522 THK FE\THERF.r) TRUiES. 



THE COMMON COOT.* 



The manners of this bird, widely spread over Europe, and particularly abundant in 

 Holland, closely resemble those of the common galUnule. 



Of the habits of the Coots in autumn and winter, when pursued by the sportsman or the 

 fowler. Colonel Hawker says : " Coots found in rivers are scarcely thoughi worth firing 

 at ; yet they are in great requisition when they arrive for the winter on the coast, from 

 the immense numbers that may be killed at a shot, as they roost on the mud-banks. 

 Coots, when on the coast, usuall}' travel to windward, so that a west wind brings them to 

 the west, and an easterly wind to the east, instead of the contrary, as with other fowl. 

 The plan that I have found best for slaughtering the coots by wholesale is, either to 

 listen for them before daylight, and rake them down at the gray of a white frosty 

 morning, or watch them at some distance in the afternoon, and set into them as late in 

 the evening as you can see to level your gun, taking care, if possible, to keep them 

 under the western light. Coots, instead of drawing together before they fly, like gce^ 

 and many other fowl, always disperse on being alarmed ; and as they generally fly to 

 windward, the gentlemen's s^'stem of wild-fowl shooting answers well, which is, to 

 embark with a party, sail down on them, and, as they cross, luff up, and fire all your 

 barrels. Wlicn a beginner at wild-sport, I used to be mightily pleased with tliis 

 diversion. "\ATien on the coast, you may easily distinguish coots from wild-fowl bj' the 

 scattered extent of their line, their high rumps, their rapid swimming, and their heads 

 being poked more forward. 



" They are gcnerallj- sold for eighteen pence a couple, previously to which they are 

 what is called cleaned. The recipe for this is, after picking them, to take off all the 

 black down, by means of powdered resin and boiling water, and then to let them soak all 

 night in cold spring water ; by which tlioy arc made to look as white and as delicate as ^ 

 a chicken, and to eat tolerably well ; but, Viithout this process, the skin iu roasting 

 produces a sort of oil, with a fishy taste and smell ; and if the skin be taken off, the 

 bird becomes drj', and good for nothing. A coot sliot 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 cootH much depends on it." 



UKAn or IX'I.KA I'OKI'IIYRKi. FOOT OF FILICA PORPHVRIO.— LI.VN. 



The nests of the coot are described as large, and apparently clumsy at first sight, but 

 exceedingly strong and compact. " So firm are some of tliem," says a naturalist, " tliat 

 whilst up to my knees in water, they afforded me a seat sufficiently strong to support my 

 weifrht. From the nature of the materials composing the nest, joined to its situation, it 

 not unfrequently happens that it is toiTi fiom its moorings bj' floods and carried down 

 the stream ; and instances have been known of such occurrences taking place, the female 



• Fulica Atra. 



