RALLID.E — THE COOTS — FULICA. 397 



the grass of a savanna bordering the river. He plainly saw them nibble the tender 

 grass in the same manner as poultry. When he tired into the flock, the survivors, 

 after running a few steps, rose and flew off toward the river, their legs hanging 

 behind, their wings producing a constant whirr. While swimming they flew with 

 ease, although not with much speed, and moved the head and neck in unison with 

 their feet. 



Mr. Moore states that Mr. Audubon was in error in supposing that this bird never 

 dives. It is not in the habit of immersing its entire body ; yet he has occasionally 

 seen one or two birds, in a squad of four or six, plunge and remain so long beneath 

 the surface that this had become smooth before they emerged. This is frequently 

 done by one individual while others by its side are engaged in picking from the sur- 

 face. In like manner the common Fulka atra of Europe dives and brings up its food 

 from the liottom in a very skilful manner. 



Mr. Moore is of the opinion that this bird rarely breeds in Florida. It comes in 

 flocks about the 20th of September, and often remains in the same pond until its 

 departure, which takes place between the last of March and the 10th of April. At 

 the approach of danger the Coot does not sink its body in the water, but, like the 

 Gallinule, hurries to a covert by striking the water with its feet and flying. The 

 forward stroke of its wing is performed when swimming slowly in search of food. 

 When moving with its highest speed, it uses its feet only, its head and neck being 

 carried as steadily as those of a Duck. 



Two eggs in my collection (Xo. 1275) — collected in Minnesota by jNEr. B. F. Goss — 

 have a ground-color of a light grayish buff, sprinkled uniformly with very minute 

 specks and round dots of purplish black. In shape these eggs are of an oblong oval, 

 tapering at one end and rounded slightly at the other ; these measure, one 1.85 inches 

 by 1.35, the other 1.90 inches by 1.30. A third, from Lake Koskonong, Wis., is oval in 

 shape, the smaller end being hardly perceptibly less than the other ; its ground-color 

 is a deep buff, with a decided reddish tinge ; the spots, though small, are larger, 

 deeper, and more uniformly rounded, but still sparsely scattered. This egg (Xo. 78) 

 measures 1.82 inches by 1.25. 



A nest of this species obtained from a reed}^ swamp at Marysville, Utah, is com- 

 posed entirely of coarse reeds. It is eight inches high, thirteen inches wide, and 

 has a cavity four inches deep. It contained ten eggs. Dr. J. C. Merrill mentions 

 having found as many as fourteen eggs in a single nest. Mr. B. F. Goss writes me 

 that it is very abundant in Wisconsin in early spring, and that later in the season 

 it congregates in flocks, frequenting more open water. Its preference is for shal- 

 low water, muddy bottoms, the vicinity of reeds and rushes, and during its breeding- 

 season it is rarely found far from such situations. Its nest is built about the last of 

 May, in some thick cover, where the old growth is broken down, forming a platform 

 just above the mud or shallow water. It is built with some care, rather deeply hol- 

 lowed, and composed of rushes, flag-leaves, etc. Eleven eggs have been found in a 

 nest, but the usual number is eight or nine. The eggs vary in length from 1.75 to 

 2.10 inches, and in breadth from 1.17 to 1.42 inches. The ground-color is dark gray- 

 ish cream, thickly covered with fine spots of different shades of dark brown, lilac, etc. 

 Its nest is usually so carefully concealed that it is usually much more difiicult to find 

 than that of the Gallinule. 



