CINEREOUS COOT. 231 



in hiding themselves wholly by day. It is therefore only 

 when the affections and necessities of the species increase, 

 that they are urged to make more visible exertions, and 

 throw aside, for a time, the characteristic indolence of their 

 furtive nature. We now see them abroad, accompanied by 

 their more active and incautious offspring, night and morn- 

 ing, without exhibiting much timidity, the young sporting 

 and feeding with careless confidence in their fickle element. 

 They are at this time easily approached and shot, as they do 

 not appear to dive with the same promptness as the Euro- 

 pean species. 



The old birds, ever watchful and solicitous for their 

 brood, with which they still appear to associate, when 

 alarmed, utter at times a sort of hoarse 'Tcruk, which serves 

 as a signal either to dive or swim away. At this season of 

 the year, Mr. N. Wyeth informs me, that he has heard the 

 Coot repeatedly utter a whizzing sound, which he can only 

 compare to the plunge of large shot when fired into water. 

 It might possibly be the small and bouncing leaps, with 

 which the associated young of the Common species amuse 

 themselves at almost all hours of the day. In East Florida, 

 where they appear, according to Bartram, to assemble and 

 breed in great numbers, they are very chattering and noisy, 

 and may be heard calling on each other, almost night and 

 day. With us they are, however, very taciturn, though tame, 

 and with many other birds, appear to have no voice but for 

 the exciting period of the nuptial season. 



The Coots of Europe have many enemies in the preda- 

 cious birds which surround them, particularly the Moor Buz- 

 zard, which not only destroys the young, but sucks the 

 eggs, to such an extent, that notwithstanding their great 

 prolificacy, laying from 12 to 18 eggs, the numbers are 

 so thinned by depredation, that not above one tenth escape 

 the talons of rapacious species. Indeed, it is only the 



