the outer part of the net, when they drop into the water like so many
terapins. At times they congregate in vast numbers, and swim so closely
that a hunter in my employ, while on Lake Barataria, killed eighty at a
single shot. They are extremely abundant in the New Orleans' markets
during the latter part of autumn and in winter, when the negroes and the
poorer classes purchase them to make " gombo." In preparing them for
cooking, they skin them like rabbits instead of plucking them.
Both old and young birds differ considerably in size and weight. The
male, from which I drew the figure in the plate, was procured at General
HERNANDEZ'S, in East Florida, and was among the best of about thirty
shot on one of my excursions there.
FULICA AMERICANA, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 779-—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of
Birds of the United States, p. 3 3 0 .
COMMON COOT, FULICA ATRA, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. ix. p. 6 1 . pi. 7 3 . fig. 1 .
CINEREOUS COOT, Nuttall. Manual, vol. ii. p. 2 2 9 .
Adult Male. Plate CCXXXIX.
Bill about the same length as the head, stout, straight, compressed,
higher than broad at the base. Upper mandible with the dorsal line
straight and slightly sloping, towards the end slightly arched and deflected,
the ridge flattish at the base, and continuous with an oblong soft tumid
plate which ascends on the forehead, the rest of the ridge convex ; sides
rapidly slopping, edges overlapping, sharp, with a slight notch close to
the obtuse tip. Nasal groove wide, extending to two-thirds of the whole
length of the mandible, filled with a soft bare membrane ; nostrils linear,
medial, lateral, direct, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle long,
narrow, rounded, the dorsal line nearly straight, the sides flattish, the
edges sharp.
Head small, oblong, much compressed. Neck of moderate length,
slender. Body rather full, compressed. Feet of moderate length, strong;
tibia bare a short way above the joint; tarsus rather short, compressed,
broader below, anteriorly covered with broad scutella, laterally with angular
scales, on the outer side behind a row of scutelliform scales ; hind
toe short, slender; middle toe longest, fourth longer than second; toes
scutellate above, hind one with an inferior lobe, second with two larger
inner and two smaller outer rounded lobes; third with three, fourth with
four on each side ; claws of moderate length, slightly arched, much compressed,
acute, the middle one with a thin inner edge.
Plumage very soft and blended, on the head and neck short. Wings
short, broad, rounded ; primaries curved, second longest, third little
shorter, first rather longer than sixth, all broad and rounded; secondaries
broad, rounded with a minute tip, the inner elongated and tapering. Tail
very short, much rounded, of twelve weak rounded feathers ; the upper
and lower coverts nearly as long as the tail-feathers.
Bill greyish-white, with a dusky spot on each mandible towards the
end ; frontal callosity white during life, brownish-red after death. Head
and neck greyish-black, the upper parts deep bluish-grey, with an olivaceous
tinge on the scapulars and inner secondaries. Quills greyish-brown,
darker towards the tips; the edge of the wings, outer margin of first quill,
and tips of outer secondaries, white. Tail brownish-black; lower tailcoverts
white. The breast and abdomen are light bluish-grey, the latter
paler, the sides darker ; the lower surface of the wings of the same dull
leaden tint.
Length to end of tail 13}g inches, to end of wings 14/^, to end of
claws 18f; extent of wings 9.5; wing from flexure 7^ ; tail 2 | ; bill along
the back l i 7
, along the edge of lower mandible 1 ^ ; bare part of tibia £ ;
g tarsus 2 ; middle toe its claw T
7 |. Weight 1 lb.