6o CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



marsh-lands, and when daylight had almost 

 entirely disappeared. 



The drake, not a particularly good specimen, 

 came to hand through an agency of my taxidermist ; 

 so that it forms an exception to my general rule. 

 This species has a very wide range, and is plentiful 

 in Northern India duringr the cold weather. 

 I shouldn't be surprised if I have shot it out there 

 and not known what it was. 



CASE 9. 



THE COOT. 

 Order, FulicaricB. Family, RallidcE. 



One often hears the expression "Bald as a Coot ;" 

 this, probably, is due to the white frontal plate 

 formed by the base of the upper part of the bill 

 extending to just above the eye, which makes the 

 bird look as if it were bald in front. 



This species is very generally distributed over 

 our islands, and may be found almost anywhere in 

 localities suited to its habit, such as lakes, ponds, 

 large sheets of water, and mud-flats near the coasts. 

 It is abundant on the Broads of Norfolk, Slapton 

 Ley in Devon, Southampton Water, Poole Harbour, 

 and the Fleet near Abbotsbury. The nest is 

 generally among reeds, rushes, osiers, and aquatic 

 vegetation : it is, as a rule, built up from the bottom, 

 but is sometimes moored to neighbouring objects, 

 and when detached will float about without any 



