THE COOT 263 



going to last, and form a gunner's augury. One old 

 gunner used to say, "There's going to be a long frost 

 soon — the coots will be off in tree or four days. I heerd 

 them give the call t'y mornin'." But they don't leave 

 the lagoons, as a rule, till they are frozen out — merely 

 huddling together on the ice, if not disturbed, till every 

 place is frozen clear and hard ; for though they live on 

 the bottom hair-weeds, they will for a time put up with 

 the grass growing round the shores of the lagoons, if it 

 is to be had. 



They are alert birds, and can smell danger quickly, often 

 frightening off wild-fowl by " splodding " about when they 

 see a gun-punt approaching. If chased by a hawk, they 

 dive, and throw up water with their feet as they dive 

 (though hawks never seem to strike at them in the water). 

 If hard pressed by man or dog, they may take to the rond ; 

 but they are poor walkers, merely waddling along, balancing 

 themselves with their wings. At the flighting hours, in 

 freezing weather, they fly to and fro looking for water; 

 and if the gunner fire at them during these hours, they 

 are likely to leave the district. But some gunners do 

 not mind if they do leave, and get six or seven in this 

 way, themselves lying hidden up in the same place. They 

 roost on the gladen hovers, and take to the open water 

 before dawn, when they are not so shy as they are during 

 the day. I know an expert gunner who has sculled his 

 punt through a large flock of coots at daybreak when he 

 was on the look-out for fowl, and they never arose, though 

 they kept turning and looking at him, sitting on the water 

 with their heads " reined " out. Some were feeding, fairly 

 springing out of the water, diving head-first downwards 

 and heels upwards, in a more clumsy manner than a wild- 

 fowl. 



When the gunner does shoot him, he requires much pre- 

 paration for the table, for altogether " he is a bewty," as 

 they say in Norfolk. The Broadsmen, who eat him, pluck 



