west; the-Coot of
North America” and the United States is now known to be
a different :speeiesi Qur Coot is found in Russia and the
-eastern parts- of- Siberia, according to.. Pennant. I t is very
abundant in Holland, and on the lakes and rivers of Germany,
France, Switzerland, Spain, Provence, and Italy. Dr.
Heineken includes the Coot among the Birds of Madeira.
Mr. Strickland saw it at Smyrna; the Zoological Society
have .^received specimens from Trebizond; and the Coot of
-India, China, Japan, and the- island o f Sunda, is said to be
identical with'the Coot of Europe.
The beak in of a pale nose-red, or flesh colour; the patch
on the forehead naked, and pure white; hence the name of
Bald Coot: the irides crimson ;* below the eye a small half-
circular streak of white ; the whole of the plumage above and
below sooty black, tinged with dark slate-grey; the head
rather darker than the body; primaries nearly pure black;
-secondaries tipped with white, forming a line or narrow bar
across the wing ;■ legjs, toes, and membranes dark green, the
garter above the tarsal joint orange.*
The whole length sixteen inches. From the carpal joint
to the end of the wing about eight inches.
Adult birds from their more decided dark colour have been