124 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



Hab. — Teiupeiate ami tropical America fioin Canada to IJrazil ami Cliili. 



Nest, a mass of broken, rotten reetls and rushes, with a sliglit hollow in the 

 centre ; it is seldom much above water level, and often afloat, but is fastened to 

 the sedges. 



Eggs, ten to twelve, brownish-bulf, thickly spotted with reddish-brown. 



This is a common summer resident, breeding in suitable places 

 throughout Southern Ontario. Near Hamilton it is quite common, a 

 few pairs genei'ally spending the summer in the Waterdown creek, 

 and also in the Dundas marsh. Its retired haunts are seldom 

 invaded during the summer months, for the mosquitoes form a bar to 

 the intrusion of visitors, and its tlesh not being in demand for the 

 table, it is not much disturbed. 



Southern Ontario seems to be the northern limit of its habitat. 

 It is not mentioned among the birds of Manitoba, neither have I 

 heard of it appearing elsewhere in the north. 



Like most of its class, it ariives in May and leaves in September. 



Subfamily FULICIN^. 



Genus FULICA Linn^us. 



FULICA AMERICANA Omel. 



>S7. American Coot. (-'21) 



Dark slate, i)aler oi- grayish l)elow, l)lackcuing on tlie liead and neck, tinged 

 with olive on the back ; crissum, whole edge of wing, and top of the secondaries 

 white; bill, white or flesh-colored, marked with reddish-l)lack near tiie end; 

 feet, dull olivaceous. Yoitn;/ : — Similar, paler and duller. Length, about 14; 

 wing, 7-8; tail, 2; bill, fi-om tlie gape, 1:1-1^; tarsus, about 2; middle toe and 

 claw, about 3. 



H.VB. — North America, fiom (;reenhin<l and Alaska soutliward lo West 

 Indies and Central America. 



Nest, of vegetable rubVjish fi-om the marsh, often afloat and fastened to the 

 ruslies like the Grebes, Viut sometimes on dry ground l)ack from tlie water. 



Kggs, ten to twelve, clear clay color, dotted minutelj' witii dark brown. 



This species is very generally distributed in suitable places through- 

 out Ontario, and also in the North-West. It breeds abundantly at 

 St. Clair, but at Hamilton is only a migratory visitor in spring and 

 fall. They are hardy birds, often arriving in .spring before the ice is 

 quite away, and again lingering late in the fall, as if unwilling to 

 depart. They are sonietinies mistaken for ducks by amateur gunners, 

 and in this way a few lose their lives, but except in such cases they 



