158 British Birds. 



and hatched in some new locality. Instances also 

 have been recorded in which a supplementary nest 

 has been constructed by the female parent to receive 

 a part of her brood, when they were too numerous 

 and had grown too large to be accommodated by their 

 original nest-home at night. — Fig. 7, plate IX. 



COOT— {Fjilica atra). 



Bald Coot. — A common bird enough in many parts 

 of the kingdom, and in former days, I have sometimes 

 seen them in straggling flocks of several hundreds or 

 thousands along the tide- way on the Essex coasts. 

 With its white oval spot on the forehead, and per- 

 fectly black plumage, it is a sufficiently noticeable 

 bird. It seems to be much more at home on the 

 water than on land ; but, like the Moor Hen, can and 

 does move with very considerable ease and speed on 

 the latter. The Coot makes a large and very strong 

 and compact nest, making or finding a firm founda- 

 tion for it below the surface of the water, and heaping 

 up and twisting in dry flags and bulrushes and pieces 

 of reed, until some of the nests are sufficiently firm 

 and stable to support a considerable weight. The 

 eggs laid are usually seven or eight, and up to ten ; 

 though even twelve or fourteen have been mentioned 

 as sometimes found. They are of a dingy stone- 

 colour, speckled and spotted with dark brown. — Fig. 

 8, plate IX. 



