observed any bird of prey attack them except the Whitetailed
Eagle and Peregrine Falcon, which latter would occasionally
cut one down as they flew over the land.”
Of their habits in autumn • and winter, when pursued by
the sportsman or the fowler/ (Mbnel H awker says ': ^'Cpots
found in rivers are scarcely thought worthfiring at; yet they
are in great requisition when they arrive for'the winter, on
the coast, from the immense^number that may be killed at a
shot, as they roost on the mud-banks. '^Cioots. 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
off the contrary/ as with • fbthbr tfowl''. "The plan that I-have
found best for slaughtering theiCWfcs by wholesale’as,Neither
to- listen for them before -daylight; and rake' them-fiown at
the grey of a white frosty morning, or watch them'1 at some
distance -un the afternoon, -and’set into* them as late in the
evening as you can ’see’Ho level your gun, taking Care/if
possible’, "to keep them "under the western lighti^'CSots,
instead of drawing together ’.'before they fly, like geese : and
many'other'fowl, always-disperse on being alarmed; and,
as they generally fly to', windward; the^gentleman’s system r6f
wild-fowl"shooting answers well, Whi‘Ghis,bto^embark With fa
party, saihdown Southern, and^as'they .*croBs,' luff-up,'-and
fire all ybur barrels. ' When a ^beginner at wild sport,C-l used
to be "mightily pleased'withd this ’rdiverMoS..- When oh^the
coast, you may easily distinguish j©Oo£s from wild-fowl by
the scattered■ extent' off'theirline, dheir^ high »rumps; their
rapid swimming, - and their heads- being-' .poked ' more
forward.
“ They are generally sold for 'eighteen-penSe^a^CQupl'e,
previously whichr they 'are what;d^ oalled.rcZe<ift'e^.v'-iEhe
recipe" for this is; "after picking them," to take off allvthe
black down, by-means off powdered-iresin' and-boiling water,
and then to them soak all night in cold spring water;
by which they are made tOfook as whitfe^nd-aS ^Te'lieatetas-a
chicken, and to eat" tolerably well'1; 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'become's
dry, and good for nothing. A Coot shot in the morning,
just after roosting, is worth three killed in the day when full
of grass, because he 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.”
Coots have a very powerful flight when once on the wing,
and fly with their legs stretched out behind, acting the part
of a tail, in-.the manner of a Heron.
■ The beak is of a pale rose-red, or flesh colour; the patch
on the forehead naked, and pure whitebahence the name of
Bald j§oot*; thé irides crimson ; below the eye a small halfcircular
streak of white; the whole of the plumage above'
and below sooty black7 tinged with dark slate-grey; the head
rather darker than the body*; primaries nearly pure bla,pk.;;>
secondaries tipped with white, forming a line or narrow bar
across the ming; legs, toes, and membranes!, dark green,
the garter above the tarsal joint orange. ‘
*,;.The whole length is eighteen inches. From the carpal
joint to the end of the wing, abont eight inches..
- The adult bird, from its more décided dark colour, was
formerly considered distinct,*•• and- called Fn^dterrima by
Linnaeus; -but we have'bnJyiQne species. ^The. young birds
of the year are smaller than the parent, the naked dental
patch is also smaller the throat is nearly 'vyhite, and the
under parts of-ihe. pl-um8ge*^r,e oka lighter grey. Young
chicks- oh- emerging from the egg-shell are covered with
black j§pwn, with some lighter-coloured filaments about the
upper- parts.
Impieties entirely white, and: iqthers nonly partially white,
have ^occurred iu? Norfolk and Lincolnshire, and on the
Continent.
* Thus Drayton in his ‘ Pöly-'oï'bion,'’ Ö5th Song : - f |||i
sti'-y TJb.e-lg'qS^bald, else’clean blaek/tKat whitenesses it'doth bears '
f'^Uiton‘the forehead starr’d, the' W&tër-helf dbth wear.
‘ Upon her little tayle, in one small feather set. >